Valley News

3/24/2006
Wine room is a great idea
EDITORIAL - Daily Republic

The story in today’s paper about Suisun Valley’s effort to establish a wine-tasting room is good news for more than just wine lovers.

Sure it will be nice to be able to drive just down the road instead of making the trek down a crowded and busy Highway 12 to Napa to taste high quality wines.

The decision also means that we have taken a step in preserving the Suisun Valley as Solano County’s agricultural treasure. It also fits in with the orderly growth law, recently endorsed by the Fairfield City Council, which would continue to funnel growth into Solano County cities in order to avoid rural development.

It’s easy to say you don’t want rural development. No one would argue that they want to see Suisun Valley paved over with strip malls or highways, or hundreds of new houses that stand only 10 feet apart.

But it is another thing to find a way to keep our agricultural land economically viable and give support to our farmers who are trying to eke out a living on this land.

Of course a wine-tasting room won’t magically make it easier for farmers to resist the pressures to throw in the towel and sell their land. Nor will it automatically make their crops more valuable or the land easier to farm.

But it could help spark tourism and interest in Solano County agriculture and wines. A tasting room with 10-12 Suisun Valley wine labels to choose from would certainly draw more people to the area and be a destination spot.

Making it more accessible and affordable that its often snobby Napa and Sonoma neighbors would also set it apart from the competition and appeal to a wider audience. If the Suisun Valley Fund Advisory Committee also decides to develop a full-scale wine-processing facility, the area’s reputation will grow further.

Increasing grape-growing and wine production are proven ways to keep rural areas rural. But it may also help elevate Fairfield and Solano’s identity.  After all, good restaurants usually follow good wineries, and tourist usually go where there is good food and drink. It would be nice for Fairfield to be known for more than Travis Air Force Base and Jelly Belly.

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