Sixth time tasted over five years. Very dark garnet-purple, 100% opaque, no brown at the edges. Extremely viscous, very slow "legs." Powerful aromas from first pour, of blackberries and black cherries, with an earthy and tar component, some smoke. Full-bodied, mouth-coating flavors, also black fruits, a bit of a coarse texture, but still loads of fruit, nice acidity, and soft tannins. Despite 15.5% alcohol it's not too hot. More power than elegance; compared with a 2011 Reynvaan Stonessence, which was softer and more complex, which I preferred. Ric
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Filtered and decanted for 1 hour, then rebottled with the "shake." Well rounded, soft and approachable, despite the high alcohol content. Beautiful color and fruit mingled with acid and some tannin. Drinking well now and should continue to do so for a few more years. Would be interesting to see what it does in another decade, but, unfortunately, this is my last bottle.
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Compared in blind tasting a with a bottle opened three weeks ago, a glass removed, and the rest frozen. That bottle was preferred by 9 of 14 tasters. Very dark garnet-purple, 100% opaque, no brown at the edges. Extremely viscous, very slow "legs." Powerful aromas from first pour, of blackberries and black cherries, with an earthy and tar component, some smoke. Full-bodied, mouth-coating flavors, also black fruits, a bit of a coarse texture, but still loads of fruit, nice acidity, and soft tannins. Despite 15.5% alcohol it's not too hot. Ric
Bottle opened 3 weeks ago, a glass removed and the rest frozen. In a blind tasting it was preferred 9 to 5 over a freshly opened bottle. Very dark garnet-purple, 100% opaque, no brown at the edges. Extremely viscous, very slow "legs." Powerful aromas from first pour, of blackberries and black cherries, with an earthy and tar component, some smoke. Full-bodied, mouth-coating flavors, also black fruits, a bit of a coarse texture, but still loads of fruit, nice acidity, and soft tannins. Despite 15.5% alcohol it's not too hot. These are controversial about how long they will last. As big fans of Sarah and Sparky, we still have many bottles going back 20 years. I don't think this wine will get any better but I have no doubt it will continue to hold and drink well for another 1-2 years. Time to drink. Ric
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"This 2011 continues with a big powerful concentrated, dense, deep and complex wine, black inky purple in color, with super ripe blackberry and raspberry and layer of blueberry flavors that are a bit over the top for my preference, almost being raisiny and hint of herbs in their concentration, with tones of spicy cinnamon and clove, and hints of creme de cassis, mocha and black pepper on the smooth lingering sinewy tannin finish. This is not for the faint hearted and needs a big steak, bold cheeses or dark chocolate to offset its in-your-face power." https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2022/12/christmas-family-dinner-and-big-syrah.html
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I am not afraid to admit that this a marvelous Australian Shiraz that benefits from age, is overflowing with bold fruit, and develops character and sophistication over time. At 20 years it will be magnificent.
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Fabulous wine! Last tasted 2015. Very dark garnet-purple, 100% opaque, no brown at the edges. Sparky said "I don't make red wines. I make BLACK wines!" Here's a perfect example. Extremely viscous, very slow "legs." Powerful aromas from first pour, of blackberries and black cherries, with an earthy and tar component, some smoke. Full-bodied, mouth-coating flavors, also black fruits, a bit of a coarse texture, but still loads of fruit, nice acidity, and soft tannins. Despite 15.5% alcohol it's not too hot. These are controversial about how long they will last. As big fans of Sarah and Sparky, we still have many bottles going back 20 years, just drank our last Shirvington, an '04 cab, had an '05 Carnival and an '02 Integrity a month ago, and they're all going strong. I don't think this wine will get any better but I have no doubt it will continue to hold and drink well for another 5 years or more. Ric
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Friits, fruits, and more fruits. Very smooth and long finish. Less tanin, less spice due to aging over 10 years? Soft acidity; pleasant sweetness. But does not show much complexity; very fruit-oriendted. Bella’s Garden might be a good alternative.
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45mins in bottle, let it breathe in glass. Dark opaque red, bricking on edge. Powerful nose - cherry, tar, overripe fruit. Full body with a little bit of acidity (surprisingly). Firm/structured tannins, lush mouthfeel. More approachable at this age, but feel like it lost some of it's luster. If you have it in the cellar I would open soon.
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Very nice. Seemed a bit dumb or flat (even after the MD shake) but became more expressive with about fifteen minutes in the glass and was drinking great the next day but tannins are quite round here. No rush but drink in next 2 or (maybe) 3 years.
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Medium to dark purple with a healthy dose of garnet going brown. Blackberry and black cherry with tobacco spice and eucalyptus. Palate is black cherry raspberry with very nice spice. Moderate acid with fine tannins and a very long finish.
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I realize to an extent that these are controversial wines. I think that Australian wines don't get enough credit for aging beautifully (a certain rush to judgment a few years back). My sense is that this is a terrific bottle of wine... a guilty pleasure of incredible fruit... however based on its transformation throughout both the first and second nights these wines will likely continue to improve and age beautifully for another decade!
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This was dark inky garnet purple colored, full bodied, expressive fragrant floral notes, dense, deep concentrated, complex fruits of sweet black cherry, black raspberry and hints of blueberry fruits accented by creme de cassis, cinnamon and clove spices with a layer of charcoal that detracts from the harmonious desirable fruit and spice notes. The finish is long with crisp acidity and soft silky tannins. https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/08/carnival-of-love-for-anniversary-dinner.html
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At end of drinking window. Upon first opening classic Carnival - Liquid Skittles with alcohol, but then the fruit started to fade after an hour. One of my least favorite vintages of this wine, but still pretty good (just not for the price point).
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Blind Tasting 30th Anniv. Oldest Dooker for me to date. Deep purple with medium meniscus, high viscosity commensurate with MD. Powerful fruit on the noise including raspberry, blackberry along with a bit of smoke, a hint of mint and floral notes. Has rounded a bit with age but still very full bodied on the palate. Flavors of red, black and dried fruits, along with smoked meats, bacon and a bit of tobacco. Great now, may improve further.
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A year past the “aging window “. But still fantastic really mellowed out and soft as compared to younger opened bottles of the same. Chewiness /mineral still there!
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Powerful and enjoyable. Decanted for 30 mins. Did my version of the “shake” by swirling the wine in the decanter. I did not know about them putting nitrogen in their wines. I shall let my friend know who is sensitive to sulphites. Even the whiff of the wine while pouring indicates that this would be a powerful wine.
