Little Wine #14, Sami-Odi M.V.

The 2023 Hoffmann Dallwitz represents the 18th vintage of this wine, and the proportion of older vines versus the younger vines was far outweighed by the former in this year. Here, there were three picks of Hoffmann Dallwitz Old Block fruit, two picks of the 1927 vines in the Hoffmann Dallwitz vineyard and a barrel of the 2022 Hoffmann Dallwitz in the blend as well. This is an altogether darker, more concentrated wine than either the Little Wine #14 or the Our Hill (OH) in this same release. That darkness (without cumbersome weight or overlarge size) sits well within the shape of the wine. That dark fruit note and the tannins that encase it are graphite and gravel, clove and star anise, as well. This is super. It is finer than the 2022 release (which I really loved). 14.4% alcohol, sealed under natural cork and wax. Drink 2025-2053.

The nose is fresh and perfumed, with dark fruit aromas of boysenberries, mulberries, blueberry bush, roasted coffee beans, graphite and dried herbs. The palate is medium- to full-bodied with firmly integrated tannins and acidity, giving notes of blackcurrants, mocha, tobacco leaves, spices and iodine. A truly unique wine of multiple vintages that shows freshness and structure. Made half from the newest vintage, 2024, and a mix of back vintages kept in barrel and bottled for release. Very good. Drink or hold.

The 'Little Wine' is Fraser's un-vintaged assemblage of syrah from the ancient vines of the Hoffmann's Dallwitz vineyard. For those who want to embrace their inner wine geek, this year's breakdown is as follows: 37/32/12/8/4/3/1/2/1% 2024/2023/2022/2021/2020/2019/2017/2018/2016 & 2015. Deep, dark Doris plum, black cherry, boysenberry and blueberry fruits with glimpses of raspberry pip top-notes. Deeply cut with exotic spice, turned earth, tapenade, wild strawberry, anise, chocolate-dipped cherries and dried flowers. There's a nice plumpness to the fruit as it fans out on the palate, all pure and harmonious; the interplay of fine acidity and tight, fine, sandy tannin catching the eye and drawing the drinker's attention and sense of wonder. Detailed, fresh and wonderful drinking as always and a clear example of a wine where the whole is more than the sum of its parts.