Josh cabernet sauvignon: what it is and where to get it

Josh cabernet sauvignon is a full-bodied California red, built around dark fruit and firm tannin, and it suits grilled meat and hard cheese. CBC Liquors in Westford keeps the Josh wines it has in stock on the Josh brand page, and you can pick them up at 142 Littleton Rd or have them delivered.

What is Josh cabernet sauvignon?

Josh is a California wine brand, and its cabernet sauvignon is a red made from the grape that most people think of first when they picture a serious dinner red. Cabernet sauvignon makes wines with deep colour, dark fruit and enough structure to stand next to a steak.

If you are searching for it by name, the quickest check is the Josh brand page on our site, which shows the Josh wines we have in stock today. Stock changes, so that page is a better guide than anything written here.

If you want to see how Josh sits among other reds, the Cabernet Sauvignon category shows the full run of cabs at the shop, and our Wine section covers everything else.

What does a California cabernet taste like?

Cabernet sauvignon grown in California usually shows ripe dark fruit: blackcurrant, black cherry and blackberry are the usual descriptions. Alongside that you will often find notes from oak ageing, such as vanilla, cedar, a little toast or a hint of baking spice.

The grape has thick skins, which is where the tannin comes from. Tannin is the drying, grippy feeling on your gums and the sides of your tongue. In a cabernet it gives the wine its backbone, and it is why the wine feels fuller and firmer than a pinot noir or a merlot.

California's warm growing season tends to give riper fruit and a rounder feel than cooler regions. If you have had a cabernet that felt harsh or austere, a California bottle is often a gentler place to start.

What should you eat with it?

Cabernet sauvignon was made for red meat. The tannins in the wine bind to the fat and protein in beef, so a grilled steak, a burger, short ribs or lamb chops make the wine taste softer and the food taste richer.

It also works with food that is not strictly beef. Think roasted mushrooms, a hearty tomato-based pasta, sausages off the grill, or a plate of aged cheddar and other hard cheeses. Salty, savoury food is where a firm red does well.

It is a harder match for delicate fish, light salads or very spicy dishes. The tannin can taste bitter against heat or against food with little fat to soften it. For those meals a lighter red or a white will serve you better.

How should you serve it?

Serve cabernet slightly cooler than a warm room, around 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. A red that is served too warm tastes soft and a little alcoholic, so if your kitchen is warm, twenty minutes in the fridge before you open it helps.

Open the bottle a short while before you pour. Giving a young, tannic red thirty minutes to an hour in the glass or a decanter lets it loosen up and show more fruit. If you do not own a decanter, pouring it into a jug and back into the bottle does the same job.

A large-bowled red wine glass is worth using if you have one. It gives the wine room to breathe and lets you smell it properly, which is half of how a wine tastes.

What if you want a different Josh wine?

The Josh page is worth a look even if cabernet is not what you end up with. We have JOSH Legacy Red in the range, which is a red blend. Blends combine several grapes, and they often give a softer, more approachable glass than a straight cabernet.

If you are cooking fish or chicken, or you want something to pour before dinner, JOSH North Coast Chardonnay is the white from the same brand. Chardonnay is the most common white grape in California, and it ranges from crisp and lean to full and buttery depending on how it is made.

If you are not sure which way you lean, the Red Blend and Chardonnay categories let you compare other bottles in the same styles.

How does it compare with other red grapes?

Cabernet sauvignon sits at the fuller, firmer end of the red wine range. Pinot noir is lighter, brighter and lower in tannin, which makes it easier with salmon, chicken or mushroom dishes. Red blends sit in between and are usually the easiest to pour for a mixed group.

If you like the idea of cabernet but want to try a few side by side, our California Cabs collection puts them in one place. It is a simple way to compare a few bottles from the same state and see which style of cab you prefer.

When you do not know what the table will be drinking, picking one cab and one lighter red covers most tastes without a long list.

How do you get Josh wines from CBC Liquors?

You can walk in to the shop at 142 Littleton Rd, Westford. We are open Sunday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Pickup runs on the same hours.

We also offer delivery and shipping. Delivery hours are Sunday 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM, Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 8:30 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 9:30 PM. We serve nearby towns, with pages for Chelmsford, Acton, Littleton and Lowell, among others.

If you are planning a dinner and want help choosing between bottles, read our guide on which Westford liquor store helps with wine choices, or ask at the counter. Our rating on Google is 4.7 out of 5 from 339 reviews, and with 4,613 products in stock there is usually a bottle to suit the meal.