Opolo Vineyards celebrates 25th year anniversary
Opolo Vineyards was established in Willow Creek District in 1999
Opolo Vineyards was established in Willow Creek District in 1999– In 1999, friends Rick Quinn and David Nichols established Opolo Vineyards in the emergent terroir of the Willow Creek District in Paso Robles. The winery now celebrates its 25th anniversary with a series of special events and remembrances, as well as a new website and narrative video showcasing the complete Opolo experience.
“It has been an amazing ride—but there’s still a lot that lies ahead,” Nichols said. “We were bullish on Paso Robles from the start, and we are even more so today.”
At the time of Opolo’s founding, the modern winemaking era in Paso Robles was just beginning to take shape. Quinn and Nichols say they recognized the region’s incredible potential, and immediately focused on zinfandel as the heritage grape of Paso Robles, as well as the Bordeaux and Rhône varieties for which the region would become famous.
Quinn and Nichols began planting vineyards in Paso Robles in 1996 with the intent of simply being winegrowers. However, market conditions prompted them to begin making their own wines under the banner of Opolo, a name that draws from Quinn’s Balkan heritage. They produced and sold their wines at the main estate tucked along limestone terraces in the mountainous Willow Creek District.
Rick Quinn and David Nichols.
“There was an oversupply of grapes on the horizon, so we made 1,000 cases in 1999 to show off the quality of our fruit to other wineries,” Quinn recalled. “We didn’t have a tasting room or employees, but if we were there, we would just open the gate and spend an hour or three with people. We sold out of those 1,000 cases in three months. Soon we were making 5,000 cases and it just got away from us.”
Opolo quickly became known for its Mountain Zinfandel, as well as for its cabernet sauvignons, small-batch reserves, and other releases from the terroirs of Paso Robles. The main estate vineyards are located in the westside Willow Creek District, and the winery also draws from estates in the Estrella District as well as select sites across the Paso Robles AVA. All of the estate vineyards are SIP (Sustainability in Practice) certified.
Opolo is also known for its guest experience, wine club, and special events featuring Balkan-themed food and entertainment. The winery estate in the westside Willow Creek District includes a tasting room; the Inn at Opolo; and Willow Creek Distillery. In addition to tastings, guests can enjoy estate tours and curated food pairings. Opolo is also active in the Paso Robles community and industry trade happenings. The winery recently hosted the Paso Robles CAB Collective’s “Cab Is King” winemaker panel as part of the 2024 Cab Camp.
Today, two generations are involved in the daily operations of the winery, positioning Opolo for more exciting milestones to come as a family-owned legacy winery in Paso Robles.
“Our wines and visitor experience have never been better, and we have some newer Willow Creek District plantings that are taking our wine quality to yet another level,” said Director of Marketing Ricki Quinn, daughter of founder Rick Quinn. “We are excited about what’s to come, and we are grateful for all of our members, guests, customers and trade partners who have helped make it all possible.”
Comments
