Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/646914
march 2016 / the tasting panel / 91 88 Mollydooker 2013 The Violinist Verdelho, McLaren Vale, Australia ($20) Dense, rich and aromatic with peach and spice, oily texture and smooth style. 87 Mollydooker NV Girl on the Go, McLaren Vale ($28) A crisp sparkling version of The Violinist. 87 Mollydooker 2010 Miss Molly Sparkling Shiraz, South Australia ($25) If you must make sparkling Shiraz, do it this way: robust, earthy notes with blackberry, cassis and spice. 89 Mollydooker 2014 The Maitre D' Cabernet Sauvignon, South Australia ($28) Lush and generous with juicy blackberry and cassis with spice and notes of vanilla oak; excellent length. 90 Mollydooker 2014 The Boxer Shiraz, South Australia ($28) Rich blackberry and concentrated ripe fruit; chocolate, spice, vanilla and soft tannins—a manageable behemoth. 91 Mollydooker 2014 The Scooter Merlot, McLaren Vale, Australia ($28) Ripe plum, blueberry and spice with vanilla oak, toast and nice balance. 90 Mollydooker 2014 Two Left Feet, South Australia ($28) A blend of the above three wines; bright black raspberry and cassis; spicy, rich and showing licorice and vanilla oak. 92 Mollydooker 2014 Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia ($49) Smooth and luscious with mulberry, blueberry and cassis; spice, licorice and assertive style yet balanced and not heavy; a complete and lovely effort. 92 Mollydooker 2014 Gigglepot Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale, Australia ($49) Generous plum, blackberry and hints of mint, spice, chocolate and vanilla oak; a full-throttle wine with considerable finesse. 93 Mollydooker 2014 Enchanted Path, McLaren Vale, Australia ($75) Smooth, lush and seamless with intense notes of blackberry, cherry and cassis; spice, chocolate and vanilla oak round out the picture. 70% Shiraz, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. 95 Mollydooker 2014 Carnival of Love Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia ($75) Shiraz in all its glory! Black currants, blackberries, mulberries—you name it; licorice, spice and lovely structure; a stunning wine that keeps on giving. 97 Mollydooker 2013 Velvet Glove Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia ($185) Velvety and intense with spicy, berry nose; concentrated and rich with cassis, blackberry and chocolate; huge but still very much in balance with a touch of coconut and vanilla; a serious contender. MOLLYDOOKER USA Wines from Left Field WINES WITH "WOW" FROM AUSSIE LABEL MOLLYDOOKER MOLLYDOOKER IS AN AFFECTIOATE AUSTRALIAN TERM FOR left-hander—both Sparky and Sarah Marquis, the married team behind this freewheeling label, are lefties. Starting as small-time vintners and then going into the bulk wine business, the couple had many ups—including winning many major international awards—and downs before establishing the Mollydooker brand in 2006. In the meantime, they had also developed the trademarked Marquis Vineyard Watering Programme, based on Sparky's college thesis in canopy management, which (as Sparky explains in layman's terms) helps "ripen the vine, so that it can ripen the fruit." All fruit for the Mollydooker wines is grown using their proprietary system. As my notes show, what's in the bottle is wonderful, but these wines also tend to fly off the shelf thanks to their wacky names and knock-out labels—a double left jab from Down Under.