Helen Arvanitopoulos

9.0

I’ve been drinking a lot of Margaret river Chardonnay and it truly doesn’t disappoint. Beautiful lightness. Green apples, nice light buttery goodness with the light citrus. Yum — 6 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

I unwisely drank my collection too young. This was my last of 3 bottles. Some citric tang on the nose and palate. A touch of stone fruit with notes of nectarine. Certainly has the power and acid drive to go on into the 2030s. Excellent value. Neighbours of the big gun Chardonnays like Cullen Vasse Felix and Pierro without their price tags. — 10 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

A blend of 6 vintages - 2020 (51%), 2019 (31%), 2018 (3%), 2017 (8%), 2016 (5%), and 2015 (2%). From the Hoffmann’s Dallwitz vineyard. 6327 bottles filled. Aromatics of old vine Barossa Shiraz. The fruit is so plush and ample together with liquorice, chocolate, blue fruits, and spices that it masks the M plus tannins. I note that Fraser likes to taste these Little Wines “when primal and vital, a year or two after vintage “. I totally agree. I have tasted Little Wines with over 5 years of cellaring and find that you are giving up that freshness and vitality for a limited increase in savoury profile. The secondary value of Sami-Odi wines have increased dramatically in recent years. I paid $55 per bottle on release and note that United Cellars are now selling for $325. All the more annoying when I broke a bottle unpacking the tricky little cartons of 3 when I received them. The odd 4 letter word was uttered!!! Therefore I have one left for future enjoyment. I ended up having the last bottle 68 weeks later on 4th May 2025 with consistent notes taking into account Fraser’s note that he likes to drink Little Wine in its first couple of years. Blackberry currant and chocolate. — 2 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.3

Not as good as the 2018 which is weird as 19 is usually better than 18 in Cote Rotie. Let’s see what air does. Noseis funky, floral, spicey and a bit horsey. Hopefully it blows off. Very nice framing minerality but the horse is here and will gallop off into the distance soon. Paste is ripe and juicy with terrific power, depth and concentration. Big, ripe and sweet tannins. Super pure and super young. Engaging freshness and energy but the tannins are a bit aggressive and less focused than I’d like. 9.3 for now. Let’s see. It is opening up to be very elegant but also there is a sur maturite factor that’s not that great and the fruits is losing focus. HMMMMMMM??? — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

This Little Wine #6 is a blend of 2016 (47%), 2015 (44%), 2013 (5%), and 2012 (4%) - all good vintages and sourced from that precious old vine material in the Dallwitz vineyard. This wine had an array of black fruits of berry, cherry and currant with hints of spice including clove on the nose. Fraser seems to have a process of picking early so his wines even in ripe vintages like those in the blend are not porty. Always finishing with those silky tannins. A lovely wine at a good price. — 6 years ago

Emily MacKinnon

9.2

Breakfast bubbles. — 7 years ago

TheSkip

9.5

Words cannot describe the genius of @Fraser McKinley His wines are a masterpiece, especially so on the nose. Lithe and completely complete! — 8 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

A highly awarded Grenache from McLaren Vale made by the talented Peter Fraser. Sweet red earthy fruits but not overly raspberry as Aussie Grenache often is. Has a lovely sweet smooth texture. James Halliday awarded this wine his Wine of the Year in 2020 and 99 points. Vines planted in 1946 in ancient sandy soils ideal for this Grenache. If not Australia’s best Grenache then certainly in the conversation. The main reason we drank this wine a few days ago was to remember Peter Fraser who sadly passed away unexpectedly in a tragic house fire. — 7 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

A pale lemon yellow in colour - quite youthful looking for a 12 year old Chardonnay. Aromatics of white peach - mealy and nutty notes, still with a nice acid cut at the finish. Drinking at its peak. Fuller than some Marg River Chardonnays I’ve had lately like Xanadu and Fraser Gallop. I have had richer Art Series Chardonnays but personally I love the balance in this. Tasted in May 2025 the first bottle. Had my 2nd last bottle on 20th September 2025 and it was utterly delicious. Stone fruit and dried pear character to the fore. I will have my last bottle in the coming summer or early 2026 and will make a fresh Delectable note. — a year ago

Boris Mathiszik

9.0

Fruit forward, big cassis notes. Not the longest finish but this is definitely a good value quaffer. Having it chilled after a long exhausting day on Fraser Island adds to the allure. 🇦🇺 — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

