Mollydooker Velvet Glove Shiraz 2017

Mollydooker Velvet Glove Shiraz 2017 is a full-bodied, 100% Shiraz from McLaren Vale, South Australia, bottled at 16.5% ABV in a 750ml format. This flagship expression earned 96 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and 94 points from Wine Spectator, placing it among the most acclaimed Australian Shiraz releases of its vintage.

Quick Facts: ABV: 16.5%  |  Origin: McLaren Vale, South Australia  |  Vintage: 2017  |  Winery: Mollydooker

Production & Heritage

Mollydooker was founded by Sarah and Sparky Marquis, who have become synonymous with bold, richly concentrated McLaren Vale wines. The Velvet Glove fruit is sourced from the Gateway Vineyard in McLaren Vale and undergoes barrel fermentation in 100% new American oak, where it also completes its maturation — a technique that integrates oak character from the earliest stages of winemaking. The winery employs its proprietary Marquis Vineyard Watering Programme, which focuses on irrigating vines to lower sugar ripeness while allowing flavor ripeness to catch up, resulting in wines with exceptional depth and balance despite their high alcohol.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with sticky plum jam and spicy nutmeg before unfolding into layers of sweet pipe tobacco, blueberry compote, and cigar humidor. Roasted dates and Turkish coffee linger beneath the fruit, adding a brooding complexity.

Taste: On entry, juicy blackberry and cassis flood the palate with immediate density. The mid-palate reveals decadent dark chocolate, mocha, and black pepper, while berries and roasted coffee weave together into a seamless, mouth-filling texture. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate described it as "reminiscent of a lush, chocolate-covered raspberry" with a "uniquely plush, supple texture."

Finish: The finish is long and layered, carrying echoes of dark chocolate, menthol, and vanilla. A subtle herbaceous note and persistent berry sweetness extend well beyond the final sip.

How to Drink Velvet Glove

This wine rewards patient, attentive drinking — serve it at 16–18°C (60–65°F) in a large-bowled glass, and consider decanting for 30 to 60 minutes to allow its concentrated layers to unfold. Its massive structure and oak integration make it best suited to food-paired occasions rather than cocktail use. A classic pairing approach is to match it with equally bold dishes: smoked beef brisket, slow-braised lamb shoulder, or aged hard cheeses like vintage cheddar.

Best For

• Gifting a collector who appreciates high-scoring Australian Shiraz
• Anchoring a special-occasion dinner featuring rich red meat dishes
• Adding a critically acclaimed McLaren Vale wine to a cellar for medium-term aging
• Side-by-side tastings comparing Australia's top Shiraz expressions

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Velvet Glove taste like? Velvet Glove 2017 delivers a dense, opulent palate dominated by blackberry, dark chocolate, and mocha, wrapped in a plush, almost creamy texture from 100% new American oak. Pipe tobacco, black pepper, and a subtle menthol note add savory complexity to the rich fruit core.

How does Velvet Glove compare to Penfolds Grange? Both are flagship Australian Shiraz wines with deep concentration and significant oak influence, though Grange typically uses a blend of American and French oak and sources fruit across multiple South Australian regions. Velvet Glove is single-vineyard McLaren Vale fruit fermented entirely in new American oak, yielding a more overtly lush, chocolate-driven profile compared to Grange's multi-layered structural complexity.

Is Velvet Glove good for cellaring? Yes — the combination of high extract, 100% new oak, and 16.5% ABV gives the 2017 vintage a robust structure that supports medium-term cellaring of 10 to 15 years from vintage, though it drinks well now with decanting.

Where is Velvet Glove made? Velvet Glove is produced by Mollydooker in McLaren Vale, South Australia, using fruit exclusively from the Gateway Vineyard within the same region.

What foods pair well with Velvet Glove? Smoked beef brisket matches its dark, smoky intensity; slow-braised lamb shanks complement the plum and spice notes; dark chocolate torte echoes the wine's cocoa-driven finish; aged cheddar or Gruyère stands up to its weight; and chargrilled venison with berry reduction mirrors its fruit concentration.

What sizes does Velvet Glove come in? The Mollydooker Velvet Glove Shiraz 2017 is available in the standard 750ml bottle format.

Is Velvet Glove worth the price? Velvet Glove positions as an ultra-premium Australian Shiraz, and its 96-point score from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate places it in rare company at its price tier. For collectors and enthusiasts seeking a top-scoring McLaren Vale Shiraz without reaching Penfolds Grange pricing, it represents strong critical-acclaim-to-value standing.

Why Velvet Glove?

The 96-point rating from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate is not easily earned, and the 2017 vintage delivered the kind of concentration and textural refinement that justifies the score. The 100% barrel fermentation in new American oak — not merely aging, but fermentation from the start — creates an integration of fruit and wood that few Australian Shiraz producers attempt at this scale. Mollydooker's Marquis Vineyard Watering Programme is a genuinely distinctive viticultural approach that manages the tension between sugar and flavor ripeness, a challenge that defines warm-climate winemaking. For anyone serious about Australian Shiraz, the 2017 Velvet Glove stands as a benchmark of the opulent, uncompromising McLaren Vale style.