J. Lohr, Arroyo Seco (Monterey County, California) Valdiguié 2021

 grape variety with the tongue twister name of Valdiguié (pronounced, val duh gee yay) will be  a great addition to your holiday table.  It sports a light ruby color and offers juicy red fruit flavors of strawberry, raspberry and dark cherry with floral notes.  The juicy fruit will pair well with turkey or ham as well as dressing and veggies.  Its crisp, mouthwatering acidity and ripe tannins will clear your palate and prepare it for the next delicious bite.  Jerry Lohr has been making wine from Valdiguié grapes grown in Monterey County’s Arroyo Seco region since 1976.  It won the Best in Show at the California State Fair in 1989.  I was a judge that year and remember the controversy that surrounded this delicious wine.  Some judges argued that a wine made from this grape was not worthy of this prestigious award.  However, those of us who argued that was worthy of the award because it was an excellent and beautiful example of Valdiguié won the day.