A Tour of Wine Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc (Part 2)

Sauvignon Blanc 🥂

Photo: Geolina163 & 1971markus on Wikimedia Commons

Last time we looked at Sauvignon Blanc - its history, aromas and flavors. Now, let’s take a look at two different growing regions for Sauvignon Blanc: California and New Zealand.

Sauvignon Blanc is a white wine made from the same grape variety, but the wines produced in California and New Zealand are different because of their climates.

California Sauvignon Blanc generally comes from a warmer climate, which alters how the grapes ripen on the vine. The warm weather causes the grapes to develop higher sugar levels and lower natural sharpness, or acidity. As a result, the final wine usually features dominant flavors of ripe fruits like melon, peach, and citrus. The texture of the wine tends to be smoother and less sharp on the tongue.

In contrast, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is mostly grown in the Marlborough region, which has a much cooler ocean climate combined with high levels of sunlight. The cool nights keep the natural acidity levels high, giving the wine very sharp, crisp, and refreshing flavors. New Zealand versions have aromas and flavors of grapefruit, lime, passion fruit, fresh-cut grass, and green bell pepper.

In summary, when comparing the two side-by-side, the differences come down to acidity and flavor profiles. California versions are less tart, have a heavier or smoother texture, and lean toward sweeter fruit flavors. New Zealand versions are highly tart, feel lighter in the mouth, and lean toward green herbs and citrus flavors.

Behind the Cork™ - Josh Cellars Hearth Cabernet Sauvignon

2020 Josh Hearth Cabernet Sauvignon ($16.99)

Hearth is the newest Cabernet Sauvignon from Josh Cellars.

Joseph Carr began by selling Josh wines (Named for his Father) out of the back of his truck in 2007. In the beginning, he only made one wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, but soon thereafter began making a Josh Chardonnay for his wife, Dee. From day one, proceeds from Josh Cellars have been donated to various military, veteran, and firefighter groups. In 2021, Josh Cellars was named American Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine.

This Josh Hearth is produced from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes that are sourced from around the state of California. It is deep ruby in color with aromas of black fruit, plum, herbal hints and chocolate. On the palate, this full-bodied wine is like drinking a cherry-chocolate (but not sweet) with wonderfully rich dark cherry flavor, blackberry and dark chocolate. Its tannin are easy as is the finish.

Josh Cellars Hearth Cabernet Sauvignon is a great value for a California Cab and a great fits as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week.

Josh Cellars Hearth is available online at Josh Cellars , as well as nationwide on Drizly, Total Wine, Minibar and more.

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Josh Cellars

Behind the Cork™ - Josh Cellars Wines

The Wines of Josh Cellars

Joseph Carr discovered his love for wine at a young age, working his way up in the restaurant industry from a wine steward to a world-class sommelier and later, a wine executive. In 2007, he left it all behind to follow his dream of making his own wines from California.

Josh Cellars was created as a tribute to founder Joseph Carr's father, Josh Carr. Josh instilled the importance of hard work and family into his kids - values that inspire Joseph still today. In the early days, Joseph worked out of his garage, starting Josh Cellars with only one varietal - Cabernet Sauvignon. But, today, Josh Cellars offers a diverse portfolio of well-balanced and delicious wines made to exacting standards.

Josh Cellars is a negociant brand, so they don't own a winery or any vineyards, much like some of the world's greatest chateaux in Bordeaux & Burgundy. They do, however, work with California's best growers to make some really nice wines.

Their winemaker, Wayne Donaldson, spent over a decade making sparkling wine at one of the world's largest and most prestigious champagne houses, where blending distinct lots is essential to making great wine. Those experiences have made him uniquely qualified to source and assemble wine blends of great character and complexity, in the signature Josh Cellars style: fruit-forward and rich, with approachable tannins and a long finish.

