Opolo Vineyards releases 2021 Mountain Zinfandel
Release marks 22nd vintage of the varietal from the Paso Robles estate winery
– Opolo Vineyards recently released its 2021 Mountain Zinfandel, marking the 22nd consecutive release of this iconic Paso Robles Zinfandel.
The 2021 vintage “exhibits all of the classic hallmarks of Opolo Mountain Zinfandel,” according to the winery, “most notably a bold, lush palate distinguished by fine structure and vivid fruit flavors that are true to the westside coastal mountains of Paso Robles.”
Zinfandel has been centered in the business since the winery was founded in 1999 by Rick Quinn and David Nichols. Zinfandel has been a heritage variety of Paso Robles dating back to the 1800s, and Quinn and Nichols believed that they could produce a definitive zinfandel that would help drive the modern era of Paso Robles winemaking.
Ever since, the name Mountain Zinfandel has been “synonymous with Opolo, reflecting how the Zinfandel grape achieves greatness amid the mountain terroirs of Paso Robles.”
The 2021 Mountain Zinfandel comes predominantly from three sub-AVAs of Paso Robles—Willow Creek District, Adelaida District, and Templeton Gap. The fruit from the Willow Creek District comes from two of Opolo’s estate vineyards: the main Opolo Estate as well as Dove Pond Vineyard.
Under the direction of winemakers James Schreiner and Chris Rougeot, the individual 2021 Mountain Zinfandel sites were hand-picked and fermented in stainless steel tanks and small open-top fermenters, all with attentive phenolic management to ensure optimal mouthfeel.
After fermentation and settling, the lots were racked to French (95%) and American (5%) oak barrels, inclusive of 25 percent new oak. In the winter, lots with common characteristics were blended and returned to barrels for seamless integration. After 10 total months of barrel aging, Schreiner and Rougeot assembled the final blend to create this latest chapter in the story of the Opolo Mountain Zinfandel.
The resulting wine delivers the trademark Opolo Mountain Zinfandel style: “rich, bold, fruit-forward and always lively through the finish.”
In addition to the Mountain Zinfandel, Opolo also produces the popular Summit Creek Zinfandel as well as several reserve and single-vineyard zinfandels from heralded sites such as Remo Belli Vineyard.
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