Recent Press on Mollydooker and Our Wines
Wine Spectator www.WineSpectator.com, 4 March 2010
A Shiraz Cuts the Ice - Mollydooker Shiraz South Australia The Boxer 2006, by Harvey Steimen
Bottle a Day, 8 March 2010
Day 29: Mollydooker The Boxer 2008 Shiraz Australia
Sparky catches up with his good mate Mr World USA 2010 - Ivan Rusilko!
The Independent Nov 2009
Sip it Forward to a worthy cause
The 2007 Enchanted Path wins the 2009 Max Crus trophy!
The 2008 Boxer is featured in Corkscrew’s Top Shiraz’s of 2009
Down Unda' with Sparky Marquis, Jan 2010
Kevin LoVullo of Spiel The Wine recently caught up with Sparky. Find out which Mollydooker Wine made Kevin say "hands down wine of the day, definately a WOW"... listen to radio interview
Wined and Dined 2009 Holiday Shopping Guide, Dec 2009
Our Favorite Gift Ideas: For the entertainer, check out Mollydooker’s Party in a Box. You’ve gotta love this concept and these wines. Get 6 bottles of the award-winning (absolutely delicious) Mollydooker wines with a wine tasting kit and instructions on how to host your own wine party. Read the whole article…
The Atlantan, Nov 2009
Atlanta opera singer, Leah Partridge, hits the high notes of life while on the road, by Danny Bonvissuto
Names Mollydooker Syrah on her list of “Partridge Hots”… click for the whole article
Wine Spectator Nov 2009
Interview with R&B Singer Anthony Hamilton, A Grammy-winning musician with a taste for... by Dinkinish O'Connor
WS: It’s your last meal on earth. What food and wines have to be on the table?
AH: Steamed cabbage and okra, a great mashed potato, honey-dill salmon and beef short ribs. I want a great Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir. But [the meal] would also be good with the Mollydooker Shiraz The Boxer 2005. That wine is spectacular. Read the whole article.
Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov 2009
Drink by Craig LaBan
When is a "bad vintage" really a good one? It's a happy paradox that occasionally happens when a quality-minded winemaker deems a season's fruit not quite fine enough for their top-of-the-line cuvees, so they skip the marquee vintage altogether and pour the normally prestige grapes into their lower-tier wines. I wouldn't exactly call The Boxer from Mollydooker "low" anything. This powerhouse Australian shiraz has gained an almost cult following in recent years... Read the whole article.
San Antonio Express, Nov 2009
Pub Crawl at Le Midi by Benjamin Olivo
Behind the bar: Boutique wines include Belle Glos Meiomi Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast, 2007); Mollydooker “Maitre D” Cabernet Sauvignon (South Australia, 2005); Justin “Justification” (Paso Robbles, 2006); and Chateau ste Chapelle Ice Wine (Idaho).
Sacramento Bee, Nov 2009
Thinking Thanksgiving with Mario Ortiz
How about a little fun and pairing a wine with pumpkin pie? It's not easy to find, but a sparkling shiraz would be fun. Mollydooker makes one that's amazing [Goosebumps] and would be a good way to finish dinner with pumpkin pie. Read the whole article.
Winesmash (Video) Nov 2009
A 4-year vertical tasting of The Boxer, by Joe Hendrick & Sean
A great review on how well the wines age, watch the video
Hawaii Beverage Guide, Nov 2009
Features The Mollydooker Team for our Blend a Hand wine tasting seminar. Check it out.
Wine Spectator "Top 10 Wines of 2008", Oct 2009
Sparky presents 2007 Carnival of Love at Wine Spectator's 2009 New York Wine Experience
The second year in a row that Carnival of Love made the top 10 list!
DC Examiner Oct 2009
Silly names for serious wines, by Scott Greenberg
Wine should be fun. And serious. But can it be both? There are some pretty tasty wines out there - and a few of them have some very clever names - proof that you don't have to trade in your sense of humor for a sense of good taste. To check out a few of my favorites over the last year, click here. And remember, smile when you drink that wine!
