Sami-Odi

Fraser discovered wine whilst studying Spatial Design at Auckland University. By the time he graduated, wine and the world that encapsulated it had well and truly taken hold, forcing painting, design and architecture into the ‘hobby’ basket . He cut his teeth with an invaluable five year apprenticeship under David Powell in the Torbreck cellar, incorporating three harvests at Turley Wine Cellars in California which became a catalyst for his love of all things organic. Since then Fraser has assisted Dan Standish in the vineyards and cellars of The Standish Wine Company and he now solely focusses his attention on his label ‘Sami-Odi’ which he founded in 2007. Between winegrowing and winemaking he and his wife Andrea farm their five acre organic hillside property in the Barossa Ranges from which they yield dry grown olive oil.

Since December 2006 we have worked with Adrian & Jeff Hoffmann, farming small sections of their property organically. It began with four rows (0.354 of a hectare) and has gently grown to 2.4 hectares spanning three diverse blocks. It is somewhat of a ‘University Chez Hoffmann’ to me as it continually inspires and educates with every visit; their family has farmed these same sun-kissed red soils since settling in 1857. Needless to say they are ideal mentors for a fervent student.

Our farming is simple yet attentive, revolving around the lunar calendar and simple organic principles. All cuts in the vineyard are made in descending moons and with the greatest of care, aiming to produce fine canes, healthy, balanced clusters and small resilient berries each season. We shoot thin between late October and early December and crop thin in December/January to allow a well balanced and shaded crop yielding between 14-32 hectolitres per hectare. Our goal with these methods is to work and grow as naturally as possible, resulting in fruit harvested early in the season that requires no additions, adjustments and little intervention.

Our cellar practices continue this premise; hand sorted clusters endure their primary fermentation at whatever pace the season dictates, without the use of de-stemming, pumps, yeasts, enzymes or temperature control. The whole clusters are gently pigeaged by foot prior to basket pressing into Burgundian Pièces where they complete both their primary and malolactic fermentations. To encourage the retention of naturally occurring carbon dioxide (a by-product of fermentation and a natural preservative and antioxidant) the wines are not racked or clarified during their elevage and remain sur-lie during their elevage which typically lasts between 77 and 82 weeks. Prior to bottling, a homeopathic addition of sulphur is employed and the wines are bottled without filtration, fining or sparging (the removal of naturally occurring oxygen & C02). All transfer’s are completed via gravity prior to bottling and each year the wines are re-invented and re-branded to suit their personality and reflect the inspirations behind them. YGOW