WTN: A case of portfolio tasting "leftovers"

One perk of working for a wine shop owned by a woman whose husband runs an import company is that you get thrown quite a few sample bottles. Vinilandia, based out of Kennebunk, Maine, has a small but impressive Italian portfolio. Here are a few examples.

2001 Varaldo Dolcetto d'Alba - Cooked raspberries with mild spice notes. Somewhat extracted palate with ripe, seemingly sweet red fruit. Modern approach with good results.

2005 Scagliola Barbera d'Asti "Frem" - Bright raspberry aromas, medium-bodied palate with mild tannins and pronounced acidity. Great food wine.

2003 Máté Albatro Toscana IGT - Earthy red berries with a hint of chocolate. Very easy going on the palate. Noticeable oak influence. A crowd-pleaser.

2003 Poggio Amorelli Chianti Classico - Some meaty aromas with mild cheese notes, dark fruit, and a hint of leather. Pronounced tannins and little acidity. Not what I expect of Chianti but intriguing.

2004 Poggio Barbone Morellino di Scansano - Rich red fruit with some fresh herbs mixed in. Somewhat juicy on the palate. Not particularly striking.

2003 Nicolis Angelo e figli Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso - Nose of baked cherry pie with some creme de cacao. Full, raisinated palate that lingers a bit on the finish. Good.

2004 Zanetti Villa di Corlo Giaco di Viano Emilia IGT - 50% Cab Sauv, 30% Cab Franc, 20% Merlot. Vivid aromas of sharp cheddar! Shows more typical Cab Sauv notes on the palate with rich cassis fruit. Magnificent wine!

2005 Torrevento Salice Salentino Faneros - Bright red fruit...not sure whether "blah" or "meh" would be more appropriate. Not a bad wine...just not one worth dwelling on while other, more captivating wines await!

2002 Curatolo Cabernet Sauvignon - Mild cheese notes with cassis, vanilla, and fig. Thick palate with dark, extracted fruit. New world. Showed a bit more refinement on day 2.

2002 Curatolo Nero d'Avola - Dark fruit with some herbal qualities. Full palate. A tasty wine, though I haven't had enough experience with the grape to evaluate this bottling's typicity.

1998 Luigi Baudana Barolo Cerretta Piani - Incredible floral aromas (lilies) with tar, blackberry, and some cocoa. Delicate yet full-flavored on the palate. Lengthy finish. A traditional Barolo that seems like it will continue to show well for several years to come.

When they set up tastings in their Belfast store, most of the wines were those they exclusively imported. Some of these sound like those. Is there any way of knowing which are in general distribution? It is nice to know that most or all will available in the York store.

The majority of these wines are at The Clown in York. Vinilandia is distributed in New Hampshire, as well as in a growing number of states, so you should start seeing them locally.