Words from a Wine Glass

Samuel Johnson (18th‑century English writer) once suggested that wine can make a man mistake words for thoughts, and I’ve always taken that as a reminder to stay thoughtful rather than simply sounding thoughtful. I know I can get carried away when a wine excites me. Sometimes the words rush out faster (I tend to talk a lot and I can’t type that fast!) than the thoughts behind them .

However, every now and then a wine has a way of keeping things grounded. It doesn’t ask for big statements or eager praise. It leans toward a calmer, more measured approach that keeps the focus exactly where it should be… on what’s in the glass.

The 2023 Angullong Fossil Hill Sangiovese is very much that kind of wine. Full of character and charm, generous and expressive, it is genuinely honest and doesn’t need embellishment in any form. It speaks for itself with confidence.

Angulong Website

Region: Orange Region, NSW     Price: $30     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Angullong Wines and Define Wine

Lovely aromatics with cherries, red plums and a touch of herbs along with a freshness I really liked. On the palate it’s juicy dark cherries and plums for sure, a lovely savouriness, a delicious fruitfulness that you can’t help but be drawn to. A little earthiness comes through along with some fine tannins on a finish that is the savoury heartbeat of the Fossil Hill range…well, for me anyway. An excellent example of the variety that you could be excused for keeping all to yourself.

“In order to explain the name, first you must drink the wine.” I wish I could credit whoever said that (if you know, please tell me) but it stuck with me.

For this bottle, though, I’d tweak it slightly: “To explain the name, you must say the name… then drink the wine.”

So let’s say it together: Mon‑te‑pull‑chee‑ar‑no. Say it quickly and you’ll sound like a natural.

Now, onto the part that needs no explanation at all: drinking it. And this particular one made that very easy.

Montepulciano is a medium to full-bodied Italian red grape variety, primarily grown in the Abruzzo region, right in the middle of Italy. Often described as crowd-pleasing wines perfect with pizza or pasta. Italian wine with Italian food? Makes perfect sense to me.

Angulong Website

Region: Orange Region, NSW     Price: $30     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Angullong Wines and Define Wine

The aromas of this wine really get things started in such a positive way. Fruit forward and inviting thanks to an abundant dark cherry and plum with just a slight herbal note. The palate is rich and generous and moreish and…I could go on. Blackcurrant, plums, dried herbs and lovely subtle oak are what I found. There is a great, juicy mid- palate appeal with smooth tannins being carried along by the lush fruit to a really good, long finish. This is a crowd pleaser. This is amazingly good value. This is your go-to Montepulciano. No doubt!

Being honest, this variety was never something I sought out in a bottle shop or on a wine list, but that attitude has since changed.

Adjunct to that, I’ve generally steered toward the familiar varieties simply because they were, well, familiar.

Real wine boffins (that’s me) are always on the lookout for something a little different to impress or enthuse other wine boffins.

Barbera is one of those varieties. Definitely a little different, and absolutely worthy of attention.

Ever since starting this blog, I’ve been lucky enough to have been sent a few Barberas to try, and I’ve been mightily impressed.

Raising the bar each time, the Angullong ‘Fossil Hill’ version is exactly the kind of wine I’d happily keep at home as a constant.

Anyone yet to try the variety should do so, and this is the ideal place to start. A version true to Barbera’s character.

Angulong Website

Region: Orange Region, NSW     Price: $30     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Angullong Wines and Define Wine

The colour is the first thing to impress. Deep, glossy and full of promise of what is to come next. Dark fruits aromas rise from the glass with a slightly herbal edge, vibrant and almost filling the air around it. The palate is juicy and generous, led by dark plums and blackberries. A lively red‑fruitiness brings brightness and energy, giving the wine a lovely, lush palate feel. It’s abundantly flavourful yet still sits comfortably in the medium‑bodied spectrum. The length is impressive too with those flavours lingering incessantly. A vibrant, flavour‑packed Barbera that shows just how charming this variety can be.