Established in 1999, Willow Creek District Estate Winery Enters Milestone Year
May 3rd – Paso Robles, CA—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 proudly celebrates its 25th anniversary year with a series of special events and remembrances, as well as a new web site and narrative video that showcases 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 recognized the region’s incredible potential, and they 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.
Paso Robles Staying Power
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.
“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 become renowned for its legendary Mountain Zinfandel, as well as 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 remarkable guest experience, robust wine club and special events featuring Balkans-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.”
Opolo Vineyards is a family-owned winery based in the coastal mountains of the Willow Creek District. Renowned for its Mountain Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and other Paso Robles wines, Opolo was founded in 1999 by Rick Quinn and David Nichols. Opolo’s wines fall under three collections: Mountain Collection, Reserve Collection and Summit Creek. Opolo’s famed visitor experience includes a tasting room and bistro; the Inn at Opolo; and the Willow Creek Distillery. More at Opolo.com.
