I recently visited Neotempo’s owners, Kia Behnia and Tracy Borman, at their house and vineyard, located off the Silverado Trail, next door to Darioush, and very close to the Stags Leap AVA border.

“We purchased the property in 2011 but spotted this place in the 1990s when we were bike riding through Napa Valley,” said Kia. “It had a little cottage on the hill with beautiful old oak trees and a small vineyard. The cottage was in a bad state, so we had to rebuild. But we kept the old oak trees—they feature on our label.”

The property came with five acres of land, including an existing vineyard. The vineyard was replanted in 2012 with help from Mark Neal of Neal Family Vineyards.

“We pulled everything out and wanted to redo everything properly,” Kia said. “Mark Neal helped us with the clone choices and organic farming setup. We used drought-resistant rootstock (Schwarzmann and 1616C). The clones we planted are new to California and had just come out of quarantine (clones 412, 338, and 685—all Cabernet Sauvignon).”

A total of 3.75 acres is planted to 3,805 vines, broken down into six blocks according to topography and exposure. The soil is mainly Haire loam with some outcrop complex. Kia and Tracy named their vineyard Kiatra, an amalgamation of their first names. For the first few years of production, the fruit was sold to winery neighbors Darioush and Shafer.

“We want to be immersed in the farming and to take our time learning,” said Kia. “That was the reason for the slow burn. We wanted to make something unique. I don’t want to make cover wines that taste like someone else’s. My background is data science, but we’re not looking for homogeneity.”

Phil Coturri is the current vineyard manager, an ideal fit for Kia and Tracy’s sustainable ethos using organic and biodynamic methods.

“We even have a Monarch Tractor, which is a locally made electric tractor. We love it! Monarch can do mowing and tilling all in one, and there’s no diesel involved.”

When they were ready to make their first wine from the 2021 vintage, Anthony (Tony) Biagi came on board as the winemaker.

“We only used about half the fruit that came in in 2021, and the rest was sold off to focus on quality,” commented Tony. “So, only 407 cases were made in the first year, mainly from two different picks of clone 412. The wine was made and bottled at Hourglass. It was aged in 90% new French oak.”

The 2021 Kiatra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon springs from the glass with vibrant red currant preserves, black raspberries, and kirsch scents, leading to an electric medium to full-bodied palate packed with energetic red berry flavors and loads of floral and mineral sparks. 

“This place wants to give more delicacy,” Tony remarked as we tasted. “There’s a real freshness to the profile.”

If the style is a refreshing departure from the Napa norm, you should see the packaging. The bottles are made from lightweight (540 grams), 100% recycled glass, and are uniquely hexagon-shaped (custom designed, patent pending), although they fit into standard wine racks. To top off this innovative packaging, as a music lover and vinyl collector, Kia has created a set of playlists and digital media that is emailed to customers after purchase. 

"We are only limited by our imagination."

“We have created a number of playlists and soundtracks to go with the wine,” Kia tells me as he leads me into his impressive sound-cave decked out with Bowers & Wilkins Speakers and MacIntosh 275 amplifiers. “As for the future, we are only limited by our imagination, not resources. We have a few other options in the works. For example, I’ve planted some Grenache, Merlot, and Mourvedre.”

If you’re ready for a brand new beat, 85% of Neotempo is sold direct-to-consumer via their mailing list. It is also available through Berry Brothers in the U.K. as well as through distributors in Germany and on the East Coast (USA).

Click HERE for the mailing list.