Paul Draper

American winemaking in the Santa Cruz Mountains took a long-form, site-led shape through Ridge Vineyards after Paul Draper became winemaker there in 1969. Stanford University sits in the background as his education, but the working record is Ridge: nearly five decades of winemaking tied to the Monte Bello estate vineyards, with cabernets, chardonnays, and zinfandels handled as expressions of place rather than as cellar showpieces. Since 2016, that work has continued in a different register through the title Winemaker Emeritus.

The Ridge Vineyards model remains associated with Monte Bello estate vineyards, cabernets and chardonnays built as benchmarks, and long-lived, complex zinfandels. Paul Draper, as Winemaker Emeritus, continues to influence that direction. The stated philosophy is direct: soil is the soul of the wine. In practice, that places vineyard character ahead of cosmetic winemaking and keeps authenticity and quality as operating standards rather than marketing language.

Signature bottlings include Monte Bello.

Industry recognition for this body of work includes the Distinguished Service Award in 2000. The award marks Paul Draper’s impact on American wine through Ridge Vineyards, particularly the long commitment to Monte Bello, zinfandel, and a soil-first reading of winemaking.