Rutini Wines Trumpeter Malbec 2007

Who: Rutini Wines

What: Malbec

Where: Argentina, Mendoza

When: 2007

How Much: $12.99 (media sample)

I held this a little longer than usual for a wine at this price point, and was rewarded with spicy black and red fruit. Elderberry, black and red raspberry, and black pepper, all with violet undertones, flowed through the glass. There is still wood, but the vanilla and touch of cedar complement, rather than overwhelm, the fruit. The finish is short, but good for the price point. Even better, at three years of age, this gem might be found in you local store's bargain bin. If it is, grab them all. Even if it isn't, at this price why not grab enough to get you through the summer? This would be a great match with burgers or steaks on the grill.

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Chateau Cambon la Pelouse 2003

Chateau Cambon la Pelouse 2003

Haut-Medoc, Bordeaux, France

Retail $20

The Wooden Guys would give it two thumbs up, if they had thumbs.

Night One

Like several for the moderately-priced bottles of '03 Bordeaux I have opened recently, this is coming to life, perhaps even peaking now. A year ago it was dead, but now it is showing a pleasant balance of fruit, blackberry and some raspberry, and more aged flavors of violets and cigar box. Tannins are soft and smooth. This has matured into a very pleasant bottle of wine at a bargain price, drinking at its peak right now. highly recommended as a bargain introduction to a great year for Bordeaux.

Night Two

A lot of the fruit is gone. Some minerality is showing through. Overall, though, it lacks the complexity of Night One. This is not a wine to hold a lot longer. Drink it now and enjoy it.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.