Winesday With The Wine Shop – Mollydooker
Dan and Ellen O’Connell at The Wine Shop in Koloa. Photo courtesy of The Wine Shop.
Tasting Kauai is happy to partner with the O’Connells for Winesday with The Wine Shop. Owners Dan and Ellen O’Connell are a delightful couple whose passion for wine is infectious, their knowledge is vast, and the service is friendly. Their beautiful store carries everything from wine and spirits to gourmet foods and sweet treats. Check in with Tasting Kauai every Wednesday to learn about their favorites. ¡Salud!
This week’s wine blog features the land down under, Australia. We are highlighting Mollydooker Wines founded by Sparky and Sarah Marquis in 2005.
Let’s start with the name Mollydooker. Do you know what a Mollydooker is in Australia? Well, it is what we call a southpaw here in the United States, a left-hander. Since both Sarah and Sparky are lefties they decided to call their winery Mollydooker.
Sparky’s infamous grapes are known for being big, bold, and bright, with a long finish. His rare technique for growing the different varietals of grapes is legendary. When the fruit begins to cluster, he nearly kills the vines by depleting their water source. The distressed vine then goes into panic mode, and almost at the point of killing the vines, he gives them just enough water to survive. He continues this process throughout the season, and ends up with a harvest of rich, vibrant, burst in your mouth grapes that create amazing flavored wines.
His most famous wine is The Boxer, a Shiraz that is jammy and juicy, which really attracts the palate of people who love that style. Two Left Feet is a Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon blend and their Maitre D’ is classic Australian Cabernet Sauvignon. Their top tier wines include the Carnival of Love Shiraz and the stunning beauty and explosive taste of the Velvet Glove Shiraz. These wines pair perfectly with a big hearty meal like barbecue ribs, veal chops, or filet mignon with a beautiful béarnaise sauce.Besides the grapes, there is one more thing that separates Mollydooker Wines from any other wine on the market. Sparky understands that three components kill wine: heat, light, and air. So he suggests the “Mollydooker Shake.” Take about 3-ounces out of the new bottle and put the cap back on. Turn it upside down and just shake the bottle for a good minute. That actually releases the nitrogen and it instantaneously opens up the bottle of wine. So when you open your next bottle of Mollydooker, have fun doing the “shake”! We invite you to come in and try a bottle of Mollydooker and enjoy some of Australia’s finest wines.
See you at The Wine Shop!
Aloha,
Dano and Ellen O’Connell
The Wine Shop is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. On the first Saturday of each month from 4 to 7 p.m., they host monthly wine tastings. For more information call 808-742-7305 or visit www.thewineshopkauai.com. The shop is located just across the street from the Koloa Post Office.