August Ridge Vineyards

8790 E. Highway 41
Creston, CA 93432

Ph: 805.239.2455
Email: [email protected]

About

Our History: Buliding the Dream

Started by John Backer and Jill Zamborelli Backer, our passion for cooking, eating, and sharing meals with friends led us to this dream, yet it’s a natural extension of both of our family’s legacies. John’s family has been growing grapes in California since the 1800’s, while Jill’s family brought their Italian food and wine traditions over from a small town just outside of Rome. August Ridge began in the spring of 2001 with the purchase of 40 acres of rolling hills in Creston, just East of Paso Robles. We had our work cut out for us, transforming this small parcel of land into the true family-run farm that it is t o d ay. Wine making isn’t easy, and it it’s not exactly glamorous, but we’ve found that most things that are worth doing, the things that are truly satisfying, usually turn out to be that ways. Still today, we’re as passionate about what we do as we were when we began. Simply put, we’re proud of our elegantly crafted wines, and humbled at the thought that you’ll enjoy it over great food with great company.

The Terroir & Our Wines

The unique location of our Estate Vineyard allows us to grow specifically selected Italian varietals in a style atypical of the Paso Robles AVA. It’s often distinctly cooler than the surrounding areas, with midday heat followed by significantly cooler afternoons and evenings. Our particular microclimate develops delicate aromatics and acid that aren’t cooked out of the grapes, and ultimately produces wines that are both lean and nuanced. We age our wines longer than most, in order to bring out the refined softness that only really comes with age. We’re a small production operation, so in any given year our wine selection may change depending on that season and which blends feel complete. Our flagship wines, both highly sought after, are Jovial, an Estate Reserve Super Tuscan blend, and Ingenious, a unique Estate Reserve Nebbiolo-based blend. In fact, these wines are the reason we planted our Estate Vineyard the way it is. Other distinct Italian varietals we grow or produce include Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Our wines are available in our Santa Barbara tasting room, but are always allocated to our club members first. If you’d like exclusive access to our limited release wines, please consider joining our Bella Famiglia.

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