Dinnerreviews.com© Oct 2009
Lunch with the wines of Mollydooker and Winemaker Sparky Marquis
"…When Thomas Tremel of Trans Atlantic Wine & Spirits called inviting me to dine with Sparky Marquis (owner of Mollydooker Winery) at Michael’s Genuine in the Miami Design District, it was a match made in Heaven for me. That was even before I had a sip or a bite! I was psyched! Mollydooker’s wines have always fascinated me in the taste department. Combine Sparky and Sarah Marquis’ fabulously tasty wines with their charismatically clever naming and innovative labelling, and I became a Sparky Marquis fan a long time ago…" read more
Velvet Glove wins GOLD, Oct 2009
Heidelberg Labelling Award - 2009 Australian Packaging awards
Technical excellence takes this exquisite product to the lead, but it was the imagination exhibited by the designers that really captivated the judging panel...read more
Interview with Sparky Marquis from Mollydooker Wines
By KRIS CHISLETT The Jacksonville Wine Guide, Oct 6, 2009
On September 22nd, The Mollydooker Team rolled into Jacksonville, FL straight from Southern Australia. After a left-handed handshake from all 3, and an extensive lunch, The Jacksonville Wine Guide got time for some questions for Sparky.
When two lefts make wine right
By DALE ROBERTSON 2009 Houston Chronicle, Sept 1, 2009
When a grown man answers to the name “Sparky,” it behooves him to be ever cheerful and upbeat. So, after Mother Nature gave Sparky Marquis lemons during the miserably hot March of 2008 in Australia's McLaren Vale, you knew he was going to find a way to deliver ...
Do the Mollydooker shake
By Tim Rutherford, Connect Savannah Aug 28, 2009 – Savannah, Georgia
“...I've sampled 2007 Two Left Feet, a blend of 68 percent Shiraz, 17 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 15 percent Merlot. It's a big, bold Australian wine -- but presents with much more balance than its bargain priced cousins. Spice is the key word with this wine -- on the nose, on the palate. A long, elegant finish makes it an enjoyable drinker -- and a beautiful wine for grilled meats or spicy foods. The 2007 Boxer Shiraz teases you with aromas of smoke and pork, then bathes your taste buds with a velvety layer of bramble fruits, blueberry and opulent organic characteristics. Pair this big wine with a bold beef dish, braised lamb shank -- or enjoy it alone.” The winemakers suggest doing "The Mollydooker Shake" before enjoying the wines. Here's how…
On August 17 Sparky attended the Alzheimer's Assistance Foundation Fundraiser....read all about it here:
"THE R-J GOES TO A PARTY: Alzheimer's Assistance Foundation has inaugural fundraiser"
2008 Boxer awarded 91 points by the Wine Spectator!
“Bright and jazzy, offering an effusive mouthful of cherry, pomegranate and spice flavors that are as aromatic as they are long and vivid. This has density without great weight, and the finish keeps on going. Drink now through 2015.—Harvey Steiman
Nicks Wine Merchant's reviews our 2008 wines:
‘Displaying Sparky & Sarah Marquis’ trademark exuberance and opulence, the 2008 Mollydooker’s are an explosive collection of wines overflowing with flavour'....Read the full article here!
July/Aug 2009 - Mr America & Mollydooker feature in Exceptional People Magazine!
1 July 2009 - The 08 Violinist is picked as one of the white wines of the Summer in the Reno Gazette-Journal!
Summer sips: Warm weather calls for white wines (and rosés!), Johnathan L Wright
21 June 2009 -
2007 Mollydooker, The Boxer Shiraz (McLaren Vale, South Australia)
Dense purple; exuberantly fruit-forward black fruit aromas tinged with smoky oak and mint; thick, layered, round feel, the luscious fruit qualities completely engulfing medium tannins and sweet oak.
My best from 2009's Hospice du Rhône, by Randy Caparoso
The "Toasted Hostess" interviews Alicia, our US Marketing Director in Napa about "How to do the Mollydooker Shake"
Velvet Glove receives Silver at the International Gallery of Excellence Awards - 2008!!
9 May 2009 - Grape Expectations, by Max Crus
5 May 2009 - Check out our feature in the Sydney Morning Herald!
Michael Bottigliero writes about the 2009 South Australian Vintage @ Mollydooker.
