Great Wines at an Affordable Price - Josh Cellars Wine Review

Joseph Carr

It all began in 2005 when sommelier Joseph Carr decided to start his own winery focusing on California wines crafted from small growers from Napa Valley, California’s North Coast and Carneros. Carr’s dream was to create sophisticated small-batch wines.

Josh Carr

Then in 2007, Carr began working with Tom Larson whose grandfather owned the land where the winery is now located. The two men worked together to create a second label: Josh Cellars.

Named in honor of Carr’s father, Josh, the juice was again sourced from several California winegrowing regions to craft well-balanced wines that are approachable and budget-friendly.

Chardonnay 2014 Vintage

The 2014 Chardonnay was a delight! The aroma of fresh melons and tropical fruits comprised the nose while the flavors of luscious peaches, melons and crisp apples tantalized the mouth; smooth vanilla notes rounded out the wine.

The Chard grapes came from Mendocino and Monterey counties, and winemaker Wayne Donaldson fermented the juice in oak before cold stabilizing it. The wine was then transferred to 30% new French oak and stirred on the lees. Excellent served with grilled pork. (Retails for under $15.)

Sauvignon Blanc 2014 Vintage

A perfect summer sipper! Notes of honey locust on the nose with hints of peaches and apricots. The tangy flavors of pineapple, melon and apples dance on the tongue with a twist of lime on the finish. Pairs wonderfully with chicken and olives.

This Sauv Blanc was crafted from grapes grown in the Napa, Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino regions. The grapes were pressed, and allowed to cold settle for 24 hours before cold stabilization to retain the aromas.

 

The 2014 vintage was awarded 92 points at the Los Angeles International Wine Competition in 2015. (Retails for under $15.)

2015 Wine Brand of the Year

Josh Cellars also produces a bold Cabernet and a brooding Merlot that I have tried and love, plus a Pinot Noir and Legacy Red I have yet to try. Josh Cellars is producing outstanding, well-balanced wines for a great price. Pour a glass and see what you  think. 

Cheers!

~ Joy

Wine Review: Masút Pinot Noir 2014

If there is a red “It” grape, Pinot Noir is, well, it! You will find wine drinkers who are passionate about the grape. Me? Not so much. I like a wine that’s a bit more “dark and brooding.” Pinot always seems too perfect, but thanks to Masút Vineyard and Winery, I have discovered that Pinot can also put forth that tantalizing dark and brooding nature that I love.

Masút Vineyard and Winery was established in 2009 by Ben and Jake Fetzer, sons of Robert Fetzer, one of the most experienced grape growers in Mendocino County, California. Their grandparents, Barney and Kathleen Fetzer moved to the region in the 1950s and established Fetzer Vineyards in the late 1960s. The family produced certified organic wine in the Redwood Valley for over 20 years with the boys growing up among the vines.

Ben, Robert and Jake Fetzer

After Brown and Foreman purchased the Fetzer brand in 1991, Robert Fetzer began a new wine chapter for the family. In 1994, he purchased 1,200 acres of coastal mountains and named it Masút Ranch. Pinot Noir was his grape of choice, thanks to the prevalent hillsides, sunny location, and the fast draining soil. Tragically, Robert Fetzer died in a river rafting accident in 2006, but his two sons are carrying on the family legacy.

Jake Fetzer

Ben Fetzer

After petitioning for a new viticultural area to be called Eagle Peak Mendocino County, the brothers converted a barn on the property into a winery, and began winemaking in earnest. The vineyard is closely tended with all pruning, canopy management and harvesting done by hand. Masút Vineyard and Winery was launched in 2009 with its prime focus on certified organic estate grown Pinot Noir.  The first release was in 2011.

The flagship wine is the Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir. According to the winemaker’s notes, the grapes were harvested early, hand-sorted and whole-berry destemmed into open top fermenters. After 14 to 18 days of fermentation, the wine was aged for 15 months, on the lees, in French oak.

Promises! Promises!

That’s what you’ll get with the Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir 2014. This wine puts forth a cherry nose with hints of oak. The intense berry, cerise, coke flavors hit mid-mouth leaving traces of anise that gives you pause – pause to consider what could happen if given a bit more time to age. The term masút is an Indian word that means “dark, rich earth,” and you get a suggestion of that alluring earthy flavor with each sip.

Pair this Pinot with lamb, beef, game meats or grilled salmon. (I served it with a venison roast and veggies that played well with the earthy tones of the wine. Nice!) Priced at $45 a bottle, it is available at Masút Vineyard and Winery.

~ Joy

(If you have a wine you’d like me to sample and review, message me on Facebook or email for an address.)

Six Tips and Tricks to Organizing Your Wines

January is National Get Organized Month so it's the perfect time to think about organizing your wines. Regardless of whether your wines are stored in a wine rack, wine fridge or wine cellar, a wine management system will help keep track of what vintages you have, where they are located and when to drink them.

1) Divide (and Conquer)

The first step is to decide how you want your collection divided. It could be by brand or producer such as Penfolds, Estancia, Brennan Vineyards. Wine regions may include France, Spain, Argentina, or California, New York, Ohio. Varietals like Cabs, Merlots, and Chardonnays may make more sense for you, or simply arrange vino by vintage. If you’re just starting out, the type of wine such as dry, sem-dry, semi-sweet, sweet, sparkle, dessert may work better, or sort by color - reds, whites, roses.

2) Organize

You have several options to consider when organizing. Bottle tags that hang from the neck of the wine bottle work well to identify the brand, varietal and vintage. Tags are available in a variety of colors if you want to color code your collection.

There are numerous wine inventory programs that will help you keep track of your wine stock. The most popular include:

Cellar Tracker http://www.cellartracker.com

eSommelier http://www.esommelier.com/privatecellars.html

Manage Your Cellar http://manageyourcellar.com

The Personal Wine Curator http://www.thewinecurators.com

There are also several wine apps for your mobile devices:

Cor.kz, Snooth Wine Pro, Hello Vino and AG Wine Guide are just a few available for the iPhone.

For the DIY types, you could create an Excel spreadsheet where the information on each wine is listed and the location noted.

3) Timing

Timing is every thing, especially with wine. Separating wine into categories that let you know at a glance when to consume is helpful, especially if you have a large wine collection. Categories could include, “drink now”, “drink in 5 years”,  “drink in 10 years”, "Aging  Investment".

4) Placement

It will also help if the older aging wines are kept near the bottom of your storage unit. That way they will not be handled as much and will be kept cool and dark. Place those “drink now” wines at eye level so you can grab and go when you need a bottle for dinner.

5) Adding Wines

Take your time when building a wine collection. Add what you like. When you find a bottle that resonates with you, buy 6 bottles or a case. Suggestions from wine critics and sommeliers are great when trying a wine, but only you know if you want several bottles of it in your collection.

6) Rotate

Don’t just collect and never drink. Wines have a life span, find out what it is for each bottle. Ask the winemaker or wine shop owner where you purchased it, or check on line. You want to get maximum enjoyment from each bottle before it has reached its flavor peak.

It doesn’t matter if you have 24 bottles or 240 bottle - or more. If you drink wine regularly, organizing your collection will help you keep track of what to drink now, what to save for later, and where to find that special bottle quickly. After all, enjoyment is what it’s all about!

~ Joy