History
The history of Ridge Vineyards begins in 1885, when Osea Perrone, a doctor who became a prominent member of San Francisco's Italian community, bought 180 acres near the top of Monte Bello Ridge.
He terraced the slopes and planted vineyards; using native limestone, he constructed the Monte Bello Winery, producing the first vintage under that name in 1892. This unique cellar, built into the mountainside on three levels, is Ridge's production facility. At 2600', it is surrounded by the "upper vineyard."
In the 1940s, William Short, a theologian, bought the abandoned winery and vineyard just below the Perrone property; he replanted several parcels to cabernet sauvignon in the late 1940s. From these vines — now the "middle vineyard"— Ridge was founded in 1959 by three electrical engineers from Stanford Research Institute, and their wives: Dave and Fran Bennion, Hew and Sue Crane, and Charlie and Blanche Rosen. Most of the '59 crop, about six tons, went to Mario Gemello's winery. Dave Benion made one barrel of the first Ridge Monte Bello that year. The quality of that 1959 Cabernet Sauvignon from the vines re-planted in the 1940’s was superior to anything being made in California in that era. Wine knowledgeable friends convinced the partners to take the idea of an actual, functioning, possibly profitable winery seriously.
The name "Ridge" was chosen, despite qualms about starkness and the lack of a modifier.
Paul Draper joined Ridge as winemaker in 1969. And in Paris, the 1971 Monte Bello Cabernet placed fifth in a field of ten–including first-growth Bordeaux–at the now-famous Académie du Vin Paris Tasting.
In the '70s, production and distribution were increasing with each vintage. A clear priority was restoration of the winery, and improvements to the winery–and to winemaking techniques–were the major focus. With the advent of the '80s, vineyard practice and technique began to assume greater importance. More attention was paid to the individual blocks and their distinct personalities.
At Steven Spurrier's ten-years-later re-creation of the '76 Paris Tasting, the '71 Monte Bello came in a close second to Clos du Val and outshone all the Bordeaux’s including the '70 Ch. Montrose, '71 Leoville, and '70 Mouton. In 1988 Paul Draper took on the job of C.E.O. while continuing as Winemaker. In 1989 David Gates joined as Vineyard Manager.
In the 1990’s, thirty years of experience, research and experimentation came together to produce the most consistently great decade of Monte Bello vintages: 1991, ’92, ’94, ’96, ’97, ’99 and with ten more years of bottle age 1995.
Though the first decade of the new century is a bit recent to classify as "history," they were important years. Paul Draper appointed Eric Baugher and John Olney as winemakers, each with more than ten years experience at Ridge. Paul remains as C.E.O. and overall head of winemaking, involved in all major tastings and decisions while Eric and John make the day to day decisions and with David Gates and their crews, do the hard work.
That Monte Bello Cabernet was among California's finest wines of the era. Its quality and distinctive character, and the wines produced from these same vines in 1960 and '61, convinced the partners to re-bond the winery in time for the 1962 vintage.
The first zinfandel was made in 1964, from a small nineteenth-century vineyard farther down the ridge. This was followed in 1966 by the first Geyserville zinfandel. The founding families reclaimed the Monte Bello terraces, increasing vineyard size from fifteen to forty-five acres. Working on weekends, they made wines of regional character and unprecedented intensity. By 1968, production had increased to just under three thousand cases per year, and in 1969, Paul Draper joined the partnership. A Stanford graduate in philosophy—recently returned from setting up a winery in Chile's coast range—he was a practical winemaker, not an enologist. His knowledge of fine wines and traditional methods complemented the straightforward "hands off" approach pioneered at Ridge. Under his guidance the old Perrone winery (acquired the previous year) was restored, the finest vineyard lands leased or purchased, the consistent quality and international reputation of the wines established. Cabernet and Zinfandel account for most of the production; Syrah, Grenache, Carignane, and Petite Sirah constitute a small percentage. Known primarily for its red wines, Ridge has also made limited amounts of chardonnay since 1962.
Lytton Springs, in Sonoma County, became part of the Ridge estate in 1991. A quarter century's experience with this vineyard had convinced us that it was an exceptional piece of ground. Forty consecutive vintages of Geyserville attest to yet another stunning combination of location and varietals. Though born in the early sixties to the post-Prohibition world of modern California winemaking, Ridge relies on nature and tradition rather than technology. Our approach is straightforward: find intense, flavorful grapes; intrude upon the process only when necessary; draw the fruit's distinctive character and richness into the wine.
Historical Timeline
1885: San Francisco Doctor Osea Perrone buys 180 acres on Monte Bello Ridge.
1886: Dr. Perrone plants vineyards and begins construction on the stone and redwood Monte Bello Winery.
1892: Construction completed on the Montebello Winery and the first wine under the Monte Bello label is produced.
1920: The original vineyards are abandoned due to the enactment of prohibition in the United States.
1949: William Short who owns abandoned vineyard land adjacent to the Perrone property replants Cabernet Sauvignon and plants Chardonnay for the first time on Monte Bello.
1959: Three scientists from Stanford University's Research Institute (SRI) purchase the property from Mr. Short and make a small amount of wine from the ten year old Cabernet vines in the small winery on the property.
1962: The new owners form a partnership that becomes Ridge Vineyards. They re-bond the winery to again produce wine for commercial sale.
1966: Ridge purchases the old Monte Bello winery and a small part of the Perrone vineyard property.
1966: First vintage of Geyserville.
1969: Paul Draper joins Ridge Vineyards as winemaker.
1972: First vintage of Lytton Springs.
1976: Ridge comes in fifth among French and California wines, at the Paris Tasting, which later becomes known as the Judgment of Paris.
1986: Ridge Vineyards is purchased by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
1988: Paul Draper appointed as Chairman and then as Chief Executive Officer. Ridge buys replanted portions of the Perrone property.
1991: Ridge buys the Lytton Springs Winery and the old vineyards surrounding the winery in Sonoma County.
1995: Ridge buys the large western portion of the Lytton Springs vineyard.
2000: Paul Draper is named "Man of the Year" by Decanter magazine and receives the "Distinguished Service Award" from Wine Spectator magazine.
2003: Paul Draper receives the first "COPIA Award" for winemaking.
2004: Ridge completes construction of a new winery and tasting room at Lytton Springs with a focus on the production of Zinfandel.
2005: Paul Draper receives the "Lifetime Achievement Award" from the German wine magazine, Wein Gourmet.
2006: The 1971 and 2000 Monte Bello cabernets win first place in both the original vintage wine and new vintage wine categories at the "Judgment of Paris 30th Anniversary Wine Tasting" in London and California. Les Grand Prix Du Vin in Paris names Paul Draper as Personnalité de L'Anné.
2007: Paul Draper is given The James Beard Award for winemaking.