Without any formal training in winemaking, Draper first gained recognition for his 1971 Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon when it placed fifth at the Judgment of Paris wine tasting.

[2] Along with Ravenswood Winery's Joel Peterson, Draper is considered one of the most important figures in the history of Californian Zinfandel, rescuing the grape from obscurity and demonstrating its full potential as a serious wine.

During that time, in a desire to see the sights from his favorite film La strada, Draper rode through the Italian countryside on a motorcycle, learning about the local culture, cuisine and wine.

[1] The next year, Draper went to Chile as part of a Peace Corps mission where he leased a Chilean winery with Fritz Maytag, a fellow volunteer and friend from Stanford.

The experience gave him the confidence he needed to meet with David Bennion and accept the chief winemaking position at Ridge Vineyards in 1969.

Located in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, the high altitude of Ridge's vineyards as well as its proximity to the Pacific Ocean created a cooler climate that was distinctly different from that found in Napa Valley or Sonoma County.

As the reputation of his wine grew, consumers soon began to recognize names such as Monte Bello, Picchetti Vineyard, Jimsomare and Geyserville from their vineyard-designated bottlings.

That is a style that Draper actively tries to parallel and would often serve blind tastings of his Monte Bello Cabernet with a bottle of Château Latour to get feedback on the differences between the two.

Prior to his arrival, Ridge had been making some Zinfandel in small quantities, often blended with Carignane and Petite Sirah, but it was never much of a focus.

[2] He has been a harsh critic of the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology in their emphasis of more "industrial winemaking" versus the traditional methods that he prefers.