Josh Cellars Wine Is all Over the Internet Right Now — Here's Why

There are some rather familiar names on Ray Isle’s, Food & Wine’s executive wine editor and author of The World in a Wineglass, list of wines that have changed the way we drink, including the likes of Veuve Clicquot, Louis Roederer, Robert Mondavi, and Kendall-Jackson. And while those brands have become household names for many wine lovers, another very common name — Josh — is the one that’s taking over the internet right now. 

It all started on January 6 when a user on X, @OptimusGrind__,  shared a photo of Josh Cellars Merlot on the social media platform. In the caption, he suggested that his followers opt for Josh’s juice rather than other popular wine brands like Barefoot and Stella Rosa.

A tidal wave of comments rolled in, with other X users debating how Josh Cellars wines stacked up to other widely available wines. One person, however,  piped up and admitted that they hadn't "met" Josh yet, adding, "I didn't wanna have to ask. wtf is Josh wine." Luckily, Josh Cellars was in the replies and quickly added a succinct "Me."

At that point, a massive (and hilarious) meme storm ensued as creative social media users couldn't resist joking around with Josh.

"A wine, but we call it Josh," one said, alongside an image of Jon Hamm's Mad Men character "pitching" the idea to a team.

“It’s Josh o’clock somewhere,” another posted, with their bottle of Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon tucked into the sand as the sun sets in the background. 

The latest Josh meme trend is to slide his name into music lyrics or song titles, as one user did with a nod to Zac Brown Band's Chicken Fried: "Josh wine on a Friday night, pair of jeans that fit just right."

Whether it's due to the wine's ubiquity (you can find Josh Cellars wines at many locations of Target, CVS, and even some gas stations for about $12 to $25) or the fact that "Josh" ranks among the top 60 most common baby names for boys, the Josh meme-a-palooza is showing no signs of slowing. Turns out, it's a blast to anthropomorphize Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Chardonnay and imagine the wine that we're talking about is a real human. A human named Josh.

And the Josh Cellars team is delighted to be in on the joke.

“We’re happily surprised with the online attention and have enjoyed following along with the memes that have popped up over the last week,” Dan Kleinman, chief brand officer for Josh Cellars, tells Food & Wine. “They’ve been creative, given us a good laugh, and we’ve had fun responding and engaging in the conversation. Some people are posting images, Reels, and videos of themselves buying the brand for the first time. This is a great outcome for us, as we believe in the quality of our wines.”

If you’re one of those new adopters or are unfamiliar with Josh Cellars, the brand’s website offers the backstory: The California-based winery was founded in 2007 by Joseph Carr as a tribute to his father, Josh. So yes, Josh was a real person; an Army veteran, lumberjack, and firefighter, in fact.

Google Search data proves that interest in Josh’s wine has never been stronger, and based on an Instagram post from @joshcellars on January 23, the Josh jokes are just beginning.

"It's too early to say that our sales have increased since the memes began," Kleinman admits. "However, we are expecting to see a spike in volumes for Josh Cellars, because despite being the number one premium wine brand in the country for the past few years, we're pleased about how many people are being introduced to the brand for the first time."

The brand has seen a 79% jump in Instagram followers compared to this week last year as well.

"This has been a great opportunity to bring even more folks into the Josh Cellars family, as well as a way to engage with our loyal Josh followers in a new and fun way," Kleinman adds.

As for their favorite meme yet? Kleinman tells us it will be tough to top the X post from @chillextremist that shows a "live look" at the Josh Cellars' marketing department, which has "definitely given me a chuckle."