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June 25, 2007
Suisun Valley Wineries Open New Co-Op Tasting Room In Fairfield, CA
Three owners, all member of the Suisun Valley Grape Growers Association (SVGGA) whom collectively have five wine brands amongst themselves, are banding together to open the first wine tasting facility in the Suisun Valley appellation. Suisun Valley is adjacent to Napa, just over the hill to the east. Still a largely unknown appellation, the area has been growing winegrapes since the late 1800s, and was recognized as an American Viticultural Area, (AVA) in 1982.
The Group hopes to build awareness of Suisun Valley AVA...
Doug Sparks, owner of Sunset Cellars and Twilight Ridge, leased the property that formerly housed West Wine Winery, and will pour his two brands there. The other founding wineries are King Andrews Vineyards and Shale Peak Vineyards, owned by Roger King and Winterhawk, owned by Don Johnson. Each will be responsible for managing his own brands, and each will have to share in the tasting room duties, according to Jo Diaz, who handles communications for the Suisun Valley Grape Growers Association (SVGGA). Another new start-up is considering joining the "co-op," tthe nomenclature chosen "in order to encourage the kind of thinking that it's going to take to launch brands in Suisun Valley," Diaz said. "Most of these farmers wouldn't launch otherwise, as the task is to daunting for them."
The Suisun Valley AVA spans about 15,000 acres, with approximately 3,000 acres planted to vineyards. In addition to the brands represented at the co-op, nine other wineries are members of SVGGA, which was formed in 2002. Twenty varieties of premium winegrapes are grown in Suisun Valley, which is a sub-appellation of the California North Coast AVA.
As I understand the tasting room will be initially open Friday, from 2pm to 5pm and Saturday and Sunday, from 12 noon to 5 p.m. Although this is the main road into Suisun Valley. “The setting remains quite rural, Let's just say, if you were riding a bicycle through Suisun Valley, you'd think you were way out in the country," says Diaz.
Contact:
Suisun Valley Wine Co-Op
4495 Suisun Valley Rd.,
Fairfield, CA 94534
Phone: 707-864-3135
Sales: sales@svwinecoop.com
Website: svwinecoop.com.
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Additional Articles:
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“Suisun Valley AVA Is Coming Into Its Own,” May 26, 2006
Updated: 7/2/07
Posted by fortna at June 25, 2007 11:25 AM
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