Dark, reddish purple in color. Copious legs indicative of the 15.5% alcohol content. Dark berries, cigar box, Italian salami, cracked pepper on the nose and palate. Full bodied, medium acidity, and longish (long-) finish. Well structured and rounded. A little too much oak I thought, but that can be a personal thing. The oak effect does get more integrated with exposure to air and so do the tannins. Very enjoyable wine. WS rating of 94 and the price of $70 a little inflated. But who’s counting. Thoroughly enjoyable.
PS - finished the wine 2 night after the night of decanting it. (I had poured the remaining wine in the decanter back into the bottle the next night and closed the bottle with a temporary cork, as I could not find the screw cap:). The wine was still singing, undaunted by its exposure to air. Hallmark of a really good wine.
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Deep garnet color that shows a little bricking at the rim. Nose was a bit tawny - vanilla, black pepper, mulberry, and saspirilla . Palate was complex starting with a blackberry tone and seamlessly transitioning to a caramel and spiced tawny port-like finish. Oxidation was present, but harmonious with the flavor profile. Showed different than expected, but absolutely fantastic!
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This wine is really singing now. The brashness of its youth is gone and is replaced by a still flavorful dark brooding smoothness that is silky and round. Really paired well with Easter dinner of spiral ham and other sweet side dishes.
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If you like Port open this. If you don't like Port don't bother. No finese here just in your face high alcahol Shiraz. The early Carnivals like the 2005 had wonderful finesse with rich flavors. This wine is all out of balance and even with full decanting if didn't simmer down.
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palate shift strikes again. even at 8 years old, still pretty big. very dense wine that takes work to drink. even after a couple hours in the decanter, still a monster, though it did mellow out a bit. lacking in acidity/freshness. maybe would have been better with some grilled red meat
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Awesome wine and I'm glad I waited on this one. Lots of dark fruit and a hint of some spice, and not hot at all. It's drinking as well as it's going to right now so drink up.
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Same score I gave this back in September 2015 but for different reasons. Back then it was still ultra-jammy, almost cough-syrupy and medicinal...but not too far gone. Now, that syrupy essence has almost completely dissipated. What remains is a much more mellow and super smooth wine. Still has the darkest of fruit but is much more elegant...a somewhat unusual trait of this wine based on history. I gave it one hour of air and drank over several. Glad I waited on my last bottle as the development was most interesting to experience. Drinking beautifully today and, if I had more, I'd consume within the next couple of years as the fruit is fading.
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This followed a 2010 Roda Reserva I, this was lighter and better balance, overall a spectacular wine which offered both power and grace. Certainly in prime but will hold for at least a decade.
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Interesting to read the varying notes - I will say Mollydooker style wines are not for everyone's taste. It might sound silly, but I also think doing the Mollydooker "shake" makes a difference - much better when you do it. We did the shake, opened and decanted about an hour, drank over the next 90 minutes, served with grilled ribeye steaks. Surprisingly dark purple/mulberry color, big jammy blackberry, blueberry, vanilla, oak, a little black cherry, hints of white pepper, a little dark chocolate, maybe graphite too, long finish. Tannins and fruit have integrated nicely, alcohol has calmed down a bit. I can't drink this style every day, but a fun wine if you like this style.
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Loved this style of wine when I bought it 4 years ago, now find it rather fruity. Still think it is very good for what it is, but now fits my taste for an afternoon glass or added to the dessert table instead of a wine with dinner. No doubt it would be a casual crowd pleaser.
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Good, not great. I am beginning to think I may have moved passed this style of wine. I have a few 2010's left. Hopefully they provide a bit more enjoyment.
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I like this wine for what it is, a bold, in your face, jammy Aussie Shiraz that makes no apologies. It's a fun wine that we drank on vacation in Santa Fe during an afternoon rain storm. It sure picked up our moods and it was just what we needed.
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It's interesting that some feel this is too young - I find this to be nicely integrated now, certainly not as powerful as its younger siblings, which makes it a bit unique. I would say that I prefer the youthful explosiveness of the younger MD Carnival; This gives up on that a little bit for more finesse and finish. That being said, I would gladly drink this every day, but given the option, I may opt for a younger vintage based on personal taste profile. This is still a big wine - and a very good one at that.
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Love the screw cap! Definitely not the best Carnival, but in many ways a typical one. Tons of jammy black and blue fruits, very smooth, and a 15+ second finish. The alcohol has resolved itself which has helped this wine greatly. Only because it is so smooth and the fruits layer so well and seamlessly does this wine deserve the score it gets.
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This was a gift. Consumed with grilled ribyeye steaks, I think it's not really a food wine. Thick in texture with heavy oakiness and a bitter chocolate finish. Not my favorite kind of wine. Possibly consumed too young.
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Red-violet (was anticipating more purple than crimson red) color and cocoa and blueberry pie on the palate. Tannins are well-integrated and the big, supple, core of ripe fruit is nicely balanced with acidity. Absolutely delicious.
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As expected, lush and full bodied, licorice and cocoa paired with dark plum and berry notes. Hard to imagine a bigger wine, yet maintains a balance with minerality and acidity.
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This COL has great fruit soft tannins and well deserved to be the #2 wine. Can't compare to cabernets as some people do but does has some qualities with the 2012 Napa vintage.
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Incredible fruit, dark berries, ripe chewy plums, cassis, even some chocolate, but lots of bold pepper on the finish. Well balanced, low tannins, so so so good. Still one of my favorite Australian producers. The name does it justice!
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We tried this side by side with 2011 Enchanted Path. The Enchanted Path is drinking better here, more round and the Cab Sauv shows through to complement and fill the holes in the profile of the Shiraz. The CoL is all Shiraz and it's still hot, young and brazen. I think the CoL needs more time to really show some darker fruit and for the tannins to sit down so the finish can linger more pleasantly. The alcohol on this wine is WAY up there, and not really my style...While the EP weighs in at 15% the CoL is 15.5! To be fair, I don't get the frequent raisining or port like qualities that many high alcohol wines have (had recently a Realm Absurd, and it drank like cough medicine meets an Amarone...again not my speed.)
I'm going to disagree with CT user opinions, which have this wine maturing earlier than the EP at both ends of the window. I think age will benefit the wine somewhat, though I recognize the linearity of the tannins is exacerbated by the alcohol.
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Drank with a boxer and a blue eyed boy. This wine was the winner of the night. Fantastic wine. Great structure, fruit, smooth tannins, multidimensional wine. I wish I had another.
