Kata is David Beckstoffer’s first venture into winemaking, but it is no surprise that he has started producing his own small-batch, artisanal wine. Beckstoffer’s family is well-established in Napa Valley and he grew up in the vineyard management business. Since the 1970s his father Andy Beckstoffer has been instrumental in promoting forward-thinking grape growing and grape marketing practices. Andy Beckstoffer also acquired and managed vineyards starting in 1970, and the family today owns and farms 3,600 acres in northern California, growing grapes for some of the area’s most prestigious producers. David is Andy’s oldest son, and in 2000 David became President of Beckstoffer Vineyards, the family business. In choosing a name for his own label, David picked Kata, which means “form” in Japanese. The term is also used in martial arts to describe the repeated small, prescribed, orderly movements that, with diligent practice, lead to mastery of skills. Kata is a blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and a small amount of Petite Sirah. Grapes come from the Beckstoffer family’s Bourn Vineyard, which was previously part of the Hayne Vineyard in St. Helena. Kata’s winemaker is Benoit Touquette, a native of Bordeaux who works for wineries in Napa and Bordeaux.