Mollydooker Shiraz Carnival of Love 2021

Mollydooker Carnival of Love Shiraz is made from 100 percent Shiraz. 

 WHAT IS THE CARNIVAL OF LOVE?

This is as life should be – a Carnival of Love. A place where everyone wants to be, and no one wants to leave.

TASTING NOTES:

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. 

TECHNICAL NOTES:

The grapes were grown on the Gateway vineyard in McLaren Vale. Barrel fermented and matured in 100% American oak, using 100% new barrels. The required Marquis Fruit Weight™ for the Love Series is 85% – 95%. The Actual Fruit Weight for 2021 Carnival of Love 88%.

Alcohol: 16.5%

pH: 3.66

Reviews:

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.

- Owen Bargreen 97 Points

Mollydooker Enchanted Path Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 71% Shiraz (the same juice that goes into Carnival of Love) and 29% Cabernet Sauvignon.

TASTING NOTES: This wine is both strong and inviting, showcasing rich flavours harmoniously balanced by delicate tannins, resulting in a wine that is both deep and refined. There is an abundance of dark fruit flavours such as plum jam and mocha, alongside the vibrant notes of cherry and strawberry, creating a dynamic flavour profile. The Cabernet characteristics seamlessly complement the bold Shiraz qualities, crafting an intriguing and captivating blend. TECHNICAL NOTES: The grapes were grown on the Gateway and Rivers Lane vineyards in McLaren Vale. Barrel fermented and matured in 94% American and 6% French oak, using 85% new and 15% one year old barrels. The required Marquis Fruit Weight™ for the Love Series is 85% – 95%. The Actual Fruit Weight for 2022 Enchanted Path is 86%.

Review:

The sensational 2022 ‘Enchanted Path’ is a gorgeous blend of 70% Shiraz with the remainder Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose is gorgeous with fresh sage alongside espresso bean, blueberry compote and shades of black licorice. The palate is powerful and intense with a refined texture. Gorgeous now, watch this evolve over the next twelve to fifteen years to come.

- Owen Bargreen 95 Points

Mollydooker Velvet Glove Shiraz is made from 100 percent Shiraz. 

Sticky plum jam and spicy nutmeg aromas are alluringly prominent on the nose, whilst berries and mocha weave

and envelop your entire palate. The finish is incredibly smooth and silky, with elegant fruit flavors that linger in your mouth. An outstanding example of a perfectly balanced Shiraz from McLaren Vale.

 Review:

The stunning 2022 ‘The Velvet Glove’ is a stunning wine coming from the Gateway Vineyard in McLaren Vale. Stored in all new American oak barrels before bottling, this delivers a glassstaining purple, with blueberry pie and boysenberry cordial notes alongside tar, anise, Cuban cigar and suggestions of Black Forest cake on the nose. The absolutely gorgeous aromatics bring you back to the glass for more hedonistic pleasure. This is obviously big, bold and heady, but has remarkable freshness and seamless texture. This is very weightless stuff that will have a long life ahead of it. But why wait?

-Owen Bargreen 99 Points

The Factor is predominantly from the Gomersal and Marananga sub-regions of the Barossa, providing dense texture and richness to the palate with subtle notes of olive tapenade, saddle leather and minerals. Ripe aromas of plum and wild blackberries, olive, pepper and spice are all supported by a dark core of espresso roast, ripe blackberries and saltbush. Brooding and densely packed, this lavish wine has ample generosity to cellar for many years, where it will slowly unravel.

Review:

Wine Spectator 96 Points

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 96+ Points

Bright and glossy ruby red in color. On the nose it reveals aromas of small fresh berries and a trace of sour cherry, melded with hints of blackberries and black cherries, followed by a hint of vanilla. A fragrant wine with satisfying intensity. On the palate it is warm, smooth and a medium-bodied with finely-balanced tannins. Dry and sinewy yet fresh with a persistent, aromatic finish.

It naturally accompanies dishes that are typical of Tuscan cuisine with its bold, authentic flavors, such as pasta and risottos made with mushrooms or truffles, pork, grilled meats and medium-matured cheeses.

 Review:

Notes of ripe cherries, dried flowers and walnuts with hints of anisette and licorice. Medium- to full-bodied, compact and dense with creamy tannins and steady acidity. Weighty and structured. Drink or hold.

-James Suckling 91 Points

Thorn Clarke Shotfire Shiraz is made from 100% Shiraz. 

Striking deep red-purple in color. A rich, voluptuous wine with aromas of blackcurrant and mulberries accompanied by notes of smokey oak and hints of cloves. The palate is filled with dark fruits and chocolate backed up by taut tannins and lingering oak.

 Story:

When the Clarke forebearers discovered gold in 1870 at the Lady Alice mine in the Barossa goldfields, so began a family dynasty intrigued by geology. A fine legacy that is reflected today in the terroir of our vineyards. The Shotfire range immortalizes the Shotfirer's hazardous job of setting and lighting the charges in the mines.

Fran shares his story on how he discovered Thorn-Clarke:
     "It was October 2001 and I was searching for and sourcing for Australian wines, as it was clear that Australia was going to become the "next big thing." After tasting about 100 assorted wines, I decided I liked the style of Barossa, Shiraz best - chocolate, cherries, mint and eucalyptus - so I started focusing on Barossa growers (years later, Barossa Shiraz would develop its reputation as the Icon Shiraz for Australia).
     Late on a Thursday afternoon, the carrier delivered a beat-up box of 12 bottles from Australia, 10 of which were leaking. The box was from a guy named Steve Machin, who had just left Hardy's and was beginning work with the Clarke family on setting up a possible new brand. The samples were sticky and messy, but I popped the corks anyway ..... and I was glad that I did. The wine inside tasted like Christmas - mint, eucalyptus, camphor, and evergreen aromas. Great acidity, color, flavor and length of finish - very tasty. These samples were so good and so exciting, especially compared to what I had tasted prior, that I immediately called the number on the card. I didn't realize that it was a Perth number (Western Australia) and it was actually 3:00 in the morning. It turned out I was calling the residence of David and Cheryl Clarke, where a sleepy Cheryl answered the phone. I told her, you don't know who I am, but we are going to be doing business together very soon, and lots of it! After a few months of talking, faxing (yes, faxing) and sorting out the details, I began importing their wines.
     That super-star wine from the busted box of samples is the wine we know today as Shotfire Shiraz. It was originally called Stone Jar, but fortunately we came up with a better name. Many years and vintages later, I'm still glad to be importing Shotfire Shiraz and other Thorn-Clarke selections .... and I'm still glad that Cheryl Clarke woke up for that phone call."