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Hdr Closing Tasting: Actually seemed to be just a bit mroe refined than the 14. I do find these mellow a bit with age. Having had the 05 recently, its not so much development, as they don't change much, as a slight integration. They also don't show much age at 10 years. Same story - love it or hate it.
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Drank one of these a few yrs ago (early) and was delicious. Now, opened another bottle and it's in full bloom. Wow. Rich, bold, inky with tobacco and blackberry accents. Drank right out of bottle and tasted like it had been decanted already--was so good. Wish I had bought more. Wife says it tastes "damn good." Haha. Not quite a Bond or Abreu Napa can but amazing wine and ever stellar for the price. Highly recommended.
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Quite accessible and balanced. More restrained than I would expect from this producer. Probably reflects the weak vintage reputation of 2011 in Australia.
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Two hour decant helped this plush curvaceous beauty to open. I get raspberry in front of the oak on first sip and then something slightly bubblegummy towards finish. Not overbearingly but a nice juicyfruity segue. A bit of heat still here as she bites you playfully into finish.
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This wine just really is a mess, isn't it. While I could tell the individual elements were each there, trying to coalesce into a great wine - it just seemed that they were all diverging instead. With a two-bottle sample size over the last 18 months, I'm convinced this one's headed even further south.
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Tasting of six wines, two bottles each, one of each pair opened 8:30 AM, the other just before the tasting at 6 PM. Others were 2006 Araujo Eisele, 2010 Aubert UV PN, 2009 Domaine Pegau Reservee CNDP, 2010 Reynvaan Contender, and 2012 T-Vines Black Sears zin. All were tasted double blind by 17 experienced tasters, none of whom knew the theme or the wines. Both Mollydookers were the favorites, with slight preference for the AM opened bottle, but not much difference. Araujo and Pegau showed the most improvement by AM airing, the others no difference. This wine was its usual huge self, loaded with fruit overlying plenty of background tannin, and a big, fruit-bomb aftertaste of anise, black fruits. Needs several years to soften and develop any complexities, but drinkable now. Ric
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I can see how this wine might not appeal to some folks. It is really heavy-handed and jammy to the point of almost being medicinal...what I refer to as cough-syrupy. That's a negative for some, but not for me if it's not too over-the-top...this comes close! I like the thick, viscous (what I imagine lightweight motor oil to be) mouth feel and the darkest of dark fruit. I had this in March of 2014 and had similar notes, though I do not remember it being this plush. It seems the Carnival of Love reputation is pretty well known so most know what they're in for when purchasing. I appreciate it because I enjoy trying different styles of wine. If you're not a fan of the big, jammy style, avoid this...if you are a fan, buy it. I have not had any other vintages of this yet, and as 2011 in Australia appears suspect from what I've read (interesting that it was the same for California), considering that would seem warranted to balance the Carnival of Love picture. Finally, one hour of air seemed to work best for this. I can't offer an opinion about aging, but it's drinking great right now.
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One taste, there it was, the familiar and consistent, velvety, smooth, cool, palate-exciting bouquet of Mollydooker's Carnival of Love. It's one I never get tired of, and always wish the bottle didn't have to end. Paired with braised leg of lamb, and fall root veggies with sage. Simply beautiful!
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didn't research before purchasing and this was apparently a terrible vintage in Australia. Had the '13 and was looking forward to this one and it disappointed.
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Just the right amount of fruit, nice balance on the alcohol, and a silky smooth finish. I enjoyed this with grilled hamburgers and it was great before, during, and after.
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Another year int he bottle did not help this wine. Still as weak as ever the 2005 vintage totally kills this wine (2011) in both depth and complexity.I home the 2011 Enchanted Path does not disappoint.
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This is just too over the top for me. You can't drink it with food or it totally overwhelms and destroys it. You have to drink it alone as the last wine of the night. Anything after is also gone because it will taste like water. I'm sure there are some who absolutely love this and I understand why. Really big, fruit bomb with heat, nice tannin and a long finish.
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I did the Mollydooker shake. Deeply colored, excellent mouthfeel. I'd like to have a case of this. Thought it would be more complex; kind of one note. It is a modern, delightful wine, nonetheless.
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Yes this is modern and extracted but not overly, IMO. Rounded yet with some backbone and acidity this went down rather nicely. Some heat, but not as cranked up as some earlier vintages.
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Opened to breathe two hours, no decanting. Had with Osso Bucco and veal meatballs. This wine is outstanding. The nose is big with cherry and spice. The palate is drank fruit, cherry, spices and a hint of pepper. Long lasting finish. Tannic as expected (lots of sed in MD wines). Delicious, should hold up for at least 5 years
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Lovely wine. I decanted and let breathe for four hours. Dark full bodied. Smooth. I think it was enjoyable at this age. Will drink my other bottle in a year. Had with chocolate dessert
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I have to say, I was at a loss for what to pair with Pollo en Mole. Had this earlier and remember the chocolate and monster size jelly juice that this was. In the end, it worked remarkable well..... Now I know!
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Maybe too much wood for my liking. Would have preferred the fruit to be the star. Big and bold as you would expect. Maybe will be more balanced with long ageing, but will I wait?
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Unscrew and pour. Like all the Carnivals, a wild ride of over-the-top candied and jammy fruits and mocha elements. Definitely not my favorite vintage and the alcohol is not as well resolved as some other vintages at this comparative stage in life, but still a sweet tasty wine that people can love.
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Nicely done. Deep garnet in color, and I am in agreement with the note below regarding the dark berry nose and palate. It had some notes of black pepper in the nose for us as well. A little hot on the palate, but deliciously fruit forward, spicy, and well-rounded. We neither used the Venturi nor decanted, and although it is older than two years, I still did the Mollydooker Shake. Flavorful, lengthy finish. Good drink.
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Vinturi'ed & decanted for 2 hrs. Dark fruit nose. Nice smooth tastes of blueberry with darker berry tastes sometimes. Not as fruit-forward as Blue Eyed Boy. Taste intensity varied from glass to glass.
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Not my cup of tea - or glass of wine as the case may be. Huge and over the top. Lots of blueberry, chocolate fudge and alcohol....no finesse in my opinion. I can't see how you can drink more than half a glass of this in and evening.
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Had to open something nice for an impromptu dinner - this is always a good one. Opened and did the "shake" and poured a couple of glasses - very hot on opening, even with the shake. Sharp, heavy and wound up tight - let it sit for about an hour and it really opened up. This could use some more time, but it was drinking very well after a couple of hours - mellowed out a lot and drank very smoothly. Typical MD, fruit-forward - tannins still very active. Might have had a higher mark, if not for how tight it was initially. Still, love Molly D - they do a fantastic job with all of their wines.
