Josh Wine Review: We Ranked 15 Josh Wines

Josh wines have been around for a while, filling liquor store shelves and, notably for our purposes, grocery store shelves with big, stately bottles of bold Cabernets and buttery Chardonnays. But earlier this year, Josh made the jump from grocery store wine standby to internet meme sensation. If you want to know the full story of how the Josh wine meme came to be, Food & Wine has a full account. But, basically, people think it’s funny that a wine could just be called Josh. So now that it’s the name on everyone’s lips, the question is, should it be in everyone’s glass? Is Josh wine good?

We snagged 15 bottles of Josh Cellars wine to find out. 

But before we dive in, let’s talk a bit about what we were looking for in the best Josh wine and why I believe I’m uniquely qualified to talk about it. I have a background in wine tasting (that’s not a cute joke about how much I like to drink, I genuinely used to do it as part of my old job). So I’ve tasted some fancy stuff. I know what expensive Bordeaux tastes like. I use insufferable words like “tannins” and “red fruit” and “malolactic fermentation.” BUT! In my days as a student/journalist/wine store clerk (and beyond), I have also enjoyed the budget-friendly wines from the grocery store. I have had a lot of Franzia and Charles Shaw. So, I came at this Josh wines taste test with the knowledge of both a wine snob and a cheapskate. 

Most Josh wines fall around the $15 to $20 range. That’s certainly more expensive than a lot of the wine you get at a grocery store, but it’s not outrageous. Still, it’s more than you might want to spend without knowing what you’re getting. While tasting, we looked for depth of flavor, quality of fruit, and general tastiness. None of the wines we tried were bad. But some are definitely better than others. Here are 15 bottles of Josh Cellars wine ranked from just okay to excellent. I’ll try not to get too jargony with each Josh wine review, but old habits die hard. 

Rosé

The label doesn’t indicate what types of grapes are used in this Josh rosé wine, but according to Vivino, it’s Barbera, an Italian red varietal known for being bright and acidic. Sadly, that vibrant flavor didn’t come through for me. Rosé is the go-to day-drinking wine because it’s easy- to drink. It’s beach water or summer water or whatever cute name you want to give it. But this one takes the “water” thing a little too seriously. There’s not enough flavor to hold onto.

Credit: Liv Averett / Josh Cellars

Rating:

5/10

Sporks

North Coast Chardonnay

Where’s the oomph? Where’s the oak? Where’s the zip? Chardonnay is a powerful grape! This Josh white wine is simply too soft and gentle. It doesn’t have enough zing. It’s very subtle. That said, it’s not bad and it’s light enough that you don’t need to pair it with food; it’s just not as good as the other Josh Chardonnay (see #4).

Credit: Liv Averett / Josh Cellars

Rating:

5.5/10

Sporks

Merlot

This is possibly the lightest Merlot I’ve ever tasted. Where’s the fruit? It’s hiding back there. If I really think about it, I can get some blueberry notes. But that’s about it. Once again, this is not bad, but it’s not what you want out of a Merlot.

Credit: Liv Averett / Josh Cellars

Rating:

5.5/10

Sporks

Sauvignon Blanc

This Sauvignon Blanc can’t commit to being a Sauvignon Blanc. It’s not zingy enough and it doesn’t have enough grassy herbaceousness. It’s shy. It comes across as being lower in acidity than many other Sauvignon Blancs, though, so if you’re nervous about acidity but interested in Sauv Blanc, this is a good one to try.

Credit: Liv Averett / Josh Cellars

Rating:

6/10

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Legacy Red Blend

Josh Cellars is known for their red wines. And this is certainly a red wine. It tastes Cabernet heavy to me with a ton of hearty, mouth-coating tannins and a lot of tangy, tart cooked fruit flavor. It’s a bit too tannic to sip on its own—it needs food. I wouldn’t run out and buy this Josh red wine again, but if it was on the table, I’ll pour a glass to pair with some stew.

Credit: Liv Averett / Josh Cellars

Rating:

6.5/10

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Cabernet Sauvignon

The standard Josh Cabernet Sauvignon boasts a lot of oak. Lots and lots of oak. You get a ton of sweet, vanilla-tinged, woodsy flavor. It’s a good start! But it could use more fruit to make it an interesting sipper. If you’re looking for the best Josh red wine, keep reading.

