Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This wine is vivid and dramatic, emphasizing fresh herb and gooseberry aromas. The medium-bodied palate is mouthwatering in grapefruit and lemon flavors. Best Buy
Josh Cellars was created in 2007 by vintner Joseph Carr as a tribute to his dad, Josh. The brand started with one varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon, and today features a diverse portfolio of well-balanced and delicious wines made to exacting standards. Sourced from across California’s great winegrowing regions, every vintage represents a labor of love, a commitment to quality, and a very personal promise to make great wine, in honor of Josh.
Joseph discovered a passion for wine at an early age, starting off as a wine steward at a local restaurant in upstate New York, where he was raised. He spent a decade serving as a world-class sommelier followed by another decade as a wine industry executive. After years of hard work, he left it all behind to pursue his dream: starting his own wine company, making wines from California. Today, he lives with his dog Molly and frequently gets visits from his daughter Cailen at their home in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
"American Winery of the Year" – Wine Enthusiast, 2021
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
Responsible for the vast majority of American wine production, if California were a country, it would be the world’s fourth largest wine-producing nation. The state’s diverse terrain and microclimates allow for an incredible range of red wine styles, and unlike tradition-bound Europe, experimentation is more than welcome here. California wineries range from tiny, family-owned boutiques to massive corporations, and price and production are equally varied. Plenty of inexpensive bulk wine is made in the Central Valley area, while Napa Valley is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious and expensive “cult” wines.
Each American Viticultural Area (AVA) and sub-AVA of has its own distinct personality, allowing California to produce red wine of every fashion: from bone dry to unctuously sweet, still to sparkling, light and fresh to rich and full-bodied. In the Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc dominate vineyard acreage. Sonoma County is best known for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rosé and Zinfandel. The Central Coast has carved out a niche with Rhône Blends based on Grenache and Syrah, while Mendocino has found success with cool climate varieties such as Pinot noir, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. With all the diversity that California wine has to offer, any wine lover will find something to get excited about here.