This wine was once rough, dark and probably much more powerful than it is today. Showing a careful evolutionary trajectory, the Terredora di Paolo 2009 Taurasi Riserva CampoRe has softened with time. It ages in barrique for three years and sees considerable time in bottle. The bouquet reveals dried back fruit and prune with espresso grinds, spicy licorice, smoke, cedar and mahogany. The aromas develop nicely and fully in the glass, while the mouthfeel is broadly textured and rich. This 9,000-bottle production should hold to the 20-year mark.

Released ten years after the harvest, the 2008 Taurasi CampoRe is weighed down by its age and evolution. There is little life left in this bottle, and, to my palate, this late release is over confident. The bouquet shows tarry notes of road paving and campfire ash. There is little or no primary fruit to behold. Bottle production ranges from 7,000 to 24,000 units depending on the vintage. Drink this bottle now.

The 2007 Taurasi Riserva Campore is a very expressive wine that flaunts a distinct personality. It is deeply redolent of varietal tones of dried fruit, tar, road paving and balsam herb. In the mouth, it definitely delivers that dry, tannic astringency that is linked to the Aglianico grape. This wine is masculine and brawny and the aromas have moved into the tertiary realm with little to no primary fruit left. Campore represents the top of the Terredora production philosophy, although I would suggest drinking it within the next five years before it dries out too much.

A chewy red, with an assertive medicinal herb note to the firm dark cherry and black currant fruit, showing hints of tobacco and leather. Drink now. 100 cases imported.??–NW??Region: Italy / South / Taurasi Select to Add

The 2006 Taurasi Campore is rich, deep and sensual. The firm Aglianico tannins are virtually tamed in this large-scaled Taurasi. This is the most textured and full-bodied of the estate’s Taurasis, but all the elements meld together with notable harmony and distinction. Sweet rose petals, licorice and herbs add complexity on the vivid, totally striking finish. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2026. I learned of Lucio Mastroberardino’s untimely passing just as we were about to go to press. Just 45 years old, the loss of Mastroberardino leaves a huge hole in the world of wine. The Mastroberardino family’s Terredora di Paolo turns out compelling wines pretty much across their entire range. That said, I have a weak spot for the entry-level Aglianico and the Taurasis. As a reminder to readers, Terredora di Paolo was created when the Mastroberardino family split up their historic estate in 1994. Walter Mastroberardino’s side of the family kept the vineyards but gave up the right to use their name in marketing. Importer: Vias Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 629-0200