August Ridge was established by John Backer and Jill Zamborelli Backer in the spring of 2001 with the purchase of 40 acres of rolling hills in Creston. From the beginning their goal was to produce wines that combine the robust styling of the best California wines with the restrained elegance of the classic wines from northern and central Italy. Their passion for the project comes from a love of cooking, eating and sharing meals with friends which leads directly to August Ridge wine style. This dream is a natural extension of both the Backer and Zamborelli families. John’s family has been growing grapes for four generations dating back to the 1800’s while Jill’s family brings the robust Italian food and traditions from a small town just outside of Rome, Italy.