I fondly recall the massive buzz when Mollydooker started back in 2005. These wines were immediately met with critical praise but I hadn’t had the chance to try them quite yet. In a very short amount of time Sarah and Sparky Marquis created one of the iconic wine brands of Australia. Their first wine, the 2005 ‘Carnival of Love’ Shiraz was immediately awarded 99 points by Robert Parker and was sold out in five days. The following year, their Velvet Glove Shiraz became their fifth wine to be awarded 99 points by The Wine Advocate and the Carnival of Love has since been listed in Wine Spectator’s ‘Top Ten wines in the World’ three times. This was serious success very quickly.
The first time I tasted these wines was back with their 2007 vintage. I was amazed with the viscosity and acidity intact in the wines. Even in tough vintages like 2011 these wines seemed to thrive and display considerable richness. In 2017 Sarah took sole control of the winery and now has her son, Luke, the ‘Blue Eyed Boy’ is involved in the winery as well as he leads global sales. I sat down with Sarah a few years ago for an exciting interview.
The 2020 vintage in South Australia was one that had low yields but was incredible in quality for rich red varities. In many cases yields were down 50% or more. A very hot December led to cooler temperatures in January and February which slowed down berry development.
I adored the new Mollydooker lineup. Don’t miss out on the thrilling 2020 Mollydooker ‘Carnival of Love’ Shiraz (OB, 96) which is deep and concentrated with serious aging potential. One of the great wines I have tasted the past year is the downright thrilling 2019 Mollydooker ‘Velvet Glove’ Shiraz (OB, 99) which flirts with perfection and is utterly seamless, silky Shiraz. Learn more about this famed South Australian winery at https://www.mollydookerwines.com.au/ Here are the beautiful new wines by Mollydooker.
2021 Mollydooker ‘The Violinist’ Verdelho- Fresh and lithe, the 2021 ‘The Violinist’ offers pear, lime and kiwi flavors alongside a really great sense of mouthfeel. Delicious to savor now, enjoy over the next several years. Drink 2022-2025- 91
2020 Mollydooker ‘The Scooter’ Merlot- Very ripe and concentrated, the 2020 ‘The Scooter’ Merlot shows off plum and Hoisin sauce on the nose, with fresh blackberries. The palate is soft and inviting with a smooth texture and good length, delivering rich black fruits with cocoa powder accents. Drink now. Drink 2022-2026- 90
2020 Mollydooker ‘Two Left Feet’ Red Wine- A blend of Merlot, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2020 ‘Two Left Feet’ delivers dark currant, cigar box, and black cherry flavors with plenty of bright acidity. Rich, and showing good length on the mouth, this is delicious wine to consume over the next five plus years. Drink 2022-2027- 91
2020 Mollydooer ‘The Maitre D’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Very smooth upon entry, the 2020 ‘The Maitre D’ exudes class with its red bell pepper and red floral tones alongside blackberry compote, black licorice and allspice notes. Medium to full-bodied, this is delicious wine to consume right now. Drink 2022-2027- 92
2020 Mollydooker ‘The Boxer’ Shiraz- Very inky once in the glass, the delicious 2020 ‘The Boxer’ Shiraz starts off with tar and scorched earthy notes alongside Black Forest Cake on the nose. The palate is luxurious and inviting once on the mouth, with refined tannins and a loaded core of dark fruit and dark chocolate flavors. Delicious to consume now, enjoy over the next six years. Drink 2022-2028- 92
2020 Mollydooker ‘Gigglepot’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2020 Mollydooker ‘Gigglepot’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a sensational new wine that was sourced from the Rivers Lane and McLaren Vale Vineyards. Grapes for this wine were picked March 27th, as this was aged in mostly American oak (81%) prior to bottling. Sandalwood and black currant cordial fill the nose, with suggestions of bay leaf and black rose petals that all sing in unison. The palate is beautifully balanced, with good weight and bright acidity. Rich dark fruits and chocolate cake tones combine with a seamless texture on the palate. This comes off very refined and weightless, as this beautiful wine will continue to drink well over the next ten years. Drink 2022-2032- 93
2020 Mollydooker ‘Blue Eyed Boy’ Shiraz- Another great bottling of this wine, the 2020 Mollydooker ‘Blue Eyed Boy’ Shiraz was stored in 100% new American oak (53% new) and was sourced from a range of vineyards including Molydooker Home and Coppermine Road Vineyards. Standing at a heady 16.5% alcohol, this shows beautiful weight and viscosity once on the mouth. Velvety tannins frame a core of creme de violette, black currants, espresso grounds and dark chocolate shavings, with light garrigue notes. Beautiful to savor now, enjoy this outstanding 2020 Shiraz over the next eight years. Drink 2022-2030- 94
2020 Mollydooker ‘Enchanted Path’ Red Wine- The gorgeous 2020 Mollydooker ‘Enchanted Path’ Red Wine is a blend of 70% Shiraz and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon that was sourced from the Gateway and Rivers Lane vineyards in McLaren Vale. Stored in 94% American and 6% French oak, (86% new), this opens with beautiful red and dark florals, woven together with crushed mint and suggestions of blueberry cobbler. The palate is well-structured with beautiful finesse and concentrated black and blue fruit flavor with chocolate fudge tones. Gorgeous in its heady youth, give this about an hour of air if consuming now. Drink 2022-2034- 95
2020 Mollydooker ‘Carnival of Love’ Shiraz- The seriously good 2020 Mollydooker ‘Carnival of Love’ Shiraz is a masterful rendition of this wine from this famed McClaren Vale house. Aged in 100% new American oak, this beautiful wine exudes class with its rich huckleberry compote, tar, black currant jelly and white pepper tones, showing emphatic range. The feeling of weight is gorgeous and while high alcohol (15.5%) the bright acidity brilliantly holds everything together. Be sure to give this at least an hour in the decanter if enjoying now. Drink 2022-2036- 96
2019 Mollydooker ‘Velvet Glove’ Shiraz- A mesmerizing wine that brings you back to the glass for more hedonistic enjoyment, the 2019 Mollydooker ‘Velvet Glove’ Shiraz is one of the great wines of its kind. Entirely sourced from the Gateway Vineyard in McLaren Vale, the wine was fermented and stored in 100% American oak (100% new) before bottling. Blueberry pie and loganberry preserve aromas combine with scorched earth, and fresh menthol notes on the nose. While obviously very big, this is weightless once on the attack. The palate is extremely concentrated, as the glass-staining color would suggest. Layers of intense black and blue fruits collide with copious minerals and a pillowy texture on the palate. If enjoying in its scintillating youth, be sure to give this at least an hour in the decanter. 600 bottles imported to the United States. Drink 2022-2038- 99