Joseph Carr
The man, the myth, the legend! Joseph Carr came from humble beginnings and is arguably building an empire of quality brands- his own namesake wines, and a line of Josh Cellars wines inspired by his hard-working father, to a new collaboration inspired by his grit as a wrestler in school, later turned dancer!
Joe Carr likes to mention he wasn’t born into a winemaking family, he didn’t even taste wine until he was 18 years old! His roots began in rural Upstate New York in the restaurant industry, from busboy, server, bar tender to Sommelier. Joe then turned to the distributor world where he became an executive, working with suppliers and experiencing some of the best wines all over the globe.
Before he went off to college, Joe hitchhiked his way across the country and experienced his first wine tasting in the Napa area. It was love at first taste and he didn’t forget it. He attended a State University of New York College on a wrestling scholarship. However, the school cut the wrestling program shortly after he began (Joe was planning on becoming a gym teacher) so he had to switch his major. He decided to study Fine Arts (and yes, did Modern Dance and Ballet). Needing to pay for that Fine Arts degree, he got a job as a bus boy at a local fine dining restaurant. The manager took Joe under his wing, and a fine wine ambassador was born. Twenty years later, Joseph Carr was back in Napa, California. In 2004 Joe and his wife Dee decided to work with the many associates they had met over the years in the industry, including his longtime associate, winemaker Tom Larson, and started making Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine was so successful a second tier of wines was created as an homage to Joe’s father, Josh. His Dad was a lumber mill worker and Joe, and his twin sister grew up without a lot. Josh wines are dedicated to his family’s blue-collar history, offering quality and affordability. Joe says, “The values my dad instilled in me are reflected in every bottle of Josh Cellars that we painstakingly make”. Just 15 years ago, Joe was selling his wines out of the back of his car. In 2021 the Josh tier of his wines became so popular and successful he was named Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s American Winery of the Year. Joe’s wines are crafted with his love of Bordeaux and Burgundy influences, but remain uniquely California.
It hasn’t been all sunshine and wine and roses for the Carr family though. In 2018 Joe lost his wife and partner after a 15-month battle with brain cancer. Deirdre Carr was the President of the company, and she was behind many things, including his expansion. Joseph Carr started out with just one wine, a Napa Cabernet, and Dee liked Burgundy and pleaded with him to make a Chardonnay. He joked with his friend Tom, “Can you help me a make a Chardonnay so I can get my wife off my back!” Turns out, it was wildly successful, and Dee would say “You should have listened to the president of the company in the first place”. Joe lives in Cape Cod with his Pit Bull rescue, Molly, when he is not in Napa. He tirelessly gives back to the community, firefighters, veterans, and brain cancer research, among others. In 2005 Joe sold 1200 cases of wine. Today his labels top 2 million in sales and new wine is coming! Stay tuned for Force & Grace, from the wrestler to the dancer. For now, let’s look at what we have on feature here at Ed’s Fine Wines.
Josh Cellars North Coast Reserve Chardonnay Sourced mostly from Sonoma and Lake Counties in the North Coast American Viticultural Area, this Chardonnay is elegant, crisp, and well balanced. Bright citrus, lemon, and peach on the nose, with a lingering vanilla finish. We give it two bones.
Josh Cellars North Coast Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Fruit forward and well balanced with flavors of rich dark cherries, mocha, and toasted hazelnuts. We give it three bones.
Josh Cellars Reserve Buttery Chardonnay Juicy ripe fruit on the nose with marshmallow and crème brulee’ tease the palate, hints of butterscotch on the finish. We give it two bones.
Josh Cellars Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon The award-winning Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon is aged for two months in rustic bourbon barrels, imparting notes of cedar and caramel with a touch of bourbon hint on the finish. We give it two bones.
Josh Cellars Reserve Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon Cool morning fog and intense midday sun abound in the AVA of Paso Robles. Aromas of red fruits are backed by powerful scents of black peppercorn. The wine features flavors of raspberry, coffee, and vanilla with bold tannins at the finish, three bones for Paso!
Stop by or call in and we will help you choose one of the many wonderful wines from Joesph Carr.
