Timeline
1885 - Dr. Osea Perrone of San Francisco buys 180 acres on Monte Bello Ridge, plants vines, builds a stone winery.
1892 - Perrone produces the first Monte Bello.
1949 - On Monte Bello Ridge, Dr William Short, owner of the Torre vineyard adjacent to the Perrone property, replants several blocks of cabernet and for the first time a block of chardonnay.
1959 - Three scientists from Stanford University's Research Institute (SRI) and their families form a partnership and buy Dr Short's property on Monte Bello Ridge. One of them, David Bennion, makes a half barrel of cabernet from the ten year old vines.
1962 - The partners re-bond the winery and name it Ridge Vineyards. That year they produce their first Monte Bello.
1964 - Ridge produces its first zinfandel from 19th century vines on the Pichetti Ranch near the base of the Monte Bello Ridge.
1966 - Ridge produces the first Geyserville, from vines planted in 1882 in Sonoma County.
1969 - Paul Draper joins the partnership as winemaker.
1972 - Ridge produces the first Lytton Springs from vines planted in 1901.
1974 - First international shipment to Averys Wine Merchant in Bristol, England.
1976 - Judgement of Paris: Steven Spurrier organizes a tasting of California cabernets and chardonnays and top French wines. To everyone's surprise, California beat the French in both the red and white flights. The 1971 Monte Bello comes in 5th.
1977 - Ridge launches the Advance Tasting Program, ATP, America's first wine club.
