About Opolo
Rick Quinn and David Nichols were first neighbors, then friends, and finally collaborators in a shared dream: to create their own winemaking legacy in Paso Robles.
Rick and David started planting vineyards in 1997. Two years later, they established their family winery in the coastal mountains of the Willow Creek District. They chose the name Opolo as a nod to Quinn’s Serbian heritage, referencing a rosé-style wine that is native to the Dalmatian Coast.
Opolo has since become a cornerstone of the Paso Robles experience, known for its warm hospitality and legendary wine club. Visit our tasting room to discover the world of Opolo.
Estate Vineyards
Opolo wines are grown predominantly in estate vineyards owned by proprietors Rick Quinn and David Nichols—most notably at our winery’s home property in the Willow Creek District.
Here, our two contiguous estate vineyards speak to both the heritage and future of Opolo. Quinn West is the original estate vineyard that dates back to the late 1990s, while To the Moon is a newer planting that promises continued elevation of our Rhône and Bordeaux varieties.
These vineyards exemplify the Willow Creek District as one of California’s most exciting terroirs. The vines are planted to terraced slopes tucked within the coastal Santa Lucia mountain range, where warm afternoons are reliably tempered by marine breezes that flow through the Templeton Gap. The limestone-rich soils of the Willow Creek District are highly coveted and similar to the calcareous soils found in many of the world’s greatest wine regions. Collectively, these conditions produce wines with vivid flavors, fresh acidity and natural structure.
We also grow fruit at our Nichols East and Quinn East vineyards in the warmer Estrella District. These sites have proven ideal for varieties such as Petite Sirah, Tempranillo, Sangiovese and Barbera, and for Rhône, Bordeaux and Zinfandel grapes that bring dimension and complexity to our varietal blends.
Estate Vineyards
The Opolo estate resides in the westside Willow Creek District of Paso Robles. Here, we own two vineyards—our original Quinn West Vineyard and the adjacent To the Moon Vineyard. The rugged slopes, limestone soils and cooler coastal conditions of the Willow Creek District produce wines of exceptional freshness and structure, including our estate-grown Opolo Reserve wines.
We also operate two estate vineyards in the warmer eastside Estrella District: Nichols East and Quinn East. The fruit from these vineyards allows us to blend a rounder, riper quality into our Opolo Estate and Summit Creek wines.
Sustainability GROWN
We believe that a strong, cooperative relationship with our environment is crucial, which is why our estate vineyards are SIP (Sustainability in Practice) Certified—one of the most stringent certification programs of its kind.
SIP Certification encompasses a holistic and measurable range of ecologically friendly practices, including water conservation, soil health, energy efficiency, waste reduction, social responsibility and more. In addition to being good stewards of the land, we strive to produce wines of natural quality and integrity.
