Hoffman Family

Sine Qua Non

Trouver l'Arène Syrah 2015

Shay A
9.6

My third red wine from my annual CC hosting (others were 2015 Guigal Ampuis and 2015 SamiOdi Hoffman Dallwitz shiraz).

I remember having this wine in the fall of 2018…it was fairly new, and I was flabbergasted at how good it was so close to release, so I bought a bottle. Here we are 4yrs later, and while slightly different, I found it just as delicious.

Double decanted for about 2-3hrs. While the aromatics aren’t as bombastic out of the glass, the polish of this wine is one of the best in an SQN wine I’ve had in a while. Slightly stemmy/herbal, dark floral/potpurri, with notes of smoked meat (more to the rich side, a la Cote Rotie), dark berry compote and mocha. Incredibly powerful yet elegant on the palate, with a rollercoaster of sweet and savory battling all the way through the insanely long finish.

This is new world through and through, but it’s very much nodding to Northern Rhône. The mid 2010s for SQN seemed (to me) to show a change to incorporate more stems, more white varieties (bigger floral aromatics) and slightly less time in oak (and less new oak too) compared to the 2000s offerings, and the trend is continuing that way with the recent releases as well. Love it.
— 2 years ago

Romain, Tom and 33 others liked this
Jeroen Koenen

Jeroen Koenen

Thanks for the notes on this wine, Shay.
Hope to read something on the Mahe & Ribo, as well… very curious what you think about that one and how it compared to the SQN… 🙂

Joseph Carr

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Deeper, a bit more intense than the last. I think Almost Famous with this wine is a better fit. Stillwater. Dark fruit. This is better than I thought it would be. Philip Seymour Hoffman so damn good. “You’ll meet them all again on their long journey to the middle...” — 5 years ago

Ryan, E and 8 others liked this

Costador

La Fassina Trepat 2017

Taverna Hoffman. 25,00
100% trepat.
22.11.18
— 6 years ago

Sami-Odi

Hoffman Dallwitz Little Wine #8 Syrah

Amazingly plush fruited, blackcurrent, raspberry, violet, widely spread on the palette, licorice, a bit of sarsaparilla, spice, ripe pillowy tannin with great length. Great freshness given the spread of vintages in this. — 3 years ago

Bob, Ceccherini and 1 other liked this

Enate

Fermentado en Barrica Somontano Chardonnay 2015

Super, full bodied and aromatic. The wood is present, but not overpowering. Gift from Peter Hoffman.
— 5 years ago

Martha Mason
with Martha
Emelia liked this

Sami-Odi

Hoffmann Dallwitz Syrah 2017

@Delectable Wine this is the 2017 Hoffman Dallwitz. @Fraser McKinley may be able to give you some more details about the name.

This wine would go well with a big ass porterhouse. But this wine needs to be cut with a knife and fork as well! Perfume slaps you across the face after you exert 100 calories trying to get the cork out of the bottle. Black and purple and blue fruits. Baking spices. Cinnamon. Entry is full throttle, but rather soft and rounded. Roasted black fruits, baking spice, roasted nuts. Insane. I'm rather certain that this one is going to be 97/98 in 5-7 years. Has the potential for my first 100! Unfortunately I'm pretty dang certain they will all be gone by then!

Wow! Excellent wine
@Fraser McKinley !!
— 5 years ago

Dan FitzgeraldBradley DavisShay A
with Dan, Bradley and 1 other
Shay, Neil and 36 others liked this
Paul T HB

Paul T HB

Trade you 2 Caymus for 1 of those
Shay A

Shay A Influencer Badge Premium Badge

It’s official...these are the most incredibly aromatic/my most favorite aromatic wines I’ve ever come across. This is so good that if I decanted for 8hrs, I’d be ok staying next to it and smelling it the entire 8hrs. Purple in the glass. Fruit cake, baking spices, toasted mixed berry pie, & savory bacon fat. Powerful (obviously). Plum, slightly stemmy, ripe dark fruit. Some cocoa. Gorgeous. Almost a carbonic type nose? If you aren’t a believer by now, move over so others can enjoy these! Thanks @Mark Flesher , and I’m glad I’ve got a stash of these tucked away!
9.5
Bill Bender

Bill Bender Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Everything goes with a big ass, if you ask me.

Jacob Franklin

Hoffman Lane Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Another winespies purchase that has proven to be a good purchase. Strong spice, blackberry and slight cherry, cinnamon, and more. Medium tannins. A 7 year old wine that likely could age another 5 - 10 years. — 3 years ago

Ron, Ericsson and 1 other liked this

Sami-Odi

Hoffman Dalwitz Syrah

Thank you for having us @Fraser McKinley. Absolute legend. — 5 years ago

Ira, Ron and 6 others liked this
Fraser McKinley

Fraser McKinley Influencer Badge

Thanks @Scott Rowe it was a pleasure having you visit and I hope that you’ve enjoyed your time in the Barossa.
Scott Rowe

Scott Rowe Influencer Badge

@Fraser McKinley I’d love to have your wine in our cellar. If you’re keen to swap for S+S juice please hit me up!scott.rowe@shawandsmith com
Cheers

Sami-Odi

SA 54-354 Hoffman Dallwitz Syrah 2016

Mike R
9.6

Hello and sit up - this bad boy wine is in the room - fruit boom - and complex - thank you again @Shawn R — 5 years ago

Shawn R
with Shawn
Mike, Shawn and 59 others liked this
Shay A

Shay A Influencer Badge Premium Badge

So good!
Shawn R

Shawn R Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Most welcome!
9.5

Sami-Odi

Little Wine #7 Syrah

Bill's in town, so why not kill a Sami-Odi??? He opened the Greenock Creek 02 Seven Acre, so why not this one? This wine has an intoxicating nose like the Sami-Odi Hoffman 0.534 Syrah consumed a few months before. This is definitely a "little wine" to this HD Syrah. Displaying just as much lusciousness in the nose. One person said "I don't know what this is, but I can smell this in the glass for the rest of the night and I would be satisfied." Mission accomplished! The entry is dark, black fruit and a ton of it. Dark, black, condense, full bodied, although the finish seems to be a bit shorter than the Hoffman Dallwitz. Multi-vintage wine of 2012, 15, 16, 17 Syrah. Delicious. Still has 10 years left. — 6 years ago

Dan FitzgeraldShay ATrent Fletcher
with Dan, Shay and 1 other
Mark, Shay and 33 others liked this
Shay A

Shay A Influencer Badge Premium Badge

The nose on these wines is nothing short of a symphony. I’ve had a nose like this only once before, and it was from the other current release Sami-Odi. Incredibly insane potpourri, violets, crushed blackberries, and graphite...yet it remained so light! Palate was not near as dense as you’d expect. Beautiful purple color. A liqueur like finish that struts between cocoa dusted fig and dark fruit. @Fraser McKinley , you are a genius and I’m eternally grateful to @Roman Sukley for introducing me to these wines.
9.5
Fraser McKinley

Fraser McKinley Influencer Badge

Great to hear Mark!
Roman Sukley

Roman Sukley

Sami-Odi is easily the best new wine discovery for me in the last 5 years. @Fraser McKinley is absolutely killing it and well deserves all the accolades. I’m just happy to hear that more people are enjoying his work.