In the late 1950s, four scientists from the Stanford Research Institute purchased a piece of land on Monte Bello Ridge as a place to bring their families on the weekends and provide a respite from the hi-tech demands of Silicon Valley. There was a small amount of cabernet sauvignon on the property and they decided to try their hand at making wine. After their first experimental vintage in 1959, they knew they had something special. Three years later Ridge Vineyards was bonded and the rest is history.
Watch as longtime winemaker Paul Draper and members of one of the founding families, the Cranes, take you through the early years of Ridge.
We’d like to extend a special thank you to Sue Crane and her sons, Russ, Doug and Dan. The interviews, video, and photography they provided shaped this film and helped us tell a story that many Ridge enthusiasts might be hearing for the first time.
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