Rutini Cabernet Sauvignon Tupungato Felipe Rutini 2006

The weather outside is bone-chillingly cold (16 degrees), so I was looking for a cheap red wine to get the blood moving. Spotted this bottle for $17 at De-Vino. All in all, not a bad deal. The color of the wine is deep violet/magenta, though at times it seems lighter on the edges. Looks like a back-lit black cherry that's desperately trying to change to deep pinkish-purple. It reminds me of the mood lighting throughout much of the 1995 blockbuster movie "Batman Forever"...in a good way. This bad boy is strong on my nose. Smells spicy, peppery. Almost overpowering. You know that feeling you get when you walk down the cleaning/detergent aisle at the supermarket and you think, "I can't decide if this smells great or awful, but for some strange reason I want to stay RIGHT HERE and keep on sniffing"? The nose experience of this wine is kind of like that...in a good way. At first sip, the palate is like subdued fruit -- not at all like the nose. The label says there are "hints of vanilla and chocolate," and while I'm not picking up those specific tastes, the overall mood of the first sip is smooth like vanilla and/or chocolate. Once you swallow, however, the strong spiciness of the nose comes back quickly: a spicy, coffee kind of bitterness jumps to the back of you throat and up into your nasal passages. This shock-taste died out quickly and returns to a nice fruity aftertaste difference from the first sip, but not wholly distinct -- it's as if the subtle flavors of the beginning have now come full circle. The palate sorta jumps all over the place...in a good way. It's still 16 degrees outside but it's much warmer in my apartment, thanks to this flavorful, sneaky little devil of a wine. Not a bad score for $17.