Old Relationships, Older Vines
Blog Post
April 2025
Our History with the Geyserville and Dusi Vineyards
At RIDGE, our history is shaped by long-standing partnerships and a deep respect for the land. Both the Geyserville and Dusi vineyards are key to our story, with multi-generational collaborations that have defined our wines. David Gates, our Sr. VP of Vineyard Operations, shares the rich history behind these vineyards and the enduring relationships that continue to shape our legacy.
Geyserville Vineyard
Our journey to Geyserville began with a neighborly visit in the early 1960s on Monte Bello. This visit would blossom into a multi-generational partnership that birthed our celebrated Geyserville wine. As newlyweds in the 1950s, Leo and Evelyn Trentadue purchased the historic Perrone winery on Montebello Road. The two stopped by their new neighbors (the Bennions, Rosens, and Cranes) at the old Torre property one day to see what they were up to. They became friends, and when the RIDGE partners decided to expand their wine offerings, Dave Bennion turned to the Trentadues for help. In 1966, he purchased zinfandel (and carignane) grapes from the Trentadues’ Whitton Ranch vineyard in Alexander Valley and named the resulting wine “Geyserville.”
Geyserville is home to the oldest vines we farm. The “Old Patch” section of the vineyard contains vines that are more than 130 years of age.
RIDGE next purchased the Perrone winery from the Trentadues and leased the surrounding land to plant more vines at Monte Bello. When Paul Draper was brought on in 1969 to become Winemaker and to refurbish the Perrone winery, he saw Geyserville as a uniquely Californian wine, one where the soils, climate, farming, and exceptional quality from the Old Patch at the Whitton Ranch (a pre-Prohibition mixed planting of zinfandel, carignane, and many other varieties) are perfectly matched. We were able to lease the Whitton Ranch in 1990 and hired the Trentadues’ son Victor and his wife Cindy to farm it. We were thrilled to purchase this vineyard in 2015, and now grandson Steve Trentadue is working with our viticulturist Mauro Maldonado to farm this historical property.
Dusi Vineyard
In his quest to find older vineyards to supplement RIDGE’s production, Dave Bennion purchased some zinfandel grapes from Benito Dusi in 1967 and called the wine “Paso Robles.” Beni had been farming his family’s vineyard, planted in 1922, since he was 13, when his older brothers went off to war. Dave and Beni became good friends, sharing meals and stories over the years. We returned to buy more grapes in 1976, and we have continued ever since. With Beni’s passing, his nephew Mike and Mike’s grandson Dante are farming the Benito Dusi Vineyard now, carrying on Beni’s tradition of careful farming and attention to detail.
— David Gates, Senior VP of Vineyard Operations
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