Hidden Ridge was established in 1990 when the husband-and-wife team of Lynn Hofacket and Casidy Ward purchased 164 acres of rugged wilderness in Sonoma County, between Mount Hood and Diamond Mountain. The couple originally planned to clear the land build a home, but they became interested in grape growing and eventually decided to make wine. Over the course of the 1990s they cleared the land and planted Cabernet Sauvignon. Their debut release was a 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon made by Marco DiGiulio. Hidden Ridge’s vineyards are at elevations of 1200 to 1700 feet above sea level, and some are on slopes with 55 percent grade, extremely steep for vineyards. The limited production wine has won acclaim from reviewers. The winemaker today is Timothy Milos. Robert Parker wrote that Hidden Ridge wines “are clearly world-class Cabernet Sauvignons and should be considered by any serious collector for their cellars.” The wines are generally available only through a mailing list.