Josh Cellars Teams With Gary Sinise Foundation To Support First Responders On National First Responder's Day

In the wake of the recent flood devastation in Colorado and the shootings in Washington, D.C., we wanted to take some time to appreciate all those who are first to the scene in the height of a storm — the first responders. Sept. 27 marks National First Responder's Day, and there's no better way to celebrate the heroes of our communities than by sipping a little vino from a company that gives back to these brave men and women. Enter Joseph Carr...

Joseph Carr grew up in a middle-class family and came into the wine industry in a wayward fashion. Early in his life he got the opportunity to work in a restaurant, where his love affair with wine began. So much so that Carr became a sommelier, and eventually parlayed his knowledge of wine into a short stint running a wine company. Using his developing knowledge of wine, Carr got into the wine business himself and developed the Josh Cellars wine brand, which today wants to give back to the first responders of our nation.

About two weeks ago we were lucky enough to receive three bottles of wine from the Josh Cellars brand — chardonnay, pinot noir, and cabernet sauvignon. Besides boasting rich flavors that created some of the best wines we've tried recently, these wines are special for another reason: they're made in honor of Carr's father, Josh, who was a first responder himself, a solider and a volunteer firefighter. To create a wine in honor of Josh Carr, the idea was to establish a product with a similar personality to Josh himself — unpretentious, strong, and brash.

Recently, Josh Cellars has expanded its reach and teamed up with the Gary Sinise Foundation, an organization that honors our nation's first responders, defenders, veterans, and their families, according to a press release. For every "Like" on Josh Cellars' Facebook page now through Oct. 2, Josh Cellars will donate $2 (up to $5,000) to the foundation in support of first responders, including firefighters and emergency medical technicians. While that is enough for us to head online and "like," we're also impressed that the brand is donating $50,000 to support Black Forest Fire & Rescue, the same department that suppressed the most destructive fire in Colorado state history this past June. The donation funded essential equipment, including a fire mitigation truck to eliminate excess trees in the region and national training for the department's 35 volunteers.

So when you're looking for a bottle of wine to serve at your dinner party this weekend, perhaps pick up a bottle of Josh Cellars and support all the first responders who so bravely protect you on a regular basis.