Cabernet Sauvignon From Josh Cellars

Joseph Carr worked his way up in the wine world through the restaurant business as a wine steward and sommelier.  In 2007, he followed his dream to make wine in California by founding Josh Cellars, named to honor his father.  He started as a hard-working garagista, making only one Cabernet Sauvignon in limited quantities.  Today, Josh Cellars bottles many more grape varieties, and more Cabernet Sauvignon styles.  It is a negociant winery, with grapes sourced from a variety of California growing locations.  Joseph Carr is an executive in the wine biz now, and winemaker Wayne Donaldson gets the purple under his fingernails

Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

California is on the label and the winery says they source grapes from "all around the state" for this wine.  It was aged in 20% new oak barrels, but little other info is available on the tech sheet.  Alcohol sits at 13.5% abv and it sells for $17.

This wine is medium-dark in its purple color.  The nose is a jammy black-and-blue berry festival with notes of the oak aging it underwent - vanilla, cinnamon and cedar.  The palate is juicy and full of cherries and berries.  It is sipping very nicely, but the tannins are firm enough to welcome a steak or pork chop.  

Josh Cellars Reserve Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon  

Paso Robles is one of my favorite regions for Cab, not only because I love the flavors that grow from that limestone soil, but also because the price is usually far less than in certain other Cab regions of the Golden State.  This wine spent up to two days in cold soak, then was fermented for a couple of weeks.  It was aged in French oak, a fifth of which was new.  Alcohol tips in at 14% abv and the retail price is $22.

This reserve Cab has a savory nose featuring coffee, mocha, anise, mint and just a hint of that Paso Robles chalkiness.  The minerality comes on strong on the palate, where a boatload of black fruit also appears.  The tannins are firm but not overbearing and there is a fresh acidity to the wine.  I love to pair a dark, savory wine like this one with a juicy piece of beef or a pork shoulder.

Josh Cellars Reserve North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon 

These grapes came from the North Coast appellation, a huge area which includes six counties north of San Francisco, including Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake.  Aging employed 25% new oak.  Alcohol hits only 14% abv and the bottle retails for $22.

This dark wine’s nose is bursting with blue fruit, violets, vanilla and clove.  The palate is rich and layered with black currant and cherry, anise, pepper and oak spice.  The tannins are smooth and the acidity is lip-smacking.  The sip finishes long and fruity with a savory edge.  It will pair nicely with steak, sausage and tomato sauce dishes. 

Josh Cellars Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon ($21.99) 

This wine gets the California appellation, probably due to the fact that grapes from several regions were used.  The winery explains that the wine is aged for three months in "recently emptied bourbon barrels."  Alcohol gets up to 14.5% abv and the retail price is $22. 

The nose shows plenty of dark fruit - blackberries, cassis, blueberries - but while I was expecting a healthy dose of bourbon-soaked wood, it doesn’t seem to be there.  I get just a faint sense of bourbon, nothing more.  That’s actually fine with me, because I don’t want my wine to smell like bourbon.  A little stronger note of cedar comes on the palate, along with the forceful fruit, but nothing that would turn me off of the wine.  After sipping a bit, I notice a very slight flavor of bourbon, but it is way in the background. I feel the labeling is a bit misleading.  If you’re advertising bourbon, there oughta be some - whether I like it or not.  However, it is a fine wine nonetheless. 

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