Josh Cellar Wines include these wonderful offerings pictured above (from left to right):

• 2019 Josh Cellars Reserve Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon ($21.99)

  • Gapes are crushed and cold-soaked for 24 to 48 hours

  • Fermentation occurs for 10 to 15 days with additional Malolactic conversion

  • Aged in 20% new French oak

  • Scents of bright blueberry with notes of earth & spice

  • Flavors of robust plum, blackberry, coffee and vanilla

• 2018 Josh Cellars Reserve North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon ($21.99)

  • Grapes are from Napa, Sonoma, Lake, and Mendocino Counties

  • Fermentation occurs for 10 to 15 days with additional Malolactic conversion

  • Aged in 25% new French oak

  • On the nose, this wine is bursting with dark fruits and roasted nuts, with hints of fresh black cherries, blackcurrant, rose petal, and roasted walnuts

  • On the palate it shows rich favors of black cherries, toasted hazelnuts, fresh sage, mocha, and subtle vanilla and oak favors

  • The tannins are firm in their relative youth but will soften with age (recommend decanting)

• 2020 Josh Cellars Pinot Noir ($18.99)

  • On the nose, this Pinot Noir has aromas of bright cherries, raspberries and toasty oak

  • On the palate, it has initial flavors of dark cherry and vanilla bean along with the classic secondary notes of earth and warm spice, with medium tannins and a long finish

• Josh Cellars Merlot 2019 ($16.99)

  • 90 Points Wine Enthusiast

  • Fermentation in stainless steel tanks for l0 to 14 days, then Malolactic conversion

  • Aged in 10% new French oak

  • Includes scents of violets, sweet plums, and vanilla bean

  • On the palate, it is soft, with flavors of plums, blackberries and cherries, and a long cocoa powder finish

• Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($16.99)

  • 91 Points - Wine Enthusiast

  • Fermented for 10 to 15 days then undergoes Malolactic conversion to soften the natural acids

  • Aged in 20% new French oak

  • Aromas of intense dark fruits, cinnamon, clove, and subtle hints of oak

  • On the palate there are flavors of black cherries and blackberries, vanilla and oak

  • This one finishes long with round, soft tannins

All Josh Cellars wines are all available from their website as well as being widely available at stores throughout the U.S. These are all fine examples of wines that fit right in as Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Josh Cellars

Behind the Cork™ - Phantom Chardonnay

2019 Phantom Chardonnay ($18.99)

It’s that spooky time of year again and a great time to re-visit the Phantom. This Chardonnay is from Bogle Vineyards where the story goes that a ghostly figure wanders their cellars at night. There are fleeting glimpses of muddy work boots and blue jeans, then it’s gone. Does the Phantom really exist? They believe so and absolutely believe that it has inspired them.

This California Chardonnay has aromas of honey and vanilla that go right along with flavors of golden apple and pear along with hints spicy caramel notes from the French oak fermentation.

There’s even an app you can download called “Augmented Reality Wine Labels” that allows you to scan the front label with your phone camera so that you can experience the paranormal stories of The Phantom.

Bogle has a lot of fun with this wine. But, don’t be fooled - this is a serious Chardonnay. This Phantom Chardonnay is very attainable and very affordable, making yet again a great fit as a Behind the Cork™  Wine of the Week. And, also look for their red blend; it’s great too! Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - J Vineyards California Cuvee

J Vineyards California Cuvée ($18)

I recent had an opportunity to share in a celebration and wanted a nice sparkling wine for the occasion. Seeing this bottle of J Vineyards California Cuvée already chilled at the store made my decision an easy one.

Having visited J Vineyards in Healdsburg (Sonoma County), I was well aware of their fine sparkling wines and beautiful tasting room that includes the gorgeous “Bubble Room.”

This sparkling wine is a ‘brut’ meaning that it is “Dry” (very low in residual sugar).

This J Vineyards sparkling wine has aromas of citrus and orange blossom. On the palate its fruit flavors include crisp green apple, juicy pear, fresh-cut lemon and lime. It finishes with refreshing mouth-watering acidity.

According to J Vineyards, the grapes for the California Cuvée were primarily hand-harvested and placed as whole clusters, without destemming, into their presses for a gentle, low-pressure pressing that minimizes the breakdown of grape skins and seeds. Each vineyard lot was then fermented and kept separate until blending. Reserve wine from previous vintages was also added to round it out.

As is customary for traditional method sparkling wine production, the secondary fermentation occurred in the bottle. The wine was aged on the yeast in their cellars for a minimum of 24 months in order to develop deeper complexity as it aged. A dosage (a sweetened spirit added at the end) of aged reserve wine and cane sugar was added to further complexity. The California Cuvée was then aged for at least an additional four months before release.

If you are looking for a really nice sparkling wine for a celebration, or any occasion, this J Vineyards California Cuvée is a great choice. Cheers!