Check out the article here!
The 2007 Blue Eyed Boy has been selected as one of the two best Australian Shiraz on the Danish market, at a big Australian Shiraz tasting conducted by the recognized Danish wine web site www.vinforum.dk!
The Carnival of Love helps raise money for charity at the Chesapeake Bay Wine Classic Foundation. Read the article that featured in the Virginian Pilot April 2009
Clarence Life Feb 2009 - Grape Expectations by Max Crus
Mollydooker Carnival of Love Shiraz 2007, $90 – "Perfect valentine, a whopping 16 percenter, thick and groovy and altogether a carnival of delight…"
How to shake, er slake, that thirst, Brisbane Independent, Mar 2009
"The Mollydooker Shake, they call it. It involves giving a perfectly good, well-behaved bottle of wine a good old heaving about. They (Sarah & Sparky) are winemakers who are not only very good at thier job, but also, so as your reporter can tell, perfectly sane..."
Watch the new Mollydooker Shake video here!
Wine Spectator "The Top 10 Wines of 2007", Oct 2008
The Top 10 of 2007 reflected the diversity in today's global world of wine, coming from six different wine regions and four countries. Each of the wines was selected by consensus among the senior editors for their combination of quality, value, availability and excitement.
"...The final wine of the tasting was the Mollydooker Shiraz McLaren Vale Carnival of Love 2006 (wine No. 8, 95, $80)... "To make great wine, you can't expect to do it if you use the same techniques and processes as everyone else. You need to do something different" -Sarah Marquis. To that end, (Sarah & Sparky) developed a regimen of strict canopy management and an intensive watering program designed to produce grapes with good ripeness and lots of fruit flavor, even from the young, 6-year-old vines that were the source of the grapes for this powerful wine of immense depth."
2006 Carnival of Love magnums still available!
Our wines feature in the Arizona Daily Sun:
Jan 14 2009 - Mollydooker Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 “The Maitre D, South Australia” ($25). Mollydooker (meaning “lefty” in Aussie-speak) produces wines with an unforgettable style. Even their least expensive wines, such as this Cab, have amazing power, fruit, complexity, refinement and length. Surprisingly, the 16% alcohol level isn’t overbearing. Serve with full-flavored meats such as grilled steak, beef roast and game.
Dec 12 2008 - Mollydooker 2007 Shiraz “The Boxer, South Australia” ($25). I strongly recommended this wine last year, and this new vintage once again features remarkably deep color, great fruit, good complexity and impressive refinement for the price.
Jay Miller from Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate reviews our 2007 wines:
08 The Violinist Verdelho 90 pts
“On the palate it has a creamy texture, ripe flavors, and excellent balance.”
07 The Scooter Merlot 91 pts
"This lengthy effort over-delivers for its modest price. It might even help restore Merlot's tattered reputation"
07 The Maitre D' Cabernet Sauvignon 92 pts
"It reveals an enticing nose of spice box, scorched earth, smoke, black currant, and blackberry followed by a velvety-textured, layered, savory Cabernet with excellent depth and balance."
07 Two Left Feet Blend 93 pts
"A glass-coating opaque purple, it offers up a complex aromatic array of violets, scorched earth, smoke, black cherry, and blueberry ...loads of spicy, savory blue and black fruits, silky tannin, and a very long finish."
07 The Boxer Shiraz 93 pts
“Dense and rich on the palate, it has layers of succulent fruit, lots of spice, and a lengthy finish. It is surprisingly elegant for its size.”
07 Gigglepot Cabernet Sauvignon 94 pts
“Super-concentrated, layered, and intense on the palate, it has a velvety texture, luscious flavors, and impeccable balance.” 07 Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz 95 pts
“Opulent on the palate, this glossy effort will evolve for another 1-2 years but can be enjoyed now and over the next decade.”
07 Enchanted Path Shiraz/Cabernet 95+ pts
"… a brooding bouquet of spice box, toasty oak, mineral, espresso, black currant, and blueberry."
