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Away from the hustle and bustle of city life, you’ll find the Suisun Valley wine region tucked away in the northeast corner of the San Francisco Bay Area. Set amongst farmlands and those infamous California rolling hills, the Suisun Valley wine region is a Bay Area hidden gem just waiting to be discovered!
I used to drive through Fairfield and Suisun merely dismissing the area as a travel corridor to get from “here to there.” Not anymore. Suisun Valley has become a destination in its own right filled with great wine, plenty of good eats, and breweries!
While I still have a lot of Suisun Valley to explore, I’ve put together a list of things that will help you to start discovering this great laid back wine region in California just like I have.
Getting to Suisun Valley
Because of its location, it makes a great day trip destination for those visiting or living in the Bay Area and Sacramento.
- Drive time from San Francisco: 55 Minutes
- Drive time from Oakland: 45 Minutes
- Drive time from San Jose: 1 Hour 15 Minutes
- Drive time from Sacramento: 45 Minutes
If you’re coming from out of the area, all of the cities above have international airports to fly into!
Wine Tasting in Suisun Valley
Established in 1982, the Suisun (pronounced “Sue Soon”) Valley AVA is amongst some of the oldest AVAs in California. Grape varietals grown in the area number more than two dozen, though the area champions Petite Sirah and has earned the nickname “Petite Sirah Capital of the World.” But don’t let that fool you – I’ve had some interesting wines from Suisun Valley wineries of all kinds!
While there’s not an overabundance of wineries in the area (yet), there are at least over a dozen just waiting to welcome you into their wonderful world!
Suisun vs. Napa
Suisun Valley is not too far from Napa, so when I tell people we’re going wine tasting in Suisun Valley, I am sometimes met with a little skepticism. “Wine tasting in Suisun Valley? Why don’t you just go to Napa?” Well, here’s why…
In Suisun Valley, you’ll experience:
- A laid back atmosphere
- More affordable wines and wine tasting fees
- Less crowds and traffic
- Rustic, farm-like landscapes and views
I still enjoy the occasional visit to Napa but if you’re looking for something a little more toned down, Suisun Valley is such an excellent choice!
Tolenas Winery
4185 Chadbourne Rd, Fairfield, CA 94534
https://www.tolenaswinery.com/
My favorite winery in Suisun Valley thus far is Tolenas, located on a farmhouse property with delightful vineyard views. The staff and owners/winemakers are such welcoming people and explain in detail the story and process behind each wine they are pouring.
Tolenas makes a unique White Pinot Noir dubbed “Eclipse” – the idea for which was born from a grape harvest during the 2017 eclipse! The grapes are lightly pressed to extract the juice without imparting the color of the skins, and fermented cold in stainless steel. It is bright in acidity and has some of the fruity tasting notes similar to a traditional dark pinot noir.
Tolenas also happens to make one of the best Sauvignon Blancs I’ve ever tasted! With refreshing fruit flavors reminiscent of peaches, grapefruit and apricot, this wine is the perfect companion to a hot summer.
During your tasting at Tolenas, you may also have the pleasure of sampling olive oil made from olives grown right on the Tolenas property and milled locally (when available). On our very first spring visit, they paired this amazing olive oil with some fresh bread and their rich El Camino Red Blend. Be sure to ask about the story behind that wine!
Wine Tasting Fee: $25 per person
Favorite Wines: Sauvignon Blanc & Eclipse White Pinot Noir
Sunset Suisun (formerly the Co-Op)
4495 Suisun Valley Rd, Fairfield, CA 94534
https://suisunvalleywinecoop.com/
Sunset Suisun, formerly the Suisun Valley Wine Co-Op, is a boutique winery with a cozy and fun tasting room in the heart of Suisun Valley. Here, you’ll also find wines from their partners that they collab with, preserving that former co-op environment (like King Andrews and Blacksmith Cellars).
Some of my favorite wines had here include the Sunset Barbera and their Cat or Tiger Red Blend.
Sunset Suisun is also located right next door to the Pioneer Taproom, which makes a great additional stop if you’re traveling with some beer lovers!
Wine Tasting Fee: $20.00 per person, waived with a bottle purchase
Suisun Creek Winery
2350 Morrison Ln, Fairfield, CA 94534
https://www.suisuncreekwinery.com/
Suisun Creek has such a beautiful, relaxing spot with the most scenic views of their vineyards and the nearby hills. If you’re lucky to visit in the spring, you’ll have endless views of blooming mustard flowers while enjoying their superb wine selection!
All of the wines at Suisun Creek are great, but I was especially a fan of their 2021 Chardonnay – a little bit buttery, but not too much, with notes of graham crackers. Truly unique! It had me craving s’mores on the spot.
Their Cabernet Sauvignon is also one of the best I’ve had from any winery in California. It’s worth the splurge.
Wine Tasting Fee: $15.00 (each fee waived with one bottle purchase)
Favorite Wines: Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon
Vezer Mankas Gardens
2522 Mankas Corner Rd, Fairfield, CA 94534
https://vezer.com/
Vezer Mankas Gardens, a sister location to Vezer at the Blue Victorian (more on that below), is a great stop on a Suisun wine tasting adventure. Their wine tasting fee actually covers tastings at both locations! Don’t worry, the wine lineup is different at each spot.
