2005 Mollydooker The Boxer Shiraz

The dynamic duo of Sparky & Sarah Marquis have produced a collection of powerful, flamboyant, voluptuous, high octane wines that are sure to make you go WOW!

Sarah and Sparky Marquis are a dynamic double act that have the International wine world a-buzz. As students studying winemaking at Roseworthy College, the pair fell into what was to become an electric love affair. Sarah's innate desire to create something which people love and enjoy found its fulfillment in Oenology and a partner with a shared vision in Sparky. Academically, Sparky was accomplished, winning awards, prizes and trophies including Dux of the College and the prophetic award for the‘Student most likely to contribute to the Australian Wine Industry’.

In 1994, they debuted as a winemaking team at Fox Creek Wines in McLaren Vale (owned by Sarah’s parents). Their success was immediate, taking out the title of "Bushing King and Queen" for their McLaren Vale Shiraz, a feat they repeated in 1998 and again in 2000. Awards and applause just kept pouring in, with the pair being selected as ‘Winemakers of the Year’ for the wines they produced under the Henry’s Drive and Parson’s Flat labels. In the U.S. the praise was rapturous from both Robert Parker and Wine Spectator. Then, in 2005, amidst the standing ovations and encores, the pair decided to go it alone. They had plans for a performance that was to be as outrageously flamboyant in style as it was in name: "Mollydooker". In case you were wondering, the name "Mollydooker" is Aussie slang for a left-handed person which both Sarah & Sparky are. The couple have taken the concept to a Chaplinesque extreme, now shaking hands with their left hands only (that’s what you call 'extended marketing!')

Acclaim for the Mollydooker wines has been instant. Robert Parker wrote “Sarah and Sparky who live by the motto ‘We make wines that make people go 'wow’ through attention to detail and commitment to excellence' have hit pay dirt with their brilliantly packaged wines... with labels that resemble vaudeville acts from the mid 30’s.” The collection is a hedonist's dream, with alcohols reaching 16% for which the pair make no apologies.The enormous flavour explosion is a result of growing grapes under the Australian sun with the right canopy management. These two factors produce perfectly balanced wines with a depth and generosity of flavour unmatched anywhere else in the world. We note that some wine writers oppose high alcohol wines, preferring to drink the lower alcohol wines of Europe. We don’t have a problem with differences of opinion, however, we also salute vinous exuberance! Nowhere else in the world can wines of such incredible intensity of fruit be produced as in Australia.

Sarah and Sparky do not own their own vineyards but source fruit from selected growers in McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek and Padthaway where Sparky has a major input into canopy and flavour management. The fermentation techniques are relatively straightforward, designed to enhance primary fruit flavours. The wines are cold fermented in 14T and 25T stainless steel fermenters at14-18oC to maximise the extraction of colour and flavour from the grapeskins during the primary fermentation. When the sugar level is down to 10 Brix, each batch of wine is individually pressed in an airbag press. It is then transferred to new and one year old barrels for barrel fermentation to increase the complexity of the wine. Ten days after the barrel ferment has completed, the wine is racked from the barrels, cleaned up and transferred back to the barrels to begin the maturation process which takes a further 9-12 months. The oak regime will vary depending on the wine style sought, with a matrix of French and American oak being used of varying ages, selected to enhance the wines flavours. The sheer exuberance of aroma, mouthfeel and flavour makes the Mollydooker wines a captivating drinking experience. Put the' wow' back into your glass! Three Mollydooker wines have just been released with stocks of all wines very limited.

Tasting Note: At 16% alcohol this southpaw will knock your socks off! Totally opaque black crimson colour with black crimson hue. Top note of violets, liquorice allsorts, spice vanilla and black pepper delivering a superb voluminous sniff. The palate is voluptuous – totally mouthfilling, explosive with very ripe fruit flavours. Very strong black pepper palate, super ripe plum and liquorice flavours followed by black pepper, vanilla and dark chocolate with a very spicy back palate. Fine grained tannins, with long liquorice and ripe plum aftertaste.  Cellar 2-3 years (2009-2010)
Alc/Vol: 16%

Other Reviews... The 2005 The Boxer Shiraz exhibits a black/blue/purple color, an incredible density of fruit along with that tell-tale purity, blackberries, white flowers, melted chocolate, sweet licorice, and subtle wood. Full-bodied, beautifully textured and layered with an awesome finish, it should drink well for 4-6+ years.
95 points  - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #165 (Jun 2006)

Video Clip: Sarah & Sparky on the Mollydooker Boxer Shiraz.

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 Click here to read more about the McLaren Vale wine region.