Ridge Vineyards

Ridge Vineyards is a California wine producer whose modern history began in 1962, when four Stanford Research Institute engineers—Dave Bennion, Hew Crane, Charlie Rosen, and Howard Ziedler—re-bonded the Monte Bello winery in time for that vintage. The property’s history predates the modern company: in 1885, Osea Perrone bought land on Monte Bello Ridge, terraced the slopes, planted vineyards, and built a winery from native limestone. The first vintage under the Monte Bello name was produced in 1892. Ridge presents its wines through a single-vineyard philosophy, emphasizing the character of particular vineyard sites. Its offerings include Monte Bello estate Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, as well as Zinfandels associated with Geyserville and Lytton Springs. The winery also highlights its wines from Monte Bello, Lytton Springs, and Paso Robles. Its products are available through its website, which features shopping, visits, and membership information. The company describes its winemaking approach as “pre-industrial,” stating that it seeks to limit modern additives and industrial processing. It also says that since the 2011 vintage its back labels have listed ingredients, and that it farms organically certified grapes and uses organic and sustainable vineyard practices. The winery identifies operations in Sonoma County and the Santa Cruz Mountains. Its current executive team includes CEO and Head Winemaker John Olney, with Paul Draper serving as Winemaker Emeritus.

Ridge Vineyards’ history is rooted in Monte Bello Ridge, where Osea Perrone bought 180 acres in 1885. Perrone terraced the slopes, planted vineyards, and built the Monte Bello Winery using native limestone. The winery produced its first vintage under the Monte Bello name in 1892. Its cellar, built into the mountainside on three levels, is described by Ridge as its production facility. The upper vineyard is now referred to as Perrone Ranch. In the 1940s, theologian William Short bought an abandoned winery and vineyard below the Perrone property. He replanted parcels to Cabernet Sauvignon in the late 1940s. These vines became part of the middle vineyard, now called Torre Ranch. Dave Bennion, Hew Crane, Charlie Rosen, and Howard Ziedler—engineers at Stanford Research Institute—made a quarter-barrel of estate Cabernet from the vines. Ridge says the wine, along with wines from the same vines in 1960 and 1961, convinced the partners to re-bond the winery for the 1962 vintage. Bennion left his position at S.R.I. to oversee winemaking full time. This 1962 restart marks the beginning of Ridge’s modern history. The winery broadened its range in the 1960s. It made its first Zinfandel in 1964 from a small nineteenth-century vineyard farther down the ridge, followed by its first Geyserville Zinfandel in 1966. The founding families reclaimed the Monte Bello terraces, expanding vineyard area from fifteen to forty-five acres. They worked on weekends and sought wines of regional character and intensity. Ridge’s later identity has remained closely tied to specific vineyards and long-lived wines. The company identifies Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, and Zinfandels from Geyserville and Lytton Springs, as central to its portfolio and winemaking story. Its stated approach is “pre-industrial,” with an emphasis on limiting modern additives and industrial processing. Since the 2011 vintage, it says its back labels have listed ingredients. Ridge also describes its farming as organic and sustainable and says it is a major grower of organically certified grapes in Sonoma County and the Santa Cruz Mountains. Today, the winery presents wines and visits at Monte Bello, Lytton Springs, and Paso Robles, and lists John Olney as CEO and Head Winemaker and Paul Draper as Winemaker Emeritus.

• 2011

  Ingredient information added to back labels

• 1966

  First Geyserville Zinfandel

• 1964

  First Zinfandel

• 1962

  Ridge’s modern history begins

• 1892

  First Monte Bello vintage

• 1885

  Osea Perrone acquires land on Monte Bello Ridge

A single-vineyard wine producer emphasizing distinctive vineyard sites, restrained intervention, and organic and sustainable farming.

• Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon

  An estate Cabernet Sauvignon associated with Ridge’s Monte Bello vineyards.

• Monte Bello Chardonnay

  A Chardonnay associated with the Monte Bello estate vineyards.

• Geyserville Zinfandel

  A Zinfandel offering from Ridge’s Geyserville vineyard.

• Lytton Springs wines

  Wines associated with Ridge’s Lytton Springs vineyard.

• Adopt a single-vineyard philosophyOther

• Use a pre-industrial winemaking approachOther

• Disclose ingredients on wine labelsOther

1. 1Ridge Vineyards | Exceptional Single-Vineyard Wines Since 1962ridgewine.com
2. 2History - Ridge Vineyardsridgewine.com
3. 3About - Ridge Vineyardsridgewine.com
4. 4Explore - Ridge Vineyardsridgewine.com