a little pick-me-up pud

Boutari Naoussa 2006, Greece

Bright garnet-red, bricking rim, thin meniscus; stewed red berries, cured meat, bacon, herbs, cloves on the nose; strong, grippy and grainy tannins, dried cherries, dark chocolate, spices and oak on the palate; medium to medium-plus acidity and finish. This was a surprising find in a small town in NZ, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well it was made. It is not mind-blowingly good but for $23 a pop, I won’t mind sipping this Xinamavro than some poorly made Chianti Riserva that I had yesterday.

porterhouse steak salad and cosmo red

pak’n save had some really good deal today – 4 porterhouse steaks + 6 fresh eggs + 1 onion + 1 bag of fries for NZD13. So that’s how I turned a raw piece of porterhouse steak into a salad for dinner tonight, accompanied by the remaining Cosmo Red by Millton on the side: clear, dark cherry red core with a thin meniscus; perfumed, spice, oak, liquorice, macerated ripe dark berries on the nose; juicy black doris, tart red berries, cinnamon, cloves, oak, dark chocolate on the palate; medium to medium-plus acid; medium-plus finish; smooth, satin-like tannin. slightly bitter and spicy aftertaste introduced an extra dimension of complexity to the wine. For just NZD17, this was really really tasty!

Millton Estate Chenin Blanc Te Arai Vineyard 2008, Gisborne NZ

Deep shade of golden yellow; ripe guava, anjou pear, flinty, slight salinity and a gentle touch of honey on the nose; savoury tones, minerals, guava, a little feijoa, lime and lime pith on the palate; medium to medium-plus acid and finish. Tasty and good.