Doug Powers

9.2

Lean and taut currently, shows more oak and structure than the Singlefile, this needs 2-4 years of further aging, I think, but lovely complexity and long finish. — 2 months ago

with Jim and Monique

Neal Ferry

8.9

Candy, a bit sweeter than most other Malbecs — 5 months ago

Dimes

8.9

For a Washingtonian wine on the upper half of the scale but just can’t throw above a 9 — 4 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. — 4 years 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. — 4 months 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. — 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 — 4 years ago

Doug Powers

9.3

Absolutely lovely Margaret River Cabernet from a property new to me, we were also able to purchase 6 bottles of their higher end Cabernets and Chardonnay for import, my wife loved this when we tasted it and we bought it to go, finally drinking it with some great Aussie lamb (her) and steak (me) we cooked on the barbie!!

Dark fruits, oak is moderate, this is a mid-term drinker, lovely balance, soft tannins, but excellent depth as well, long finish, very fine!! — 5 months ago

with Jim

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. — 10 months ago

Emily MacKinnon

9.2

Breakfast bubbles. — 5 years ago