Appellation Facts
Suisun Valley is located midway between San Francisco and Sacramento, in the North Coast American Viticultural Area (AVA).
- 40 miles southwest from Sacramento
- 40 miles northeast from the San Francisco Bay Area
The region covers approximately 29 square miles, or 19,000 acres, mostly of farmland in the valley and reaching up the mountainsides. It is about 7.5 miles long (north to south), and 4.5 miles wide (east to west). It’s bounded on the west by the southern foothills of the Vaca Mountains; and on the east by slopes of Okell Hill, from the Blue Ridge mountain range (approximately 1,000 feet). The northern part of this AVA has low hills that extend southward, and split the upper regions of the valley into two branches.
- Suisun Valley narrows and continues to the north.
- Gordon Valley reaches toward the northeast.
The valley has several perennial streams that flow through this AVA.
- Suisun Creek
- Gordon Valley Creek
- Ledgewood Creek
- The artificial Putah Creek runs through the valley, too, connecting Suisun Valley to the Solano Irrigation District.
San Francisco Bay plays an important role in Suisun Valley. The AVA is northeast of San Pablo Bay, north of the Carquinez Straight, and its northwest of Suisun Bay and the Sacramento River Delta. All of these components influence Suisun Valley’s climate.
Suisun is an Indian word meaning West Wind. These are the winds that cool the Valley making it a cool climate region that is similar to Carneros, in the southern portion of the valley. By mid valley, Suisun Valley is compared to Rutherford’s climate, and the upper valley region is similar to Calistoga’s climate.
The soils vary across the Valley, and are rich and deep.
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