From the Cellar
Masi 2009 Campofioirin
12 Aug 2023- Details
- Category: Uncorked Tonight
I have a number of older bottles of Campofioirin, this is my oldest. I figured it was time to give it a taste after 14 years.
Upon Opening ... Cork comes out with no crumble. There's a little bit of wine on the end, so it has not crept up the cork. Cork is in very good condition. The wine when poured into the glass has got some brown on the edges, a little bit bricky, but still dark and dense at its core
NOSE ... Aromas are slightly muted, there's a note of leather, smoke and definitely some earthiness. I'm starting to get a little worried.
TASTE ... First few sips are uneventful. Everything's muted. From the nose to the palate. Not sure this was a good wine to open.
30 mins open ... Things are beginning to look up; still leathery, smoky, acidic, earthy, with subtle woodsy characteristics. But I do see signs of life as some smoked-cherry notes are peeking around the corner; this brings a smile to my face.
1.5 hrs open ... An hour later there's still some dusty and old characteristics, but this wine is definitely not dead. It is beginning to show signs of smoothing out, but with a dusty finish and characteristics of mocha and coffee bean.
2 hrs open ... Now we're talking, smooth and silky, most of of that old dusty quality has disappeared. Everything that made this wine scary at the beginning is starting to subside. It now drinks beautifully with the tannins being well integrated, fruit is old, but not dead. Balanced and smooth. The wine tastes aged to perfection. There's even a little balsamic-cherry-strawberry kicking about. Not fresh by any means, but it's drinking absolutely wonderfully now.
3 hrs open ... Let the fall off begin.
Bottom Line ... There is about an hour and a half window, at the 1 hour and a half mark, where this wine really starts to become something wonderful; but then it starts to die off. Don't decant, let this wine open naturally. Then at an hour-and-a-half mark watch it open and stretch out. You're going to be thrilled. By 3 hours, maybe not so much. Glad to have gotten to this wine now.