Credit: Liv Averett / Josh Cellars

Rating:

7/10

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Bourbon Barrel Aged Zin

I’m pretty sure I would have loved this big, bold, boozy-as-all-heck Josh red wine in my younger days. But right now, it comes across as a bit much. It comes in at 14.5% ABV, but it feels much higher. It almost burns the back of your throat with its booziness. A touch more of that classic Zin red fruit could have helped balance things out, but, alas, it’s mostly just hefty alcoholic heat.

Credit: Liv Averett / Josh Cellars

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Bourbon Barrel Aged Cab

Like the bourbon barrel aged Zin, the bourbon barrel aged Cab is also a lot. It’s tannic and it tastes like it’s been cooked down—it’s almost syrupy straight out of the bottle. After spending a little time in the glass, it mellows out a bit. It needs to breathe. But even after that, this is a one-and-done kind of wine. A good wine to end the evening. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Josh Cellars

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Hearth Cabernet

The label is bold, but the wine is very gentle. It tastes like it’s been aged for a long time—the edges are smoothed out and you’re left with a round, earthy, mellow red wine. Take a tip from the label and drink this Josh red wine by a bonfire.

Credit: Liv Averett / Josh Cellars

Rating:

8/10

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Central Coast Pinot Noir

Pinot Noirs are often categorized as light red wines—but not this Josh red wine. This is a dark, deep Pinot Noir. It is heavy with lots of cooked berry flavor. It’s a winter Pinot Noir. But because it’s not too tannic, you can still pair it with lots of different foods, which makes it the best Josh wine to bring to Thanksgiving. The dark fruit will pair nicely with everything from turkey and gravy to spinach salad. It would also be my pick to pair with salmon teriyaki.

Credit: Liv Averett / Josh Cellars

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Alexander Valley Cab

This is a classic Cabernet. It’s rich, it’s tannic, it’s fruity. But it’s not overwhelming. It even has a hint of herbaceousness at the end to give you a break from the deep, dark fruit. It’s the best Josh wine to pair with a steak. I’ve had a lot of far more expensive Cabernets that tasted an awful lot like this one. So, even though it’s on the pricier end of the Josh wines spectrum, you’re still getting a deal.

Credit: Liv Averett / Josh Cellars

Rating:

8.5/10

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Chardonnay

This is the best Josh white wine. It is a classic California Chardonnay with a buttery, oaky backbone, but it has a ton of good fruit to balance it out, so it’s not just a vanilla bomb. It has a hint of slate and some tropical pineapple flavor. But I love it for its acidity—it makes the back of your tongue water. If you don’t think you like Chardonnay because you’ve only ever had big Napa-styles Chardonnays that give you a headache, try this Josh Cellars wine.

Credit: Liv Averett / Josh Cellars

Rating:

9/10

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Paso Robles Cab

Grab your velvet slippers and your dressing gown. This is the best Josh wine to sip by the fire in a well-appointed home library—preferably paired with a hunk of really good stilton cheese. This tastes like dried cherries to the max. It’s tart and focused and intense with a bit of vanilla from the oak barrel. This tastes like dessert Cabernet to me. It was (one of) the Josh wines I took home after this tasting.

Credit: Liv Averett / Josh Cellars

Rating:

9.5/10

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Lodi Zinfandel

Looking for a jammy Zinfandel? Josh is here for you. This Zin is seriously jammy—like homemade blackberry jam with a hint of BBQ smoke. It has the right amount of acidity and a bit of an edge, but otherwise it’s blackberry pie. This would be SO good with some saucy ribs. It’s the best Josh red wine if you’re in it for the fruit.

Credit: Liv Averett / Total Wine

Rating:

9.5/10

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North Coast Cab

Picture a patch of blueberries growing off a rocky coast—now picture drinking that tableau. That’s what this Josh red wine tastes like. It’s berries and sea salt and sage and a touch of smoke. It’s nuanced. You can really sit and think about what you’re tasting (it’s the best Josh wine to drink if you’re looking to avoid talking to people!). It has enough of a backbone to pair with hearty, meaty dishes, but it’s balanced enough to enjoy a glass on its own. Yes, it’s another pricey bottle, but trust me, this is the best Josh wine we tried. It’s worth the extra cheddar. Oh, it’d be good with cheddar, too.

Credit: Liv Averett / Josh Cellars

Rating:

10/10

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