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Item # 512R2 Petite Sirah, 2005. Opolo Vintage: 2005 Varietal: Petite Sirah Vineyard/Appellation: Paso Robles, California Color: Very dense purple Nose: Boysenberry, blackberry and earth Palate: Leather and earth mixed with lots of berries Finish: Concentrated and rich with blackberry fruit Rating: 95 Cellaring/Serving Suggestions: Drink now through 2014 Podcast Link: Online Wine Tasting with the Cellarmaster : OPOLO - RED Retail Price $28.99      Log In for LOWEST price Price: Out of Stock Write your own review Printable Version

They say good fences make good neighbors, but it was a love of wine and winemaking that was the entr?e between Opolo owners Rick Quinn and Dave Nichols. Their two families have lived side-by-side in Camarillo when Nichols bought vineyard property adjoining Quinn's. Together they now own about 280 acres of vineyards in Paso Robles, about 200 acres on the Eastside and 80 on the Westside. The Westside vineyards are in the Adelaide hills, producing wines such as Pinot Noir and Sangiovese, while the Eastside properties produce varietals such as Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The majority of vineyards have been producing fruit since 1998, and a small percentage of it has been finding its way into wine made by Quinn and Nichols ever since.

The name Opolo is a nod to Quinn's Yugoslavian heritage. It is the name of a blended ros?-style wine found on the Dalmatian Coast.

Though the impetus for buying that first parcel of vineyard was having grapes for his own winemaking, Quinn has always sold the vast majority of his crop to other labels. Most of the grapes will continue to be sold to other wineries, but the pair's estate vineyards will be the major source of grapes for the Opolo label. Their goal is to make great wines, and the more they can control the viticultural process the better chance they have to make the best possible wine.

Petite Sirah is a bit of an orphan. It was so named because it has characteristics of Syrah, the great red of the Northern Rhone. Through mapping and study, it was determined that it is the same as the Duriff grape of the Provence.

1999 marked the first commercial crush under the Opolo label, when Quinn and Nichols produced Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, and Muscat Canelli. Quinn and Nichols have essentially taken over the viticulture and winemaking duties, not an easy task considering they both still have their "day jobs." Quinn owns one of the largest Century 21 brokerages in the country and Nichols runs his own wireless electronics firm. Neither has been able to convince their family to move up to Paso Robles full-time, but they're working on it!