(Feb. 15, 2016) I
must admit that I’ve never been a fan of cartoon wine labels, but at the same
time recognize that they have helped Molly Dooker to differentiate itself on
the global wine scene. However, given the fame of their wines now, I’m not sure
that the cartoon labels are still necessary. And indeed, they have dispensed
with this custom on their high-end Black Velvet wine, which comes in a simple
black bottle. On the other hand, the cartoons are part of what attracts many of
my Millennial wine students to this winery.
We arrived around 11:30 in the morning without an
appointment to find the tasting room was an old house converted into cellar
door. Situated on a hill, the view from the terrace is very beautiful. As we entered, we passed several large
cartoon cut-outs (see photo) and we greeted instantly by a friendly lady at the
front desk in a small living room.
A Sparkling Verdelho
and Wine Shaking System
She asked if we wanted to taste wine, and when we said yes,
she invited us into a second room with a large table set-up with 12 different
wine bottles in stations. Again, there was no tasting fee and we were invited
to try anything we wanted. We started with their everyday casual series of
wines and enjoyed the novelty of a sparkling verdelho. We were especially
impressed with the “shake system” on most of the wines, where you shake the
bottle to release the CO2 capsule inside so the wine remains fresh.
Tasting the #2 Wine
in the World – 2012 Carnival of Shiraz
However, it was the more premium wines on the other side of
the table that really impressed us. I had tasted the 2012 Carnival of Shiraz at
the Wine Spectator Grand Event in New York two years ago, but we were allowed
to taste it again (for free!!!), even though they were sold out. We were
encouraged to compare it against the 2014 that they had just released. Both had
incredible concentration, velvety berry and spices, excellent complexity and
one of the longest finishes I have ever tasted on a wine.
I’m always amazed that Australians are so generous with
their famous wines, allowing the casual visitor (we never introduced ourselves)
to taste whatever we wanted. This would never happen in Napa or Bordeaux,
unless you were willing to pay a lot for the tasting.
Blue-Eyed Boy Shiraz
We also tasted the very high-end Velvet Glove wine, and
found it to be a more elegant shiraz made in a lighter style. But it was the
Blue-Eyed Boy that we fell in love with and purchased a bottle to take home.
This wine was dripping with blueberry and milk chocolate, with huge velvety
tannins and a spicy finish. Though it lacked the elegance of Carnival, it was
extremely satisfying in the big, lush, mouth-filling manner that we’ve come to
expect of a premium Australian shiraz.
Molly Dooker Means
“Left Handed”
As we were finishing our tasting, a large group entered the
tasting room, and we were happy we arrived when we did for a quiet and
uninterrupted tasting. As we departed,
the hospitality rep offered to take our picture in front of the small fireplace
in the living room with the Molly Dooker sign above. We learned that in
Australia, the term “Molly Dooker” refers to a left-handed person. Both Sarah
and Sparky, the owners, are left-handed.
View of Vineyards from Molly Dooker |