Mollydooker Wines

As Sarah and Sparky Marquis wound their way through Fox Creek, Henry's Drive, Parsons Flat, Marquis Philips and Shirvington, they left a vivid trail of high-flavoured, medal-winning wines in their wake. After 10 years they took the final step, launching Mollydooker Wines, with Robert Parker their number one ticket holder. Everything about their wines and their business is larger than life, with a 70 000-case winery established in McLaren Vale in the twinkling of an eye, and a core of estate plantings of shiraz (33.4ha), cabernet sauvignon (7.7ha)and merlot (4.8ha); they also buy grapes mainly shiraz (from 105 of separately owned vineyards. All this in the fast lane. Oh, and incidentally, ‘mollydooker' is Australian slang for left-handed, an attribute shared by Sarah, Sparky and Robert Parker Jr. The 2007 acquisition of Classic McLaren Wines gave them an expanded base. Exports to the US, the UK and other major markets. -JAMES HALLIDAY