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Colour inky black. Nose very candied and very sweet. Palate very sweet and candied and syrupy. Extremely viscous. Liquorice, coffee, mocha and light coloured berries. Did not like it. Too over the top. Alcohol is too strong. Finish is long. Tastes a little like cough syrup. Quite undrinkable in large quantities. But i understand that this wine is a love or hate wine. For me, it is a huge wine without any finesse. So for me, this wine is more of a miss.
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A very stunning wine! Deep, dark, glass staining eggplant color, so dense that you would think you could stand a fork in it. Demur nose of dark fruit. Bold, richly extracted fruit with notes of licorice, mocha and cassis. Certainly much too bold for the masses. Lots of weight with grip and depth. Despite the strong backbone, there are many intriguing nooks and crannies to explore. There are layers of detail in the fruit and spices. The finish lingers on forever, due in part to the support of consistent tannins. My only perceived fault would be that the acidity is not quite in balance with the bold fruit, which contributes to a bit of fatigue. Regardless, this is one of those tastes that you will never forget. Still going strong the second day.
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I am utterly disappointed with this wine, nearly to the point of pouring it down the drain. First off the $60-80 price point is insulting when there are so many other wines, even from Mollydooker that are better. Compared to the 2005 vintage this is about as complex as Voss water. Compared to the 2010 Blue Eyed Boy this is about as weak as amusement park juice. So yes I am pissed I paid $65 for this wine but if if it's $35 there not much to be excited about.
On the nose it has beautiful fresh flowers and cherry pie. In the mouth this wines completely falls apart, fruit is weak, tannins are sloppy, and spices are nearly nonexistent. If you can find the 2005 or 2006 vintage of the Carnie BUY IT! If you like big fruity Shiraz go for the Blue Eyed Boy for about $40. This 2011 Carnival of Love is a huge passss.
Very big, fruit forward and extracted with dark, rich fruit. This is a classic Aussie Shiraz and typical of Mollydooker. Strong notes on licorice, mocha and cassis. Not for everyone, but love this style of wine for the right meal or occasion.
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Did the Mollydooker Shake, which helped a little. The wine is simply too young. I still have not repeated the Skittles in the Glass experience I did with the 2005 vintage when first released in any of the subsequent vintages, but this wine - true to its history is loaded with overripe and slightly candied fruit. It took over an hour to open and could improve a little in time.
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I have been a fan of Mollydooker and especially the CoL since 2006. In fact a have a bunch of them in my cellar and believe I understand their niche in the marketplace fairly well. There are times when you just have to have a CoL - charred medium rare cowboy rib eye with extra butter and brussel sprouts comes to mind. And a side dish of sweet potato with candied pecans.
This is the first time I (and my wife) ever did not like a vintage. It did not have that usual color, that powerful nose, and the taste profile was poor at best. Acidic, not integrated, like the fruits and alcohol were off doing their own thing and the finish was really not good. Bitter. Weird. And it went on and on. And it did not get better with air time.
There is a reason this vintage is being offered at a huge discount relative to prior ones. I for one am saving my money. I just do not see how this will evenrage into a good wine.
For completeness sake, we also opened the '11 Enchanted Path and were similarly shocked and disappointed. It looks like the '11 vintage is for me going to be one to avoid no matter what the financial incentives.
Really hoping the '12 vintage finds them both back on track.
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I tend to agree with Jungle Juice on this one (except not quite as harsh on the score). This was good, but wasn't great, and certainly isn't worth the price. Everyone knows what they're in for with Dookers -- reputed for their rich extracted fruit forward juice. But this seemed to be the result of a bad vintage unable to accommodate that style. Subsequent investigation proved my premise, '11 was a horrible year in McClaren Vale. Also discovered that prices for this vintage of COL's have dropped quite a bit. Perhaps another winemaker would have adjusted and tried something different on such an off year, but Sarah & Sparky are probably too pigeon holed now to do that. At a minimum they should have packaged and sold this lot as "Blue Eyed Boy".
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Nose & palate banging immediately on PnP: 94. Unfortunately, it slowly declined over the few hours drunk & by the end, the white pepper had overtaken the candied fruit beginnings: 90. Overall, expected a bit more - glad I got this on closeout for under $40. Possibly too young at this point?
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This 2011 continues with a big powerful concentrated, dense, deep and complex wine, black inky purple in color, with super ripe blackberry and raspberry and layer of blueberry flavors that are a bit over the top for my preference, almost being raisiny and hint of herbs in their concentration, with tones of spicy cinnamon and clove, and hints of creme de cassis, mocha and black pepper on the smooth lingering sinewy tannin finish. This is not for the faint hearted and needs a big steak, bold cheeses or dark chocolate to offset its in-your-face power.
Wonderful nose of black fruits, rich raspberry, cloves and a touch of mint. In the mouth, ripe red fruits with smooth tannins but demonstrating some structure too. Delicious wine! Decanted 4 hours before consuming.
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I agree with the notes of some others, this is really nice - but is very tight and primary. Prior vintages were drinkable almost immediately. Nice dark fruits, pepper, a hint of an herbal note. I have one more and look forward to trying it in 3-4 years.
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Truly delicious. Got "oohs" and "aahs" from a table of non-wine drinkers, which is always the best part of introducing people to new wines. It was still very young and has many years ahead of it - glad I've got some to lay down for a while...
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I'm so torn here because Mollydooker is consistently one of my favorite wines and hands down the COL is the flagship (well Velvet Glove aside). I just had some Enchanted Path from this vintage and it was great and I had the opportunity to buy some of this for $30 so I went for it. I popped and did the Mollydooker shake and drank and was kinda bummed at how thin it was. It was more like a heady Pinot than COL that I am used to and so I let it sit for about 2 hours and it did open up some. I think this vintage is particularly tight and a bit thinner than previous years, but this may appeal to a larger base that doesn't like the Mollydooker smash mouth style. I will wait and review again later
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Threw a lot of sediment for a two year old wine. Deep purple colour, generous dark fruit and tobacco on the nose. Benefited from a hour in the decanter to open up. Long and lingering on the pallet with good structure and firm tannins. Very enjoyable.