07 Carnival of Love Shiraz 96 pts
"Opulent on the palate, this glossy Shiraz has serious depth of flavor, great concentration, excellent integration of oak, tannin, and acidity, and a pure, silky finish."
07 Velvet Glove Shiraz 98 pts
"Voluptuous and sexy on the palate, this totally hedonistic effort has plenty of structure and a 60+ second finish. It will be
difficult to keep one's hands off this beauty but it will drink well through 2027 for those who can withstand the seduction.”
Visit www.erobertparker.com for the complete reviews
The 2007 Carnival of Love features in Sino-overseas Grapevine & Wine magazine in China, February 2009
New World Order Shifts to the Left, Rochester New York newspaper, Nov 2008
"..'The Velvet Glove' (at $185) is perhaps the most mouth filling wine I have ever tasted. If anyone ever wants to propose marriage to me, this would do it…"
Read the whole article here. Part 2
Designing labels with personality - The Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower
& Winemaker, Jan 2009:
"The series of five ‘Lefty’ wine labels are retro, playful and personalised to tell a story about the lefthanded winemaking couple behind the Mollydooker brand….The wines have been designed to stand out on the shelf with their colourful illustrations and have been very successful domestically as well as in the USA market."
Sante Magazine Reviews .....................................................
2006 Mollydooker Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz
Brilliant nose of gentle cloves with some spice; dark cherry and blueberry flavors with a hint of heat. Full bodied with balanced tannins and a note of leather in the long finish. Delicious. Shrimp fra diavolo.
2006 Mollydooker The Boxer Shiraz
Full bodied, rich, ripe, concentrated dark cherry and berry fruit, quite high in alcohol with noticeably high glycerin content. Cheese and nut plate.
2006 Mollydooker Enchanted Path Syrah/Shiraz
Very jammy wine with spicy notes of nutmeg and cloves. Cooked prune and sweet tobacco flavors float over tamed tannins; round and persistent with a slightly hot finish. Rich meat dishes with tomato and carrots. Moroccan tagine.
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Kori & John @ Wine Peeps rate the 2005 The Boxer as a Super Bargain!
Mollydooker Wines wins Lovely Package award, December 2008
"Mollydooker, slang for left handed. Both proprietors of the Mollydooker Wines brand are left handed, hence the brand name. The brand identity has been created to go against the grain of the 'same old' wine branding approach. The aim was to create visual communications for a brand with its own personality, not just another player in the wine industry.
The aim: to create packaging that in no way reflected any of their competitors, stood out from the crowd and communicated the hands on approach that the wine makers take in producing their wines. The labels were created entirely from hand drwan illustrations, even down to the use of the hand drawn typeface. Not a single font in sight! Inspiration came from antique book patterns and 1930'ish advertising and cartoon illustrations."
Mollydooker High on US Success - The Advertiser by Valerina Changarathil, November 2008
"Sarah and Sparky Marquis from Mollydooker Winery talk about their wines, the U.S. focus and their “Mollydooker Shake.” Watch the Video
Wine Tasting puts Guests in the Right State of Mind - Daily Herald by Stephanie Penick, November 2008
"We've had some out of the ordinary fun while learning about some exquisite wines".
Let Finance Crisis 'Drive you to Drink' - The New Paper by Asiaone Business, November 2008
"...the price of fine wines rarely goes backwards. Two years ago, a client of Mr Andrew Bassett, Australian Wine Index bought a bottle of 2005 Mollydooker wine. It cost $125 a bottle then, but his client sold it this year for $350 a bottle."
Why Aussies Shake the Wine: It's a Gas - Atlanta Journal-Constitution by Gil Kulers, September 2008
"...the Mollydooker Shake, when done vigorously, can elevate something great into something closer to Nirvana."
Harvey Steiman at the Wine Spectator rates our 2007 wines:
2007 Velvet Glove Shiraz receives 96 Points! "Lithe, generous and beautifully proportioned, offering a seamless array of dark plum, blueberry and sandalwood flavors wrapped in a veil of fine grained tannins. Finishes with an intriguing face-off of sweet fruit and spice that keeps on for quite a while. Best from 2011 through 2019."
