Optima Wine Cellars

When Mike Duffy decided to start his own winery, he briefly struggled to think of a name - he wanted a name that was easy to remember and people could pronounce, out of thin air came Optima and it stuck. Now more than thirty years later, he finds the moniker quite fitting.The dictionary defines Optima as the plural of Optimum which means “...the best of several outcomes”. The story of Optima and the Duffy family could have had several different endings. But this one truly is among the best. Optima, located in picturesque Healdsburg, California, is the epitome of a small family winery, annually producing only 5,000 cases of top quality Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and aZinfandel Port.The limited production allows everyone in the family - Mike, Nicol and sons Danny, Tyler, Chris and Will - to be personally involved in all aspects of the operation. And it enables Mike, as winemaker, to employ winemaking techniques that larger wineries don’t have time for, such as counter pressure racking, extended maceration and unfiltered wines. Mikes approach to winemaking combines art and practicality.The Optima label made its first appearance in 1984 on 400 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon, crafted by Mike and his late wife, Tina. Over the years, Mike worked full time as winemaker for Trefethen in Napa Valley and Field Stone in Alexander Valley. Optima, in a sense, was his “weekend warrior” project. In 1997, Mike left Field Stone to operate Optima full-time, a move he made because it allowed him to spendmore time on his brand and with his family.