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I am definitely in the minority here on this one. I found this wine to be disjointed, alcoholic and hard to drink on the first night. On the second night the alcohol settled down a lot, however, the flavor profile was not great with notes of dark berries, the taste not sensation of grain alcohol and a strange off balance allspice/clove note that threw me off and tasted completely artificial. The only other Carnival I have had is the 2005, which I have had a few times and each was a massive slap you around crazy bombastic experience that was delicious expression of this huge, manipulated massive style. The 2011 was just flat out not good. Not even for the style.
Incredibly young and tight. Popped and decanted for about an hour, and needed more like 3 or 4. Great mouthfeel and wonderful structure. It will be excellent once it has about 5 years of age on it.
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Wow...friend turned me onto this bottle and now will look on wine-searcher for other vintages to buy. Seems CT members really enjoy this wine and I think it is very good value
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3/22/2024 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 93 Points
Maybe a bit early, yet so promising. Great Shiraz...it just still seems so young even as the alcohol dissipates and the tannins get silky.
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10/13/2023 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 96 Points
Sixth time tasted over five years. Very dark garnet-purple, 100% opaque, no brown at the edges. Extremely viscous, very slow "legs." Powerful aromas from first pour, of blackberries and black cherries, with an earthy and tar component, some smoke. Full-bodied, mouth-coating flavors, also black fruits, a bit of a coarse texture, but still loads of fruit, nice acidity, and soft tannins. Despite 15.5% alcohol it's not too hot. More power than elegance; compared with a 2011 Reynvaan Stonessence, which was softer and more complex, which I preferred.
Ric
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2/6/2023 - rbradleypate wrote: 93 Points
Filtered and decanted for 1 hour, then rebottled with the "shake." Well rounded, soft and approachable, despite the high alcohol content. Beautiful color and fruit mingled with acid and some tannin. Drinking well now and should continue to do so for a few more years. Would be interesting to see what it does in another decade, but, unfortunately, this is my last bottle.
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1/25/2023 - Shak Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big bold beautiful!
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1/6/2023 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 97 Points
Compared in blind tasting a with a bottle opened three weeks ago, a glass removed, and the rest frozen. That bottle was preferred by 9 of 14 tasters. Very dark garnet-purple, 100% opaque, no brown at the edges. Extremely viscous, very slow "legs." Powerful aromas from first pour, of blackberries and black cherries, with an earthy and tar component, some smoke. Full-bodied, mouth-coating flavors, also black fruits, a bit of a coarse texture, but still loads of fruit, nice acidity, and soft tannins. Despite 15.5% alcohol it's not too hot.
Ric
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1/6/2023 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 97 Points
Bottle opened 3 weeks ago, a glass removed and the rest frozen. In a blind tasting it was preferred 9 to 5 over a freshly opened bottle. Very dark garnet-purple, 100% opaque, no brown at the edges. Extremely viscous, very slow "legs." Powerful aromas from first pour, of blackberries and black cherries, with an earthy and tar component, some smoke. Full-bodied, mouth-coating flavors, also black fruits, a bit of a coarse texture, but still loads of fruit, nice acidity, and soft tannins. Despite 15.5% alcohol it's not too hot.
These are controversial about how long they will last. As big fans of Sarah and Sparky, we still have many bottles going back 20 years. I don't think this wine will get any better but I have no doubt it will continue to hold and drink well for another 1-2 years. Time to drink.
Ric
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12/26/2022 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 92 Points
"This 2011 continues with a big powerful concentrated, dense, deep and complex wine, black inky purple in color, with super ripe blackberry and raspberry and layer of blueberry flavors that are a bit over the top for my preference, almost being raisiny and hint of herbs in their concentration, with tones of spicy cinnamon and clove, and hints of creme de cassis, mocha and black pepper on the smooth lingering sinewy tannin finish. This is not for the faint hearted and needs a big steak, bold cheeses or dark chocolate to offset its in-your-face power."
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2022/12/christmas-family-dinner-and-big-syrah.html
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6/16/2022 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 93 Points
I am not afraid to admit that this a marvelous Australian Shiraz that benefits from age, is overflowing with bold fruit, and develops character and sophistication over time. At 20 years it will be magnificent.
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4/6/2022 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 97 Points
Fabulous wine! Last tasted 2015. Very dark garnet-purple, 100% opaque, no brown at the edges. Sparky said "I don't make red wines. I make BLACK wines!" Here's a perfect example. Extremely viscous, very slow "legs." Powerful aromas from first pour, of blackberries and black cherries, with an earthy and tar component, some smoke. Full-bodied, mouth-coating flavors, also black fruits, a bit of a coarse texture, but still loads of fruit, nice acidity, and soft tannins. Despite 15.5% alcohol it's not too hot.
These are controversial about how long they will last. As big fans of Sarah and Sparky, we still have many bottles going back 20 years, just drank our last Shirvington, an '04 cab, had an '05 Carnival and an '02 Integrity a month ago, and they're all going strong. I don't think this wine will get any better but I have no doubt it will continue to hold and drink well for another 5 years or more.
Ric
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2/17/2022 - djscipio Likes this wine: 91 Points
Friits, fruits, and more fruits.
Very smooth and long finish.
Less tanin, less spice due to aging over 10 years?
Soft acidity; pleasant sweetness.
But does not show much complexity; very fruit-oriendted.
Bella’s Garden might be a good alternative.
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1/29/2022 - MrTunaDavis Likes this wine: 90 Points
45mins in bottle, let it breathe in glass.
Dark opaque red, bricking on edge.
Powerful nose - cherry, tar, overripe fruit.
Full body with a little bit of acidity (surprisingly). Firm/structured tannins, lush mouthfeel. More approachable at this age, but feel like it lost some of it's luster. If you have it in the cellar I would open soon.
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4/17/2021 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine:
Very nice. Seemed a bit dumb or flat (even after the MD shake) but became more expressive with about fifteen minutes in the glass and was drinking great the next day but tannins are quite round here. No rush but drink in next 2 or (maybe) 3 years.
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1/23/2021 - Alaskawino Likes this wine: 94 Points
Medium to dark purple with a healthy dose of garnet going brown. Blackberry and black cherry with tobacco spice and eucalyptus. Palate is black cherry raspberry with very nice spice. Moderate acid with fine tannins and a very long finish.
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12/2/2020 - Tarpon222 wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful and likely to not get any better. Love it
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11/27/2020 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine:
Fruit is rounding out and not much tannic structure left. Age will not improve this wine. Drink up.
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10/12/2020 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 94 Points
I realize to an extent that these are controversial wines. I think that Australian wines don't get enough credit for aging beautifully (a certain rush to judgment a few years back). My sense is that this is a terrific bottle of wine... a guilty pleasure of incredible fruit... however based on its transformation throughout both the first and second nights these wines will likely continue to improve and age beautifully for another decade!
