Although Ridge Vineyards began in the 1960s, wine has been produced at the site under the name 'Monte Bello Winery' since 1885 when Osea Perrone bought 180 acres of land near the top of Monte Bello. The winery passed through a couple of owners until 1960 when it was bought by four Stanford Research Institute engineers, David Bennion, Charles Rosen, Hewitt Crane, and Howard Zeidler, who produced its first commercial vintage in 1962. Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel account for the largest percentage of the wine produced at Ridge, and it is famous primarily for its reds.