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Vezer blue victorian6/25/2023 The sun is rising over the vineyard, setting purple clusters of grapes aglow as Ron Lanza completes an early morning harvest of a barbera grapes for a client in Wisconsin. It’s a modern town with manicured malls, tidy ranch houses and wide boulevards lined with flowering trees, but cross under the highway and you’ll enter another world as urban streets give way to wine country backroads and the hands of the clock rewind. But it’s hard to keep good wine country a secret and those in the know say that “Napa’s Backside” is getting ready to boom.įairfield is the seat of Solano County and hub of the Suisun Valley wine region. Many of the valley’s wine growers have been on the land for generations, supplying grapes to wineries elsewhere (including Napa) and making small amounts of wine for local consumers. But while Napa ultimately attracted corporate winemakers (and tourists) with very deep pockets, Suisun followed a different star. The Suisun Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area) in was designated just 6 months after Napa and boasts a similarly favourable grape-growing terroir. Welcome to the Suisun Valley.Ī ridge of hills is all that separates the Suisun and Napa valleys in Northern California. Wineries in California: The sky-blue Victorian house on Suisun Valley Road always stood out, but since it became Blue Victorian Winery, it stands out even more.Magine Napa Valley without the hype or the hefty price tag – the same fabulous wines, beguiling scenery and elegant tasting rooms, but no shortage of parking, no exorbitant tasting fees and no wine snobbery. Owners Frank and Liz Vezér purchased the 160-year-old home intending to lease it to another winery. But by the time they had lovingly restored the building and built a modern 12,000-square-foot production facility out back, they had grown too attached to part with it. It’s been about a decade since the Vezérs moved to Suisun Valley. In that amount of time-with the help of their closest friends and partners, Sam and Mimi Mizirawi-they have purchased and transformed many of the buildings in the valley’s historic town, Mankas Corners. The town’s old general store is now a great Italian restaurant, The Vintage Café. And the stationmaster’s house, livery stable, and pony express station are romantic bed and breakfasts surrounded by vineyards and produce farms.īlue Victorian Winery reminds visitors of the rich heritage of the region through both its architecture and its wonderful wines. Nearly all the wines are estate-grown, and all come entirely from Suisun Valley grapes. The reds are lush, jammy, and filled with as many flavors as a full-course meal. On the weekends, guests can count on getting an informal visit to the barrel room and a taste right from the barrels. Frank and his staff really want to share their knowledge and spend time with visitors. What’s nicer still is that Blue Victorian Winery is also a two-bedroom, two-bath bed and breakfast. Guests can taste the wines, visit another winery or two, go for a great dinner right down the road, and return to the winery for a peaceful night’s sleep. Schedule a Wine Trail Traveler Tasting Eventįrank and Liz Vezér have developed a wine presence in Suisun Valley that the wine traveler will cherish.’07 Syrah Plum, black cherry, black licorice, peppercorns, smoky meat (750ml) $39įrom I-80N, exit at Suisun Valley Rd/Pittman Rd (Exit 41) and follow Suisun Valley Rd about 5 miles.’08 Finito Primitivo Brambleberry, baked chocolate, caramel, ripe black fruit $24.95.’08 Sauternes-Style White Grapefruit, citrus, coconut milk, fruit, hazelnut $24.95.Wine lovers who appreciate a laid-back wine country experience will be glad they’ve discovered Blue Victorian Winery in the valley that’s so close yet, in a wonderful way, so far away. At the Mankas Corner Tasting Room location, there is a tasting room, deli, beautiful garden, outdoor event area, barrel room and apartment for rent. Just a mile away the Blue Victorian, a restored 100 year-old house, serves as a tasting room and has two rental suites. Behind the Blue Victorian is a barrel room and surrounding the buildings are 13 acres of grapevines. Some of the grapes are pressed at this site and there are several tanks in the barrel room.Īlthough the Vezér Ranch is a private residence, there are over 15 acres of vineyards, a private tasting room for wine club members and a wonderful venue for weddings. Wine travelers who meet family members will immediately sense the strong family attachment. This sense of family extends from the immediate family to relatives, workers and visitors.
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