2007 Carnival of Love Shiraz receives 95 Points and is rated 'Top 10 Wine of 2008' by Wine Spectator!
"Highly recommended! Big, rich and terrifically ripe. A lithe mouthful of pur wild blueberry and Asian spices, with swirls of plum and other berries as the finish rolls on, unimpeded by tannis. In the end, this has elegance to go along with its power. Drink now through 2017."
2007 Enchanted Path Shiraz/Cabernet receives 91 Points! "Big, ripe and focused, offering a blast of cherry and plum, with a welcome floral note that lasts through the long, vivid finish. Has a touch of spice as the finish lingers against fine tannins. Drink now through 2017."
2007 Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz receives 92 Points! "This has a hot black pepper streak running through the meaty cherry, dense plum and spice flavors, persisting on the round, supple finish. Drink now through 2014."
2007 Gigglepot Cabernet Sauvignon receives 92 Points! "This is distinctive for its focused cherry, spice and freshly turned loam aromas and flavors. An expressive wine of richness and depth that doesn't quit as the finish rolls on and on. Drink now through 2015."
2007 The Boxer Shiraz receives 90 Points! "Supple and generous, with spice blackberry and tar flavours, finishing with a silky texture and sweetness that make this very seductive. The finish lingers beautifully. Drink now through 2013."
2007 The Scooter Merlot receives 87 Points! "Firm tannins support ripe cherry and herb flavors. A bit chunky in texture. Drink now through 2012."
Read the full Wine Spectator Reviews - October 2008
4 Mollydooker's rated as "Great Australian Reds" & Carnival of Love is "Highly Recommended". "A First Look at our Editors' Most Exciting New Wines" 6 out of 36 wines chosen are the new 2007 Mollydookers!
Social Miami - reports on Sparky's attendance at Sean & Ana Wolfington's Miami Fashion Week Red Dress Campaign Afterparty
A Day with Mollydooker - TORBWINE
Read one of the most amazing and complete articles written on Mollydooker to date!
Nicks Wine Merchants Reviews the 2007 wines
Velvet Glove awarded 100 points & The Boxer awarded 98 points!
Smoke Magazine by Richard Carlton Hacker, Spring 2008
Cigar-friendly wines...
Michael Caproso's Food Blog, May 2008
[I] visited with [Sarah and Sparky] in South Australia (in 2001) to find out the “secret” behind the consistent high-flying intensity and pure velvet textures of their wines, virtually across the board. What can I share? There is no secret – just a smart, meticulously detailed approach to winemaking from the ground up.
Real Living Magazine by Natalie Walton Deputy Editor, May 2008
A burst of inspiration. Aren't these just the most gorgeous wine labels you've seen in a long time?
Wine & Spirits Restaurant Poll Awards April 2008
The Boxer is rated the "#2 Most Popular Shiraz" and the "#5 Most Popular Australian Wine" by American Restaurants!
Connoisseurs Corner by Specs, April 2008
Blame-Storming the "New Big Reds" As wine and the way we drink it both evolve, trends emerge. And one trend that is becoming hard to ignore is the emergence of a new style of big dry red wine that is typically consumed away from the dinner table. Where did it come from? Who's making it? Who's drinking it? (we'll give you one guess!) By Charles Bear Dalton, Specs Wine Buyer
Vogue Magazine, February 2008
Carnival of Love is the Senior Fashion Editor's top choice for a great Valentine's Day!
Arizona Daily Sun, February 2008
"Mollydooker 2006 red blend “Two Left Feet, South Australia” ($20): Should I feel guilty about recommending yet another Mollydooker this winter? Not when this Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon blend is boldly flavored, full-bodied, fruit-dominated and, incredibly refined for the price. Serve with grilled steak and ungrilled chocolate. Available only online (www.mollydookerwines.com). Not to be missed." - by John Vankat, Wine columnist
New York Daily News, January 2008
"Mollydooker: The food-friendly roster from Sarah and Sparky Marquis, the dynamic wine-making pair behind mollydookerwines.com, features not only playfully striking packaging (the labels even come with easy tear-off tabs) but exceptional wine." Says Jay Cheshes
San Marcos Record Texas, January 2008
