“A blend of one million things” says Fraser, blended in Sept 2022, bottled Oct 22. The 2022 season was very late for Sami-Odi, some yields tiny of course due to hail, then other bits plentiful, but a cool season overall, recording no 40 degree days.
As per Fraser’s notes – “an unvintaged assemblage composed of casks from 2022 (49%), 2021 (23%), 2020 (11%), 2019 (8%), 2018 (1%), 2017 (4%), 2016 (2%) & 2015 (2%). Sourced from our six treasured plots within the Hoffmann’s ‘Dallwitz’ vineyard from vines planted in 1996, 1995, 1994, 1960, 1927 & the oldest vines planted prior to 1912”.
Prior to a video conference with Fraser for the tasting, this was our ‘palate cleanser’ (I do this tasting each year with loyal WineFront-er ‘Woody’) while we waited for Fraser and begun our chat. A 30-plus degree day in Sydney with beating sun. We sat under a ceiling fan in my kitchen and went for it. The wines were as per Fraser’s suggestion, and as per his cellar (the coldest place in the Barossa), chilled before tasting, and brought slowly back up from that temp. It works well for the wines.
It’s thick, round and rich. A breathy number that gives warmth, fire side smoked meat, woody spices, dark choc-mint, kirsch, panforte but underlying red fruited characters in the mix too. Tannins round, grippy and gravelly at once, pronounced in depth, pucker and chew. Chocolatey overall, an off beat porty feel but savoury, meaty, indeed, and yet feels like fine detail creeps out as you pause and reflect. Hearty stuff, but with judicious balance. It feels like the thimble fulls of older wine deliver now a nuance of richness, savouriness, dried fruit and nut depth. Complexity writ large.
94 Points - Mike Bennie, The Wine Front, January 2023, Drink: 2023 - 2030
