Mollydooker Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz 2022

Mollydooker Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz 2022 is a full-bodied, 100% Shiraz from McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek, South Australia, bottled at 16% ABV in a 750ml format. The 2022 vintage earned 92 points from Wine Spectator, which described it as "juicy and seamless" — a fitting summary for a wine built around Mollydooker's obsessive approach to fruit intensity and ripeness.

Quick Facts: ABV: 16%  |  Origin: McLaren Vale & Langhorne Creek, South Australia  |  Vintage: 2022  |  Winery: Mollydooker Wines

Production & Heritage

Mollydooker Wines was founded by Sarah and Sparky Marquis, who have become synonymous with bold, opulent South Australian reds. The Blue Eyed Boy draws fruit from select vineyards across two appellations — Coppermine Road, Gateway, Long Gully Road, and the Mollydooker Home vineyard in McLaren Vale, plus the Joppich vineyard in Langhorne Creek. The wine is barrel fermented and matured in 100% American oak, split between 54% new barrels and 46% one-year-old barrels, which builds layers of vanilla and chocolate without overwhelming the fruit core. Central to Mollydooker's philosophy is their proprietary Marquis Vineyard Watering Programme, a trademarked system involving twice-weekly inspections from bud burst onward, designed to manipulate water levels and accelerate vine maturity to produce the most intense fruit flavors possible. They measure the result using their Marquis Fruit Weight™ metric — the 2022 Blue Eyed Boy registers 79%, placing it firmly within the 75%–85% range required for the winery's Family Series tier.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Impressively deep in color with vibrant dark purple hues, the nose opens with ripe blueberry and fresh plum before giving way to subtle mocha cream. There is real intricacy here — the American oak contributes a backdrop of vanilla and toasted spice without masking the fruit.

Taste: The palate enters with lush, concentrated berry flavors and a distinct aniseed spice note at mid-palate. Wine Spectator identified kirsch, morello cherry, and raspberry at the core, flanked by milk chocolate, vanilla crème anglaise, and toasted cardamom. The wine is mouthfilling and generous, with a velvety tannin structure that supports rather than dominates the fruit.

Finish: Long, smooth, and indulgent, with lingering notes of chicory, French press coffee, and creamy chocolate. The tannins remain gentle and polished throughout, carrying the wine to a satisfying, enduring close that suggests a drink window through 2037.

How to Drink Blue Eyed Boy

At 16% ABV with this level of concentration, the Blue Eyed Boy shows best at cellar temperature (around 16–18°C) in a large-bowled glass that allows the aromatics to open up. Decanting for 30–60 minutes helps integrate the oak and soften the tannins. While built for sipping, its bold fruit profile works in a Shiraz Sour, where the berry intensity holds up against lemon and egg white; a Kalimotxo, the Basque red wine and cola drink, where the wine's natural richness adds depth; or a Red Wine Sangria, where blueberry and plum notes complement citrus and stone fruit additions.

Best For

• Gifting a red wine enthusiast who gravitates toward big, fruit-forward Australian Shiraz
• Weekend dinner parties featuring grilled red meats or slow-cooked lamb
• Building a cellar with wines that have a proven aging window through 2037
• Exploring the McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek appellations through a benchmark producer

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Blue Eyed Boy taste like? Blue Eyed Boy delivers concentrated blueberry, morello cherry, and fresh plum flavors layered with mocha cream, aniseed spice, and milk chocolate, all supported by velvety tannins. Wine Spectator called it "juicy and seamless," with toasted cardamom and French press coffee emerging on the finish.

How does Blue Eyed Boy compare to Penfolds Bin 28 Shiraz? Both are full-bodied South Australian Shiraz wines at a similar price tier, but Blue Eyed Boy leans into riper, more concentrated fruit at a notably higher ABV (16%), while Penfolds Bin 28 tends toward a slightly more restrained, structured style. Blue Eyed Boy is fermented and aged entirely in American oak, whereas Bin 28 has historically used American oak hogsheads, though the overall flavor profiles occupy common ground in the rich, fruit-driven Australian Shiraz category.

Is Blue Eyed Boy good for sipping neat? Yes — with its velvety tannins, layered fruit, and long finish, the Blue Eyed Boy is purpose-built for drinking on its own. A brief decant helps the full aromatic complexity unfold.

Where is Blue Eyed Boy made? Blue Eyed Boy is produced by Mollydooker Wines in South Australia, sourcing fruit from specific vineyards across McLaren Vale (Coppermine Road, Gateway, Long Gully Road, Mollydooker Home) and the Joppich vineyard in Langhorne Creek. Both regions are renowned for producing rich, ripe Shiraz.

What foods pair well with Blue Eyed Boy? Grilled lamb chops benefit from the wine's berry intensity and spice; slow-smoked beef brisket mirrors its richness and oak-driven vanilla; dark chocolate desserts complement the mocha and chocolate finish; aged cheddar provides a salty counterpoint to the fruit concentration; and herb-crusted venison matches the wine's weight and savory undertones.

What sizes does Blue Eyed Boy come in? The Mollydooker Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz is widely available in the standard 750ml bottle.

Is Blue Eyed Boy worth the price? Blue Eyed Boy positions as a mid-premium Australian Shiraz — above everyday bottles but well below the luxury tier of wines like Mollydooker's own Velvet Glove. With a 92-point Wine Spectator score, fruit sourced from named vineyard sites, and aging in majority new American oak, it delivers considerable concentration and complexity for its price bracket.

Why Blue Eyed Boy?

What separates the 2022 Blue Eyed Boy from the crowded field of South Australian Shiraz is the degree of intentionality behind its production. The Marquis Vineyard Watering Programme — a data-driven, twice-weekly inspection system from bud burst through harvest — is not a marketing gimmick but a measurable framework, and the resulting 79% Marquis Fruit Weight confirms the wine hit its target for palate-coating intensity. Barrel fermentation in 100% American oak (over half of it new) delivers a seamless integration of fruit and wood that Wine Spectator recognized with 92 points. For drinkers who want a bold, uncompromising Shiraz with genuine vineyard specificity and a cellaring window extending to 2037, the Blue Eyed Boy earns its reputation as one of Mollydooker's most reliable expressions.