2013 Audax is reviewed in the February 6, 2019 Nittany Epicurean: AUDAX, meaning “bold” in Latin, is Calla Lily Estate’s barrel-selection reserve wine made as a tribute to the pioneers of Napa Valley, many of whom settled in Pope Valley, by its fourth generation winemaker, Cary Gott. This wine is mostly cabernet sauvignon (86.6%) blended [...]
2014 Audax is reviewed in the February 2019 issue of California Grapevine: Medium ruby; attractive, ripe, cassis and blackberry fruit aroma with spicy notes and hints of cedar, dried herbs, and vanilla; full body; forward, rich, ripe, fleshy, dark fruit flavors with undertones of toasty oak, and a full, plush mouthfeel; full tannin; lingering aftertaste. [...]
Winethropology tastes the two wines: What do oligarchs drink on the weekend? Probably this. If they're lucky, that is. Calla Lily is a relatively young, small production winery founded in 2010 in the Pope Valley, a quiet valley in the northeast corner of Napa county. And Audax is their top tier cabernet label. Packaged in [...]
Winemaker Cary Gott is profiled: Pope Valley’s Calla Lily Winery targets China with reds By Jessica Zimmer, St. Helena Star, January 23, 2019 Pope Valley may be a little more remote than other AVAs in Napa Valley, but that hasn’t stopped one winemaker in the region from gaining an audience. By focusing on the refinement [...]
93 points: Deep purple color. Concentrated fruit on the nose (black currant, blackberries and blueberries), with deep violets, spiced black tea, earth, cocoa and mint. Full-bodied, a bit more powerful in its presence than the 2013, but still vibrant acidity, and the tannins are sturdy but show rounded edges. Pretty depth of fruit (currants, blackberries, [...]
93 points: Deep purple color. Nose shows tart black currant, juicy blackberries (gorgeous depth of fruit), with complex notes of mint, scorched earth, cocoa nibs, violets, deep but vibrant scents in here. Full but not heavy (14.5% alcohol), held together with sturdy tannins and surprisingly fresh acidity. Deep, concentrated but tangy black currants and dark [...]
In the October 29, 2018 issue of The Wine Advocate, the 2016 Ultimate Cabernet Sauvignon is reviewed: 90-92 points Composed of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Ultimate (a barrel sample) is deep purple-black in color and opens with notions of crushed black cherries, blackberry [...]
In the March 2018 issue of Vinous, Anthonio Galloni reviews the 2016 Ultimate Cabernet Sauvignon: 88-91 points: Dark, pliant and rich, with lovely mid-palate richness, the 2016 has quite a bit to offer. Hints of lavender, spice and new leather add nuance to the textured finish. The 2016 points to a very bright direction here. [...]
The Wine Advocate reviewed the 2015 Audax in its December 2017 issue: 92-94 points: A barrel sample composed of 92.3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3.6% Merlot, 3.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.6% Malbec, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Audax has a complex nose of exotic spices, baked cherries and blackberries plus mulberries, baking spices, fallen leaves [...]
The Wine Advocate reviewed the 2016 Ultimate Cabernet Sauvignon in its December 2017 issue: 90-92 points: A barrel sample with a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Ultimate shows a deep garnet-purple color and nose of cassis, blueberry coulis and black forest cake with [...]