‘Josh’ Wine (And Its Memes) Is Everywhere. But Is It Really Any Good?

If you live on planet Earth, you’ve probably heard about Josh wine by now.

There’s a good chance you’ve seen it at your local liquor store, Target or at a friend’s dinner party. But if you’re on social media, there’s an even better chance you’ve scrolled upon a Josh meme or 10, because, well, they’re everywhere.

As a beloved common man’s wine brand of sorts, Josh Cellars has been taking the world by storm for a while now. They produce a wide range of wines including a cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc, made primarily with California-grown grapes. But why, exactly, are these Josh Cellars wines so popular?

It’s partly due to a viral post on X that sparked a ton of memes and attention. A whole slew of products are boosted into stardom these days thanks to social media, so this isn’t very out of the ordinary. But does Josh’s popularity really boil down to social media hype? Or is there more to the story?

Of course there are some detractors who aren’t the biggest fans. Some people have posted on X about how the wine is terrible, awful, and not worth drinking. But still, we wanted to get to the bottom of why the fans think Josh is so great.

To find out, we got in touch with wine experts and everyday people for their take on why Josh is so irresistible. Here’s what we learned.

Fans think Josh is accessible and consistent.

Josh wine is seemingly everywhere these days, so it’s not hard for casual wine drinkers to get their hands on it. “It’s hard to miss the bottle on the shelves of any grocery store, Target, Walmart or even liquor store,” said Chasity Cooper, a wine culture expert and wine writer with WSET Level 3 certification.

Plus, the brand is able to produce large amounts of wine while still being consistent year after year, which is a difficult task for winemakers, said Alisha Blackwell-Calvert, who is an advanced sommelier and beverage director at Madrina in St. Louis. She added that people appreciate knowing what they’re going to get when they buy a bottle. “Josh has been successful in producing wines of typicity, meaning the varietal listed on the bottle label matches the expected characteristics of the named grape variety,” she said.

The wine is good quality for a reasonable price.

Josh does a good job of getting its products in the hands of casual wine drinkers who want a quality wine without breaking the bank, Blackwell-Calvert said. Josh Cellars wines typically sell for somewhere between $15 and $20 per bottle.

“With economic uncertainty, consumers look to a label with brand or name recognition that is at a comfortable price point,” she explained. “At large box stores and smaller convenience stores, there may not be a sommelier available or a knowledgeable professional to assist the guest in a wine choice.” Enter brands like Josh that fill the need for reliability and widespread availability that people feel confident buying.

This rings true for Josh fan Eugene Madondo. “As a non-expert wine enthusiast, I appreciate Josh wine for its affordability without compromising on quality,” he said. “The approachability of the brand and the consistent, enjoyable taste keep me coming back.”

Deborah Parker Wong, who is a wine expert and global wine editor SOMM Journal, pointed out that “Josh is clearly over-delivering terms of quality for value, and the market is responding.” Through sourcing from some of California’s top regions for quality and producing its wines under specific protocols, it’s able to produce a product that’s at once consistent and trustworthy. “Expectations are met and reinforced with every bottle,” she said.

The branding works.

Many of us have been known to buy a bottle of wine here and there simply based on the label. For people who don’t know a lot about wine, a catchy label and recognizable name is often all it takes to justify a purchase. When it comes to Josh Cellars’ branding, wine experts said the brand has it dialed, especially in terms of being approachable.

“The branding is simple — almost neutral to the point of being generic,” Parker Wong said. “The labels are easy to read — there’s no intimidation factor.”

Haley Brent loves Josh wine, particularly the merlot, for many reasons — among them, the smooth flavor, consistent quality, affordability and memorable branding. “Josh is a name that sticks. Its simplicity and memorability make it easy to recommend to friends and family,” she said. “Additionally, the eye-catching labeling and widespread availability in grocery and liquor stores make it a convenient choice.”

Another win? Josh’s marketing team is active on social media, engaging with their existing customers and doing what they can to get the brand in front of potential customers. “Young adult consumers have found a brand they can relate to and have fun with and that is exactly what the wine industry needs,” Parker Wong said.

It’s approachable without feeling snobby.

Selling numerous types of wine across a number of styles and regions, the experts we spoke to feel like Josh has something for nearly everyone. “Their wines lean to fruitier styles because of the warmth of the California climate,” Blackwell-Calvert said. Still, with options ranging from cabernet sauvignon to zinfandel to sauvignon blanc and beyond, there’s something to pair with many different types of food or even to sip without a meal.

“The wines are true to type, meaning they are expressing a variety in a balanced and harmonious way,” Parker Wong said, pointing out that they’re also not overly simplistic.

In an industry that’s known to sometimes lack approachability, Josh does something different by offering something for everyone, Cooper said. “Josh Cellars, while they obviously didn’t anticipate this trend to bring them attention, knows their audience and doesn’t try to be something they are not,” she said.

For Josh fan Nick Robinson, the brand is a symbol of good times and good vibes, and it’s easy to enjoy without feeling confused. “Josh Cellars understands what you like — they don’t use fancy words or names you can’t say,” he said. “Instead, they talk like you do, saying their wine is bold and juicy or smooth and easy-drinking.”