By Ray Spaziani
Wine Talk
Ray Spaziani
One of the most popular and recognizable lines of wines are those produced by Josh Cellars.
The winemaker is Joseph Carr, and he made wine as a tribute to his dad, Josh. His winery is located in Hopland, California. What started his great success is his Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a juicy wine that is easy drinking and has lots of blackberry flavor. It matches well with a variety of foods. It was initially marketed to restaurants and is now available in stores. The wine is modestly priced at around $15 and sometimes less. It is a great match with beef, lasagna, burgers and anything blue cheese.
In the Josh line there are two wines that are aged in bourbon barrels for two months. Carr does this with his Cabernet and a Zinfandel, and he calls them reserve wines. They are both bold and full-bodied wines. The Cabernet has notes of cedar and caramel. It is supposed to have a subtle hint of bourbon, which I did not get from the wine. The Zinfandel is rich and spicy, with big blackberry and vanilla flavors. Both wines have big noses with aromas of dark chocolate and vanilla. The Zinfandel has more tannins, but it finishes smoothly. Either of these big, full reds would do very well with barbecue and beef dishes.
Josh Cellars also produces a nicely balanced Pinot Noir. It is imbued with lots of cherry and strawberry flavors and aromas and a hint of toasted oak. This is a great wine to pair with roasted turkey. It is the ultimate wine when serving brie or other soft cheeses. It is supposed to go well with sautéed mushrooms.
Josh Cellars has what is referred to as the North Coast Collection. This includes a reserve Cabernet and a Chardonnay. The grapes come from the north coast of California, which includes Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino counties. The cool coastal climate brings out finesse and lots of acidity. The North Coast Cabernet is fruit forward with dark cherry and hazelnut flavors. The Chardonnay is clean with lots of crispness. This is a single fermentation wine without the butter of the secondary fermented Chards. It is light and lemony with some peach and vanilla. The vanilla comes from oak, so even though it is not a secondary fermented wine there is some oak aging.
Carr makes Sauvignon Blanc that is a light, bright, crisp wine with a nice clean finish. There are hints of lemon and kiwi, and the nose has some green apple scents. This is what I call a great deck wine. They claim it is especially well suited for summertime sipping in the sun. They call it sunshine in a glass. I think that is great marketing. It goes well with light and simple foods, seafood and grilled chicken.
Josh Cellars also makes a nice Cabernet from the Paso Robles region. This is an area where cool morning fog and afternoon sun combine to make a richly textured and well-balanced wine. This wine is a big wine with rich tannins and a long smooth finish. It’s a great combination when serving lamb.
In general, the Josh Cellars wines are well made and moderately priced. They are all easy drinking wines and not too complex. In this new year, try some of the different varieties and different locations of wine made by Josh Cellars. It is not just Cabernet Sauvignon anymore.
Ray Spaziani is the chapter director of the New Haven chapter of the American Wine Society. He is on the tasting panels of Winemaker Magazine and Amate del Vino and is a certified wine educator and award-winning home winemaker. Email Ray with your wine questions or activities at realestatepro1000@gmail.com.