2005 Mollydooker Two Left Feet

The 2005 Two Left Feet is a 65% Shiraz, 19% Merlot, and 16% Cabernet Sauvignon blend assembled by Sarah Marquis. The fruit is sourced from McLaren Vale, Padthaway, and Langhorne Creek, and the wine is aged for 9-12 months in a combination of American and French oak (about 50% new and 50% one-year old). It boasts an inky/purple color, superb intensity, a big, sweet, full-bodied nose of creme de cassis, graphite, white chocolate, black olives, blackberry liqueur, and spice, and a spectacular, voluptuous, even unctuous texture. This is a big, powerful, classic southern Australian red made with no compromises. The good news is that there are 6,500 cases of this superb value. Drink it over the next 3-4 years, although I suspect it will last for a decade or longer. Two more expensive Mollydooker cuvees will be reviewed in my full Australian report in the October issue. Sarah and Sparky Marquis, 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 these brilliantly packaged, screw cap-finished wines with labels that resemble Broadway vaudeville acts from the mid-thirties. Even more innovative, their back labels have a small postage stamp with all the relevant information so restaurant consumers can remember the wine by pulling off the stamp and taking it home. Importer: Grapes International, Denver, CO.