# Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz (2021)

- **Producer:** Mollydooker Wines
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Shiraz
- **Region:** South Australia, Australia
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 15.5%
- **Average price:** €55
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** blackberry, plum, blackcurrant, blueberry, black pepper, liquorice, vanilla, coconut, chocolate, coffee, cedar, smoke, leather, tobacco, dried fig, prune

## About this wine

Mollydooker Wines, founded by Sarah and Sparky Marquis, is situated in the heart of McLaren Vale, South Australia. The estate is globally renowned for producing exceptionally bold, rich, and highly concentrated wines. The name 'Blue Eyed Boy' is a loving tribute to their son, Luke, who is depicted on the label. Mollydooker, which is Australian slang for a left-handed person, utilizes their proprietary Marquis Vineyard Growth Formula to nurture the vines, ensuring optimal nutritional balance and canopy management to achieve maximum fruit flavor and physiological ripeness.

## Interesting facts

- Named 'Blue Eyed Boy' after Sarah and Sparky Marquis's son, Luke, who is depicted on the label stomping grapes.
- Mollydooker is Aussie slang for a left-handed person, as both of the winery's founders are left-handed.
- The winery recommends the 'Mollydooker Shake' to release nitrogen gas used as a preservative, opening up the wine's full aromatics.

## Food pairing

This is an incredibly powerful, full-bodied, and high-alcohol Shiraz that requires rich, protein-heavy, and intensely flavored dishes to match its weight. High tannins and bold fruit profiles pair beautifully with charred meats, rich fats, and savory reductions, which soften the wine's structure and highlight its dark fruit core.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz focuses on maximizing fruit weight and intensity. Grapes are harvested at peak maturity and fermented in stainless steel. The wine is then aged in 100% American oak barrels, using a combination of new and seasoned wood to impart sweet spice and structure. Mollydooker employs their unique 'Marquis Fruit Weight' system to grade the wine, ensuring this bottling achieves a high percentage of velvety fruit sensation on the palate before release. Nitrogen is used during bottling to preserve freshness, prompting the winery's famous recommendation to shake the bottle before serving.