Sarah & Sparky Marquis' love for wine is an ongoing story that we hope will never end. Year after year, vintage after vintage, harvest after harvest, this Aussie couple doesn’t stop to amaze us. I remember the first wines they produced for the Shrivingtons and Henry’s Drive in the late 90s’. A new “kind” of wine that everybody was looking for. Finding one of their wines was like getting involved in a Crusade. They were a hot product on the market. The powerful style of the 2002 Shirvington Shiraz, the 2001 and 2002 Integrity earned 99 points from Robert Parker. This was the birth of the steroid era. Amateurs of extreme wines had then found the Holy Grail. Today, Sarah & Sparky are finally producing their own label: Mollydooker (Aussie for left hander). The style hasn’t changed, Big and powerful!!!

For this week specials (09/02/09 to 09/08/09), Central Market offers you a great deal on one of the Mollydooker wines: The Boxer. A 100% Shiraz, a wine that will warm you up with its 16.0% alcohol.

It is Big! No, It is HUGE! The robe is made of a dark purple/black color. By just looking at it, you think a tooth pick could stand by itself in the middle of the glass. The wine is so thick and viscous. Aromas of sweet tobacco, cedar box and violets mixed with ripe dark fruits and hints of spices are jumping out of the glass. The palate is over the top: creamy, dense and powerful with lots of currant and blackberry flavors. The oak is well integrated with the fruit and even though this wine sounds like a beast, it is well balanced and expresses some class and elegance. Thanks to Sarah & Sparky Marquis’ magic touch. You definitely need some meat with this kind of wine, red and juicy! Cigar lovers, I can see myself having a few sips of this Shiraz in between some spicy Montecristo #2 puffs.

2008 Mollydooker “The Boxer” Shiraz: Reg. $26.99
This Week $23.99                           SAVE $3.00

Now Ladies & Gentlemen, let’s do the Mollydooker Shake: First, pour out half a glass. Then put the cap back on (yes a cap not a cork). Invert the bottle and shake it baby. Remove the cap to let the nitrogen bubbles out of the bottle. Repeat the shake and enjoy!!! The nitrogen gas is a natural preservative. When you do the Mollydooker shake, you release the gas, allowing young wines to show their full flavor profile. Do not shake any wines over two years old.

Edouard Barbaste, Beer & Wine Manager