Dense purple/black in the glass - opaque. Not giving much on the nose initially following decanting. Needed vigorous swirling. Barossa plum, prune and earth. Very full bodied on the palate. Quite concentrated. A very big wine in comparison to many other Sami-Odi Cuvées I’ve had over the years. HH said It needs ages (“drinking window of 2018 to 2041 - over extracted?)” I tend to think the difficult vintage conditions in 2014 as explained by Fraser is the reason. Harvest was a full 2 months later than normal - harvesting the 2nd shooting of the vines during the first 2 weeks of April. Yielding only 274 dozen. This wine has a long cellaring future. An element of tannic astringency which is more a result of the size of the wine. This is the first of 3 bottles I purchased in 2016. It will be many years before I have the next one. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Very dense ruby. Aromas of ripe black plum with a note of prune. Silky palate showing its old vine origins / supple slippery tannins. This wine is instantly loveable by all who taste it and ridiculous value at only $38 back when I bought it. To pay that amount for what is essentially a hand made wine of small production from ancient Shiraz vines is a wonderful thing and explains why Fraser sells out every year in a few weeks. This is my oldest Little Wine (#4) which combines vintages 2012, 2013 and 2014 - all good vintages. Just bought Fraser’s latest offering from the 2018 vintage today - includes Little Wine #9 — 6 years ago

Simon Gilligan

9.4

Savoury is the name of the game. Medium to full bodied, long finish, gravelly drying tannin, blackcurrent, mint, eucalypt. Great nose, 2 hr decant and felt it was finally opening up. Very left bank Bordeaux like, 85% cabernet sauvignon. 10% petit verdot. 2% merlot. 1% cabernet franc. — 7 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

A single vintage unusually for Fraser. Obviously the product of old Vine fruit. Colour is a deep Ruby - call it black. Black and blue fruits. Such a rich, sumptuous sweet and full bodied robust wine - profound intensity of flavour with silky tannins. Definitely not hangover inducing and thoroughly enjoyable like every Sami Odi wine I’ve ever had. The first of 3. — 8 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

Deep Ruby in colour with a youthful purple rim. Ripe plummy notes on the nose with aromatic spices. A rich intense supple palate (but never ponderous). The palate is downright delicious showing plums and the tang of plum skins with a fluidity akin to milk chocolate. Made from 7 different vintages but 46% from the 2021 vintage which was a vintage for the ages in South Australia. You can’t beat the old vine material that Fraser has to work with from the old Hoffmann Vineyard. Had my final bottle 37 weeks later on 21st February 2026 with consistent notes. An excellent wine that doesn’t seem to age much with time in the cellar. — a year ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

An assemblage of casks from 2019 (42%), 2018 (37%), 2017 (13%), 2016 (4%), and 2015 (4%). From plots within the Hoffmann Dallwitz vineyard with the oldest vines dating back to 1912. 6,451 bottles filled. Great depth - sweet exemplary fruit. Notes of spice and plush black fruits. Lush silky tannins go without saying. The demand for Sami-Odi wines has gone through the roof in recent years in Australia. A wine shop is currently asking over $500 AUD for this wine. I paid $50 from Fraser. Had my final bottle on 7th January 2025 when Georgie was home for Christmas/New Year. With consistent notes. Not much change to these with extended cellaring. The main change is the increase in value in the secondary market. Amazing it is being sold for $500 for a wine which cost $50. — 2 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2005 vintage. Decanted and tasted after 15 mins, 45 mins and 2 hrs. Throwing decent sed. Great color. Overt baby fat from this producer dissipated but plenty of the usual, front-palate richness found in the first decade of life still evident. In “the zone” currently. Medium bodied. Not improving but tasting like it’s closer to the front of “the zone”than the mid-section or the caboose. Flavors, concentration and overall impression sez this continues to gallop along in this lane and at this pace for another decade before fading noticeably. 11.5.23. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

In Adelaide tonight and trying the entry level Yangarra Grenache from McLaren Vale made by Grenache master Peter Fraser. No detailed notes - but medium bodied, medium tannins - red and black fruits. Driving 4 1/2 hours to Coonawarra today. See you at Bellwether. — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

As with all of the top Cuvées of Sami Odi there is a lot going on with the wine as a product of ancient vines going back to 1912. Ripe plums, black olive, earth, some game and meaty notes and prune. Bold flavours delivered with a trademark silky texture with supple fluid tannins. Rich chocolatey notes on the palate mingling with the ripe plum. Followers of Sami Odi will know that Fraser often blends 2 or 3 vintages but with “Baby Tui” the 2012 vintage was so good that it stood alone. The unusual and attractive label is apparently a collection of vintage match box labels belonging to Fraser’s grandmother I believe. Correct me if I’m wrong. I have one of these gems left in the cellar. — 6 years ago

Steven Lee Cher

10

Something from Fraser Suites — 7 years ago