Fall Wholesale Virtual Tasting

Date/Time: Friday, September 18th at 10am PT

Our Fall Virtual Tasting will be hosted live via Zoom on Friday, September 18th at 10am PT. The tasting will be moderated by Michael Torino, President. The panelists will include John Olney, CEO & Head Winemaker, Lauren Lyall, Monte Bello Assistant Winemaker, and David Gates, Senior VP of Vineyard Operations. We hope to see you there!

Tasting Mat

Wines & Tasting Order

Our Panelists

Michael Torino, President

Michael Torino joined Ridge Vineyards in 2008 as the Eastern Regional Sales Manager and was promoted to Vice President of US Wholesale in 2016, joining the executive committee. In 2021, he was promoted to Senior Vice President of Global Sales, where he oversaw the global distributor network spanning over 55 countries, the sales managers, and the Wholesale Customer Service department. In 2026, he was promoted to President, overseeing the Global Sales Teams, Wholesale Customer Service, and Marketing teams.

John Olney, CEO & Head Winemaker

In 1996, John began work at Ridge’s Monte Bello Winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains. In 1999, he was placed in charge of the Lytton Springs Winery where he oversaw the construction of the innovative 17,000 sq. ft. straw bale winery. In 2021, John was promoted to Head Winemaker & COO. In 2026, John became CEO and remains Head Winemaker.

David Gates, Senior VP Vineyard Operations

David S. Gates, Jr. is the Senior Vice President of Vineyard Operations. After an obligatory stint in Napa Valley he made his way to Ridge in 1989. David’s duties include managing the historic Monte Bello vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the Whitton Ranch at Geyserville, and the Lytton Estate vineyards at Healdsburg, as well as monitoring and helping all Ridge growers in the Sonoma, Napa, Santa Clara, and San Luis Obispo counties.

Lauren Lyall, Monte Bello Assistant Winemaker

Lauren Lyall is Assistant Winemaker at Monte Bello. After studying Cognitive Science at UC San Diego, her passion for food, wine, and travel led her to a viticulture apprenticeship in 2018 and winemaking roles across Australia, California, and Oregon. She joined Ridge Vineyards as Lab Manager in 2023 and became Assistant Winemaker in 2025. Her deep knowledge of Monte Bello and commitment to quality make her an integral part of the Ridge team.