Ridge Vineyards

Ridge Vineyards is a storied California winery with roots dating back to 1885, when the Monte Bello Winery was first established on the slopes of Monte Bello Ridge in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The winery as it is known today traces its modern origins to 1962, when a group of Stanford Research Institute engineers re-bonded the historic facility and produced their first Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon vintage. Since that founding era, Ridge Vineyards has grown into one of California's most respected and internationally recognized wine producers, championing single-vineyard winemaking across multiple California appellations.

The winery's production is anchored by two flagship varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. The Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from estate vineyards situated at approximately 2,600 feet elevation in the Santa Cruz Mountains, is considered among California's finest wines and gained international recognition through its participation in the famed 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting. Zinfandel production began in 1964, with the Geyserville bottling following in 1966, establishing Ridge as one of the foremost champions of heritage Zinfandel in California. Additional red varietals including Syrah, Grenache, Carignane, and Petite Sirah constitute a smaller portion of the portfolio, along with limited Chardonnay production dating back to 1962.

Ridge operates multiple estate properties across California. The original Monte Bello estate in the Santa Cruz Mountains remains both the spiritual and operational heart of the winery, with its historic limestone cellar built into the mountainside serving as the primary production facility. Lytton Springs, located in Sonoma County, was acquired into the Ridge estate in 1991 and is known for its exceptional Zinfandel and Rhône-varietal blends. The company also maintains operations in Paso Robles, further expanding its geographic footprint across California's premier wine-growing regions.

The winemaking philosophy at Ridge is grounded in a pre-industrial, minimalist approach. Under the long-tenured guidance of winemaker Paul Draper, who joined in 1969, the winery developed a reputation for traditional methods that prioritize finding intensely flavorful fruit from climatically and geologically matched vineyard sites, then intervening in the winemaking process as little as possible. This "hands off" approach is designed to preserve and express the distinctive character of each individual vineyard rather than impose a technological or stylistic formula.

Ridge offers a range of wine categories including current releases across its Cabernet, Zinfandel, and Rhône-varietal lines, as well as library wines for collectors seeking older vintages. The winery supports a direct-to-consumer membership program with tiered benefits, and its estate properties are open for visitation, tastings, and events, making it both a producer and a destination winery within California's wine tourism landscape.