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9/25/2020 - marzup wrote:
Plums, warming, almost smoky. Absolutely lovely and drinking very well.
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8/17/2020 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was dark inky garnet purple colored, full bodied, expressive fragrant floral notes, dense, deep concentrated, complex fruits of sweet black cherry, black raspberry and hints of blueberry fruits accented by creme de cassis, cinnamon and clove spices with a layer of charcoal that detracts from the harmonious desirable fruit and spice notes. The finish is long with crisp acidity and soft silky tannins.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/08/carnival-of-love-for-anniversary-dinner.html
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8/2/2020 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 90 Points
At end of drinking window. Upon first opening classic Carnival - Liquid Skittles with alcohol, but then the fruit started to fade after an hour. One of my least favorite vintages of this wine, but still pretty good (just not for the price point).
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4/23/2020 - caroleandjay wrote: 93 Points
Blind Tasting 30th Anniv. Oldest Dooker for me to date. Deep purple with medium meniscus, high viscosity commensurate with MD. Powerful fruit on the noise including raspberry, blackberry along with a bit of smoke, a hint of mint and floral notes. Has rounded a bit with age but still very full bodied on the palate. Flavors of red, black and dried fruits, along with smoked meats, bacon and a bit of tobacco. Great now, may improve further.
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4/12/2020 - thh18731 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is a big Shiraz with well balanced pepper and fruit with a beautiful mouth feel. I wish I had another.
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3/13/2020 - DrJohn1981 Likes this wine: 98 Points
So much more delicate than 2007-current bottles. Never had one so aged. Lovely. Drank with Gino and David.
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3/13/2020 - dserrano Likes this wine: 97 Points
A year past the “aging window “. But still fantastic really mellowed out and soft as compared to younger opened bottles of the same. Chewiness /mineral still there!
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12/20/2019 - rahul_d_chatter@yahoo.com Likes this wine: 91 Points
Powerful and enjoyable. Decanted for 30 mins. Did my version of the “shake” by swirling the wine in the decanter. I did not know about them putting nitrogen in their wines. I shall let my friend know who is sensitive to sulphites. Even the whiff of the wine while pouring indicates that this would be a powerful wine.
Dark, reddish purple in color. Copious legs indicative of the 15.5% alcohol content. Dark berries, cigar box, Italian salami, cracked pepper on the nose and palate. Full bodied, medium acidity, and longish (long-) finish. Well structured and rounded. A little too much oak I thought, but that can be a personal thing. The oak effect does get more integrated with exposure to air and so do the tannins. Very enjoyable wine. WS rating of 94 and the price of $70 a little inflated. But who’s counting. Thoroughly enjoyable.
PS - finished the wine 2 night after the night of decanting it. (I had poured the remaining wine in the decanter back into the bottle the next night and closed the bottle with a temporary cork, as I could not find the screw cap:). The wine was still singing, undaunted by its exposure to air. Hallmark of a really good wine.
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11/15/2019 - Bozekt wrote: 92 Points
Deep garnet color that shows a little bricking at the rim. Nose was a bit tawny - vanilla, black pepper, mulberry, and saspirilla . Palate was complex starting with a blackberry tone and seamlessly transitioning to a caramel and spiced tawny port-like finish. Oxidation was present, but harmonious with the flavor profile. Showed different than expected, but absolutely fantastic!
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10/5/2019 - Jettoy1992 wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour. Ready now
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8/22/2019 - shellylowen Likes this wine: 93 Points
Blackberry plum full body mouthful of sweet tannins and long finish
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8/3/2019 - quanmeister Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Worst carnival I’ve had. Might be a bad bottle or past it’s peak. No fruit or tannins left. Pretty disappointed.
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5/27/2019 - KAKneale wrote:
Stupid good. Need to buy more from MD
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4/21/2019 - srwatters Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine is really singing now. The brashness of its youth is gone and is replaced by a still flavorful dark brooding smoothness that is silky and round. Really paired well with Easter dinner of spiral ham and other sweet side dishes.
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3/30/2019 - Clever Wine wrote: 85 Points
If you like Port open this. If you don't like Port don't bother. No finese here just in your face high alcahol Shiraz. The early Carnivals like the 2005 had wonderful finesse with rich flavors. This wine is all out of balance and even with full decanting if didn't simmer down.
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2/10/2019 - Jettoy1992 wrote: 92 Points
- Brick color - Drinking perfect now. No decant required
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1/19/2019 - wiscgrad wrote: 89 Points
palate shift strikes again. even at 8 years old, still pretty big. very dense wine that takes work to drink. even after a couple hours in the decanter, still a monster, though it did mellow out a bit. lacking in acidity/freshness. maybe would have been better with some grilled red meat
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12/31/2018 - BHwine wrote: 93 Points
Awesome wine and I'm glad I waited on this one.
Lots of dark fruit and a hint of some spice, and not hot at all.
It's drinking as well as it's going to right now so drink up.
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12/31/2018 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 93 Points
Not as jammy as expected. Very nice for its style. Agree with recent notes from others. It has aged well so far.
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9/30/2018 - ozziewine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Same score I gave this back in September 2015 but for different reasons.
Back then it was still ultra-jammy, almost cough-syrupy and medicinal...but not too far gone.
Now, that syrupy essence has almost completely dissipated. What remains is a much more mellow and super smooth wine. Still has the darkest of fruit but is much more elegant...a somewhat unusual trait of this wine based on history.
I gave it one hour of air and drank over several. Glad I waited on my last bottle as the development was most interesting to experience.
Drinking beautifully today and, if I had more, I'd consume within the next couple of years as the fruit is fading.
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8/25/2018 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 93 Points
This followed a 2010 Roda Reserva I, this was lighter and better balance, overall a spectacular wine which offered both power and grace. Certainly in prime but will hold for at least a decade.
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8/18/2018 - mdkraft99 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Interesting to read the varying notes - I will say Mollydooker style wines are not for everyone's taste. It might sound silly, but I also think doing the Mollydooker "shake" makes a difference - much better when you do it. We did the shake, opened and decanted about an hour, drank over the next 90 minutes, served with grilled ribeye steaks. Surprisingly dark purple/mulberry color, big jammy blackberry, blueberry, vanilla, oak, a little black cherry, hints of white pepper, a little dark chocolate, maybe graphite too, long finish. Tannins and fruit have integrated nicely, alcohol has calmed down a bit. I can't drink this style every day, but a fun wine if you like this style.
