Mollydooker Wines Velvet Glove McLaren Vale Shiraz 2018

"Odedi"

Inky in color with a short reddish rim. Fruity nose of blackberries, sweet plums, cooked cherries, raisins, dried figs, alcohol, licorice, vanilla, cedar, cola, spices, milk chocolates, tobacco and peppercorn. Full bodied, smooth and bold, with medium acidity and long legs. On the palate black currants, cooked plums, sweet cherries, vanilla, spices, cedar, espresso, cola, light herbs, licorice, mocha and red chili pepper. Long finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries. This is a very tasty Shiraz from Australia. Big and bold, and somewhat sweet. Has a lot of acidity on the finish for all that fruit. Rich and extracted. Very much "in your face" kind of wine, and not for the faint of heart. Feels very much like a Napa Syrah, with a teeth staining color. Needs a couple hours to open up properly, which I didn't have, as it finished too quickly. Needs 5 years in the bottle to mature properly, and calm down a bit. Will be a 95+ wine in 10 years. Will age nicely in the next 15 years. Wine Spectator 95 points. Robert Parker 96 points. Good as a sipping wine, and good with food too. Will pair nicely with BBQ Meats. I paired it with a Charcuterie board of meats and cheeses. 16% alcohol by volume. 92 points. $215.

Dr. Owen Bargreen

The 2018 Mollydooker ‘The Velvet Glove’ Shiraz is a utterly sensational bottling that rivals any wine of its kind. Aged in all new American oak, this shows a gorgeous bouquet from blueberry pie to espresso grounds, graphite and toasty oak tones that all impress. The palate is deep and utterly seamless. A massive core of blue and dark fruits collide with white pepper, minerals, firm tannins and a light dusting of salinity. While obviously big, this has a weightless quality and wonderful verve. Wonderful to enjoy now, this outstanding Shiraz will provide drinking enjoyment for at least another fifteen years. But why wait? Drink 2021-2038- 98