NV Sami-Odi Little Wine #13

The Sami-Odi 'Little Wine' has developed quite the cult following over the years.

It's a unique wine, being comprised of fruit from multiple vintages, with the older vintage portions adding depth and weight, the younger contributing lift and fruit vibrancy. Some parcels are picked early for acidity and drive, some picked much later providing that definitive Barossa richness.

It's an intricately constructed wine, winemaker Fraser McKinley blending multiple barrels to find just the right amount of light and shade.

The finished wine shows so much perfume, so much flavour and so much life - it's a beauty and a completely unique look at the Barossa Valley. The 'Little Wine' has become one of those innovative Australian wines you just need in your cellar.

97 points
"Little Wine #13 is different to most of the other Little Wines; in this case with a smaller portion of the ‘current vintage’ (2023) and that’s just what was my assessment of 2023 at the time. Some of the wines just didn’t look ready from 2023, they were turbid, with smells and flavours that needed time to settle, so I picked out the barrels I was comfortable with, lighter in alcohol yet dark in colour, and blended accordingly”, states Fraser. This is 2023 (27%), 2022 (36%), 2021 (19%), 2020 (7%), 2019 (6%), 2018 (2%), 2017 (1%), 2016 (1%) & 2015 (1%). It sings from the glass. So bright and refreshing, it feels like one of the more ‘youthful’ or ‘energetic’ Little Wines at release, silky in texture, ultra-perfumed, red and blue berry fruited with woody spices, hazelnut, anise, alpine herbs, green pepper and green olive seamlessly woven through the bouquet and palate. Tannins are very fine, light on, brushed-satin kind of texture, and while there is intensity here, a levity, purity and scintillating freshness. Lots of detail in darker fruit, spice, mineral character, and toasty-woody notes. Utterly delicious, and a bit more raring to go."
- Mike Bennie