Mollydooker is one of Australia’s most colorful and crowd‑pleasing wineries, founded in 2006 by Sarah and Sparky Marquis—both proud “mollydookers,” Aussie slang for left‑handers. From the start, the estate made waves with its rich, velvety, fruit‑packed McLaren Vale reds like The Boxer, Blue Eyed Boy, and the cult favorites Carnival of Love and Velvet Glove. Their signature is Marquis Fruit Weight™, a quality measure that ensures every wine delivers that plush, mouth‑filling style fans adore. Today, under the leadership of owner‑winemaker Sarah Marquis, Mollydooker continues to craft bold, generous wines while supporting global and local causes through its Sip It Forward charitable program—making the brand as heartfelt as it is hedonistic.
The 2022 Carnival of Love Shiraz is a vibrant and expressive wine. It starts with raspberry and cherry scents, with a touch of aniseed spice. The taste is filled with rich red fruit, hints of coffee, coconut, and deeper plum flavors. Chocolate and spice add extra dimensions to this McLaren Vale Shiraz, making it a delightful wine to celebrate.
97 Owen Bargreen Year after year the ‘Carnival of Love’ is one of the astonishingly good Shiraz bottlings for the price out of South Australia, as this wine has not seen a serious price increase in more than a decade (still under 100 bucks USD). This 2022 edition was stored in all new American oak and weights in at 16.5% alcohol but the freshness backing everything up makes this everything but boozy. The weight and pillowy texture really drives this wine as it effortlessly glides throughout the drinking experience. Opulent dark and blue fruits meld effortlessly with dark chocolate shavings, graphite, scorched earth and shades of sweet pipe tobacco on the palate. This is a joy to drink.
93 Wine Spectator Notes of star anise, red licorice and sarsaparilla add a wonderfully spicy thread that complements the core of cherry, including dried and kirschlike flavors. The dense tannins show a firming side that’s reminiscent of strong, malty Assam black tea and unsweetened chocolate.
