When Paul Draper joined the company, Ridge Vineyards was producing about 40,000 bottles of wine a year. Now, more than 40 years later, Ridge Vineyards produces about 20 times that amount. Even so, Ridge is still considered a small- to medium-size winery. From the standpoint of maintaining quality, there are more minuses than pluses to becoming too big, and Ridge is therefore not planning on getting any bigger than it is now.
On the other hand, the number of countries to which Ridge Vineyards exports wine continues to grow. Ridge exports wine to around 50 countries, and exports account for approximately 20% of production. This is an unusually high proportion for a top-class California winery. Paul Draper believes that in order to cultivate an international reputation, Ridge wines have to be marketed around the world, and this belief has driven Ridge to actively pursue opportunities abroad since the 1970s. These efforts are bearing fruit.