2023 Audax Valor, Napa Cabernet blend
March 4, 2026 (Napa Valley, CA) — Calla Lily Winery has just released its first wine with a screwcap. Retailing for $150, the wine is the 2023 Audax Valor, a blend of 56% Cabernet Franc, 31% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from the winery’s Napa Valley estate vineyard.
The brainchild of co-founder Bonnie Arculli, the label includes the idea that this wine “celebrates the bravery and boldness in each of us.” “We wanted to make enjoying our wine easier,” Ms. Arculli explains. “With a screwcap, it’s convenient, priced more affordably and in general, just more accessible,” she adds.
Winemakers Cary Gott and Kelly DeIanni escribe the wine: “The deep red hues exhibit terrific depth and concentration, indicating the wine’s solid structure. Aromas are rich, ripe, and generous with notes of sweet black currant, cranberry, vanilla, and toasted oak. On the palate, these aromas are met with lavish cassis flavors and complemented by vanillin oak, solid tannin structure, and a lush framework.”
Wines with screwcap are known for their longevity: the winemakers estimate this wine may have a lifespan of at least 15 years.
Other wines currently available are the 2021 AUDAX Cabernet Sauvignon ($250) and 2021 Ultimate Cabernet Sauvignon ($65), both sourced from the winery’s estate vineyard. Calla Lily also offers a range of library wines from vintage 2013 onwards.
Calla Lily Winery spans 95 acres in Pope Valley, just down the hill from Howell Mountain in the heart of Napa Valley. The winery’s goal is to produce artisanal, low-production, boutique wines.
Calla Lily produces only estate wines, with 20-acres of estate vineyards consisting of Bordeaux varieties. The first vines were planted in 1995 and today there are 12 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, 5 acres of Petite Sirah, and 1 acre each of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petite Verdot. The vines are established on the eastern side of Howell Mountain at an elevation of 800 feet, making it cooler than the Valley floor. The gently contoured vineyard slopes provide ideal conditions for the grapes. The contours also serve as natural protection for frost in winter and extreme heat in summer. The soils predominantly belong to the Bressa-Dibble complex—well-drained, composed of fine-grained sandstone and shale.
Calla Lily is not open for tours and tastings. The wines may be purchased through the website, https://callalilywines.com/wines/.
