2009 Carmel Road "Liberated" Chardonnay, Monterey County, CA

[wondersofwine]

I was in Charlotte Saturday for a University of Nebraska alumni event--meet and greet with Tommie Frazier who quarterbacked the Nebraska Cornhuskers in 1994 and 1995 to back-to-back national championships and came in second to Eddie George of the Ohio State University in the Heisman Trophy voting done before the bowl games. I chose to drive home Sunday a different way to pick up some wines in Raleigh and stopped for lunch in Winston-Salem. This was my first visit to Bleu Restaurant and Bar which has been open about four years. The owners are from India and well traveled and the restaurant has a European-inspired decor. Warm wood tables without table cloth, very high ceiling with large light fixtures, and an oversized bouquet near the entry reminiscent of European fine dining restaurants or hotels. I had the ham and cheese omelet with fruit and hash browns which is not really a great test of the cuisine, but I did enjoy a slice of pecan pie with thick chocolate sauce drizzle for dessert. I would return on a future visit to Winston-Salem. They have a decent wine list including a fair number of by the glass selections and I had this unoaked Chardonnay with the omelet. 13.5% alcohol. Grapes are from Clark Ranch in Arroyo Seco AVA, in Santa Lucia Range. It was $9.00 a glass at the restaurant ($36 by the bottle) the same price as a Long Boat Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, so a pretty hefty markup. In California the 2008 vintage sells for $17.20 at Wally Wine. Pale color with some transparency. Well chilled and muted nose but pleasantly crisp on the palate with pear and lemon hints. Light to medium body. Quite pleasant and might be worth purchasing at $25 or less on the east coast. With the slice of pecan pie I had a small pour of Cockburn Ten-Year Tawny Port. I like Cockburn because it seems drier than some Tawnies. Light amber in color. Nuts and plum/prune elements--maybe hazelnuts or walnuts. It paired quite well with the pie.