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6/1/2018 - Chateau g2pa wrote: 90 Points
Seems little too ripe. The 2012 was much better.
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3/3/2018 - Kneeley Farms Likes this wine: 90 Points
Loved this style of wine when I bought it 4 years ago, now find it rather fruity. Still think it is very good for what it is, but now fits my taste for an afternoon glass or added to the dessert table instead of a wine with dinner. No doubt it would be a casual crowd pleaser.
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1/2/2018 - UofM wrote:
Good, not great. I am beginning to think I may have moved passed this style of wine. I have a few 2010's left. Hopefully they provide a bit more enjoyment.
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10/28/2017 - JT2023 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Lots of oak. Blackberries, olives. Quite austere. Sweet and round. Balanced. Great mouthfeeel, but doesn’t yield as much flavor as expected. Weird
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9/27/2017 - Arch57 Likes this wine: 91 Points
I like this wine for what it is, a bold, in your face, jammy Aussie Shiraz that makes no apologies. It's a fun wine that we drank on vacation in Santa Fe during an afternoon rain storm. It sure picked up our moods and it was just what we needed.
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7/8/2017 - EpochMD Likes this wine: 91 Points
It's interesting that some feel this is too young - I find this to be nicely integrated now, certainly not as powerful as its younger siblings, which makes it a bit unique. I would say that I prefer the youthful explosiveness of the younger MD Carnival; This gives up on that a little bit for more finesse and finish. That being said, I would gladly drink this every day, but given the option, I may opt for a younger vintage based on personal taste profile. This is still a big wine - and a very good one at that.
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2/28/2017 - mxpbuy wrote: 93 Points
Love the screw cap! Definitely not the best Carnival, but in many ways a typical one. Tons of jammy black and blue fruits, very smooth, and a 15+ second finish. The alcohol has resolved itself which has helped this wine greatly. Only because it is so smooth and the fruits layer so well and seamlessly does this wine deserve the score it gets.
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2/28/2017 - IlonaN wrote: 88 Points
This was a gift. Consumed with grilled ribyeye steaks, I think it's not really a food wine. Thick in texture with heavy oakiness and a bitter chocolate finish. Not my favorite kind of wine. Possibly consumed too young.
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2/20/2017 - Quaffing in Colorado Likes this wine: 93 Points
Red-violet (was anticipating more purple than crimson red) color and cocoa and blueberry pie on the palate. Tannins are well-integrated and the big, supple, core of ripe fruit is nicely balanced with acidity. Absolutely delicious.
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2/17/2017 - bbcc66 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted 2 hrs. Nice dark fruit nose. Big, yet soft, dark fruit & cherry tastes consistent throughout the bottle. Glad I let age some.
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1/30/2017 - HousePour wrote: 92 Points
Improved since last bottle. More integrated and not as hot.
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1/24/2017 - ewasowicz wrote: 96 Points
Nose: flowers and caramel.
Taste: some anise, jammy, very smooth with a hint caramel.
Wow I like this wine.
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12/28/2016 - Bbaldinger wrote: 91 Points
- Crimsom color.
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12/9/2016 - mgstull Likes this wine: 93 Points
2 hour decant. Lush but balanced with smooth blueberry, blackberry, and white pepper. No jamminess or hot alcohol, but highly extracted.
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11/21/2016 - Tarpon222 wrote: 90 Points
Mollydooker blueberry pie bomb. It's what they do.
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11/20/2016 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 93 Points
As expected, lush and full bodied, licorice and cocoa paired with dark plum and berry notes. Hard to imagine a bigger wine, yet maintains a balance with minerality and acidity.
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11/17/2016 - jperez68 Likes this wine: 94 Points
This COL has great fruit soft tannins and well deserved to be the #2 wine. Can't compare to cabernets as some people do but does has some qualities with the 2012 Napa vintage.
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11/16/2016 - Gianni74 Likes this wine:
Incredible fruit, dark berries, ripe chewy plums, cassis, even some chocolate, but lots of bold pepper on the finish. Well balanced, low tannins, so so so good. Still one of my favorite Australian producers. The name does it justice!
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11/3/2016 - Samhagen wrote: 90 Points
I suggest decanting for at least 1 hour. Once it opened up, a delicious drop. Bold but elegant. Enjoyed for our 1st wedding anniversary.
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10/5/2016 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine: 91 Points
We tried this side by side with 2011 Enchanted Path. The Enchanted Path is drinking better here, more round and the Cab Sauv shows through to complement and fill the holes in the profile of the Shiraz. The CoL is all Shiraz and it's still hot, young and brazen. I think the CoL needs more time to really show some darker fruit and for the tannins to sit down so the finish can linger more pleasantly. The alcohol on this wine is WAY up there, and not really my style...While the EP weighs in at 15% the CoL is 15.5! To be fair, I don't get the frequent raisining or port like qualities that many high alcohol wines have (had recently a Realm Absurd, and it drank like cough medicine meets an Amarone...again not my speed.)
I'm going to disagree with CT user opinions, which have this wine maturing earlier than the EP at both ends of the window. I think age will benefit the wine somewhat, though I recognize the linearity of the tannins is exacerbated by the alcohol.
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8/1/2016 - UofM Likes this wine: 92 Points
typical of COL - big ripe fruit, blueberry. Nothing to report here.
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7/9/2016 - Jab_343434 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank with a boxer and a blue eyed boy. This wine was the winner of the night. Fantastic wine. Great structure, fruit, smooth tannins, multidimensional wine. I wish I had another.
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4/19/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 92 Points
Hdr Closing Tasting: Actually seemed to be just a bit mroe refined than the 14. I do find these mellow a bit with age. Having had the 05 recently, its not so much development, as they don't change much, as a slight integration. They also don't show much age at 10 years. Same story - love it or hate it.
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4/16/2016 - gteran76 Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is a great Shiraz at a good price and at its prime! Balance, long finish and full body.
You should do the "Mollydoker Shake" instead of decanting, or do both.
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4/8/2016 - putt4birdie Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank one of these a few yrs ago (early) and was delicious. Now, opened another bottle and it's in full bloom. Wow. Rich, bold, inky with tobacco and blackberry accents. Drank right out of bottle and tasted like it had been decanted already--was so good. Wish I had bought more. Wife says it tastes "damn good." Haha. Not quite a Bond or Abreu Napa can but amazing wine and ever stellar for the price. Highly recommended.
