Product Description:
A Syrah stitched from generations of vines.
Sami-Odi’s Hoffmann Little Wine 5 Syrah NV is no ordinary bottle. This unvintaged blend draws on four harvests—2012 through 2015—meticulously assembled from parcels within the celebrated Hoffmann ‘Dallwitz’ vineyard. Here, vines planted as far back as pre-1912 stand alongside younger blocks, weaving a complex tapestry of Barossa Syrah. Just 4,955 bottles exist.
The label features a McCahon study, painted in 2014 and reworked in 2015—an artwork echoing the wine’s layered, contemplative nature. Each sip is a glimpse into the past and present of a site revered for its low-yield, characterful fruit.
Expect depth, savoury detail and fine-boned structure. Drink now with spiced lamb shoulder or cellar confidently for added dimension and a slow unfurling of its old-vine soul.
Maker
Fraser McKinley is the force behind Sami-Odi—a singular project quietly revolutionising Barossa Syrah. A native New Zealander with a background in spatial design and fine art, McKinley took an unlikely path to winemaking. A formative stint at Torbreck and The Standish Wine Co. laid the technical groundwork, but Sami-Odi has always been something else entirely: a deeply personal expression of site, vine, and time.
Since 2010, McKinley has worked exclusively with Shiraz from the Hoffmann Dallwitz Vineyard, managing his own rows with rigorous organic care. These blocks—some with vines dating back to the 1880s—are cultivated with obsessive precision. Yields are low, the detail is high, and the winemaking is uncompromisingly hands-on: small-batch ferments, whole bunches, no additions except sulphur, and bottling by gravity, unfined and unfiltered.
Philosophy
Sami-Odi is not built on scale or consistency—it’s about curation. McKinley’s approach to wine is more akin to an artist building a body of work: careful, layered, and always evolving. Each release is a blend of individual ferments, often across vine age, blocks, and even vintages. The result is not showy but intricate—wines that unfold slowly, offering both immediate pleasure and long-term intrigue.
This is Barossa through a new lens. The ripeness and power are there, but reined in by early picking, thoughtful canopy work, and a refusal to follow formula. Ferments range from carbonic to traditional, all pressed in small basket lots and matured in neutral oak. What emerges is Syrah with tension and soul—equal parts structure and spontaneity, driven more by instinct than recipe. McKinley doesn’t talk much about technique. He talks about the vineyard, the blend, and how it all feels. And the wines speak fluently in return.
Tasting Notes
NOSE
– Herbal and peppery
Crushed black pepper, wild thyme and a flicker of dark florals.
PALATE
– Velvety dark fruit
Black plum, smoked spice and earthy undertones wrapped in supple tannins.
FINISH
– Persistent savoury length
Lingering notes of peppercorn, dried herbs and dark berry skins.
The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Syrah
Country - Australia
Region - Barossa Valley, South Australia
Vintage - NV
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 14.4%
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