I really enjoyed all of their wines, but my favorite was the Franci Verdelho – a more unique white wine that I never had the pleasure of tasting until we visited Vezer. Verdelho grapes are most commonly found in Portguese and Australian wines, but I’m glad they have found their way to California winemakers.
Pro Tip: I like to recommend starting your day at the Mankas Gardens location right when they open since there is limited parking in the area that can fill up fast!
Wine Tasting Fee: $25.00 (includes tastings at both Vezer locations)
Favorite Wines: Franci Verdelho
Vezer Blue Victorian
5071 Suisun Valley Rd, Fairfield, CA 94534
https://vezer.com/
To me, the Vezer Blue Victorian is very much a visual landmark of the Suisun Valley Wine Region! You can’t miss this beautiful blue painted Victorian house at this location. You’ll also find the “Welcome to the Petite Sirah Capital of the World” sign out front!
They have a roundup of great wines that you can sip on their patio. Our favorites were the rosé and the Gary & Jake Select red wine blend.
Wine Tasting Fee: $25.00 (includes tastings at both Vezer locations)
Favorite Wines: Rosé and Gary & Jack Red Blend
Winery Wish List
Here’s a list of some other wineries in the area that I can’t wait to add to this post!
- Caymus Suisun – A sister location of its Napa flagship opened in 2022. It looks absolutely stunning!
- Wooden Valley Winery – The longest operating winery in Suisun Valley!
- Mangels Vineyards
Where to Eat in Suisun Valley
Foodie spots in Suisun Valley in Fairfield are definitely something I am excited to explore more of. As a major travel corridor, you’ll often find a lot of fast food options as the area is along I-80. However, I know there are a lot more hidden gems just waiting to make it onto my list!
Rustwater Taproom
800 Texas St, Fairfield, CA 94533
https://www.rustwater.co/
Ruswater Taproom, located in Downtown Fairfield, is a great spot if you’re looking for brewery-style food to fill you up! Let me tell you, after a day of wine tasting, you’re going to scarf down their double cheeseburger as if you’ve never eaten before.
The burgers are so good, as are their loaded fancy fries. And if you need a break from drinking wine all day, they have an excellent rotating tap selection of beers.
Big H Deli
4437 Central Pl, Fairfield, CA 94534
https://www.bighdeli.com/
You’ll want to visit Big H Deli in Fairfield if you want to fill up on a hearty lunch before going out and visiting the local wineries (or even as a break in between). It’s not your average deli, but rather a mix of traditional deli and Mediterranean.
I went there specifically for the chicken shawarma plate and it did not disappoint. Definitely get the cucumber salad as one of your sides! Their roast beef cheesesteak is also to die for. The meat is so tender!
Two60 Kitchen
260 Pittman Rd, Fairfield, CA 94534
https://www.two60kitchenandbar.com/
Two60 Kitchen serves up some healthy-ish Asian fusion dishes and would be a great option for either lunch or dinner. The Poke Tower, Ahi Poke Rice Bowl, California Chicken & Rice Bowl, and Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich are all delicious options, along with their fantastic lumpia!
And while they do serve wine and beer at the restaurant, they also make some tasty cocktails.
Heretic Brewing
1052 Horizon Dr, Fairfield, CA 94533
https://hereticbrewing.com/
If you find yourself at Heretic to taste some beers, give their hearty pub food menu a try. Get the poutine tots! They make a great beer companion. I’ve also had my eye on their buffalo chicken nachos and Wicked Joan Cheeseburger (made for heat lovers with Carolina reaper powder)!
Olive Oil Tasting in Fairfield
Looking to grace your palate with something other that wine? Try olive oil tasting! You can choose between Sonoma Harvest and Il Fiorello. I haven’t been to Sonoma Harvest to compare just yet, but I loved the experience I had at Il Fiorello!
Il Fiorello
2625 Mankas Corner Rd, Fairfield, CA 94534
https://ilfiorello.com/
Forget about that olive oil you buy at the grocery store. Once you’ve tasted olive oil at Il Fiorello, you’ll know what olive oil is truly supposed to taste like!
I was lucky to attend an olive oil tasting which comes with food pairing at a travel event and it completely opened my eyes to the world of olive oil. I also highly recommend reserving one of their charcuterie boards ahead of time for your visit.
Where to Grab a Beer in Suisun Valley
There are a great handful of places to grab a beer when visiting Fairfield. As a lover of both wine and beer, I appreciate having options (and so does my beer-loving husband).
- Heretic Brewing: I’ve been enjoying Heretic beers since I started my foray into the craft beer world some years ago. There’s always something great to choose from, including a variety of styles.
- Rustwater Tap Room: Pouring a killer rotating lineup of beers (a lot of which are local to California). Make sure you try their loaded fries or a cheeseburger with your beers!
- Pioneer Tap Room: A bustling spot with live music, located right next door to Suisun Valley Wine Co-Op.
- Suisun Filling Station: Another spot we haven’t made it to yet, but it looks so retro and cool! It’s also located across the street from Vezer at Mankas Corner.
Will you be checking out Suisun Valley?!
I hope this post has given you some ideas on how you can enjoy this little underrated wine region in California!
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