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4/7/2016 - pkatz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Quite accessible and balanced. More restrained than I would expect from this producer. Probably reflects the weak vintage reputation of 2011 in Australia.
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2/14/2016 - fritza wrote: 94 Points
Our annual Valentine's Day tradition, A bottle of MD C of L and Osso Buco. As good as remembered!
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2/13/2016 - Primordialsoup Likes this wine: 91 Points
Two hour decant helped this plush curvaceous beauty to open. I get raspberry in front of the oak on first sip and then something slightly bubblegummy towards finish. Not overbearingly but a nice juicyfruity segue. A bit of heat still here as she bites you playfully into finish.
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1/23/2016 - uncle al Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not the best vintage but still with very good fruit. I would hold or decant for a few hours.
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11/21/2015 - wirelesswine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Surprisingly balanced for the high abv. ..solid Shiraz but I question the qpr.
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11/7/2015 - tayls_81 wrote: 88 Points
Running out ?
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10/24/2015 - fitchbuck wrote: 90 Points
This wine just really is a mess, isn't it. While I could tell the individual elements were each there, trying to coalesce into a great wine - it just seemed that they were all diverging instead. With a two-bottle sample size over the last 18 months, I'm convinced this one's headed even further south.
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10/12/2015 - garyty wrote: 90 Points
Inconsistent batch. Very tannic at first, cooled off, and was a crowd pleaser.
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10/10/2015 - Ex-Ray wrote: 97 Points
Tasting of six wines, two bottles each, one of each pair opened 8:30 AM, the other just before the tasting at 6 PM. Others were 2006 Araujo Eisele, 2010 Aubert UV PN, 2009 Domaine Pegau Reservee CNDP, 2010 Reynvaan Contender, and 2012 T-Vines Black Sears zin. All were tasted double blind by 17 experienced tasters, none of whom knew the theme or the wines. Both Mollydookers were the favorites, with slight preference for the AM opened bottle, but not much difference. Araujo and Pegau showed the most improvement by AM airing, the others no difference. This wine was its usual huge self, loaded with fruit overlying plenty of background tannin, and a big, fruit-bomb aftertaste of anise, black fruits. Needs several years to soften and develop any complexities, but drinkable now.
Ric
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9/28/2015 - ozziewine Likes this wine: 93 Points
I can see how this wine might not appeal to some folks. It is really heavy-handed and jammy to the point of almost being medicinal...what I refer to as cough-syrupy. That's a negative for some, but not for me if it's not too over-the-top...this comes close!
I like the thick, viscous (what I imagine lightweight motor oil to be) mouth feel and the darkest of dark fruit.
I had this in March of 2014 and had similar notes, though I do not remember it being this plush.
It seems the Carnival of Love reputation is pretty well known so most know what they're in for when purchasing. I appreciate it because I enjoy trying different styles of wine. If you're not a fan of the big, jammy style, avoid this...if you are a fan, buy it.
I have not had any other vintages of this yet, and as 2011 in Australia appears suspect from what I've read (interesting that it was the same for California), considering that would seem warranted to balance the Carnival of Love picture.
Finally, one hour of air seemed to work best for this. I can't offer an opinion about aging, but it's drinking great right now.
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9/20/2015 - Arashiin wrote: 95 Points
One taste, there it was, the familiar and consistent, velvety, smooth, cool, palate-exciting bouquet of Mollydooker's Carnival of Love. It's one I never get tired of, and always wish the bottle didn't have to end. Paired with braised leg of lamb, and fall root veggies with sage. Simply beautiful!
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9/16/2015 - KendraPM wrote: 88 Points
didn't research before purchasing and this was apparently a terrible vintage in Australia. Had the '13 and was looking forward to this one and it disappointed.
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9/13/2015 - randyrb Likes this wine: 95 Points
TotalWine $74
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8/24/2015 - rdswain wrote: 91 Points
Outstanding shiraz example.
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8/23/2015 - Willt2468 wrote: 82 Points
Whoa, really sweet. Stereotypical Australian Shiraz.
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7/22/2015 - Dagman Likes this wine: 93 Points
Just the right amount of fruit, nice balance on the alcohol, and a silky smooth finish. I enjoyed this with grilled hamburgers and it was great before, during, and after.
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6/24/2015 - alohashirt Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big, soft, red fruit, that just keeps on coming. Delicious wine with food or on its own.
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6/3/2015 - HousePour wrote: 86 Points
Big juice with no complexity and a lot of heat.
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5/30/2015 - fred0711 wrote: 93 Points
Excellent
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5/25/2015 - kietkopelli Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Another year int he bottle did not help this wine. Still as weak as ever the 2005 vintage totally kills this wine (2011) in both depth and complexity.I home the 2011 Enchanted Path does not disappoint.
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5/23/2015 - Bbaldinger wrote: 93 Points
- Crimsom color and has flavours of coffee and black pepper.
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5/1/2015 - tim m wrote: 90 Points
This is just too over the top for me. You can't drink it with food or it totally overwhelms and destroys it. You have to drink it alone as the last wine of the night. Anything after is also gone because it will taste like water. I'm sure there are some who absolutely love this and I understand why. Really big, fruit bomb with heat, nice tannin and a long finish.
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4/3/2015 - bbcc66 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Same as 6/13/14 note except the taste was more consistent throughout the bottle, actually improving as we drank it.
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2/22/2015 - RHowardJr Likes this wine: 91 Points
I did the Mollydooker shake. Deeply colored, excellent mouthfeel. I'd like to have a case of this. Thought it would be more complex; kind of one note. It is a modern, delightful wine, nonetheless.
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2/20/2015 - BinVA Likes this wine: 92 Points
Huge wine as always, not an everyday wine, but a nice break from the norm from time to time
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2/20/2015 - Primordialsoup Likes this wine: 91 Points
Yes this is modern and extracted but not overly, IMO. Rounded yet with some backbone and acidity this went down rather nicely. Some heat, but not as cranked up as some earlier vintages.
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2/14/2015 - fritza wrote: 94 Points
Opened to breathe two hours, no decanting. Had with Osso Bucco and veal meatballs. This wine is outstanding. The nose is big with cherry and spice. The palate is drank fruit, cherry, spices and a hint of pepper. Long lasting finish. Tannic as expected (lots of sed in MD wines). Delicious, should hold up for at least 5 years
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2/14/2015 - partylikeakennedy wrote: 91 Points
Shocking - you won't find me giving 91 points to a Shiraz very often.
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12/25/2014 - garyty wrote: 92 Points
Finally starting to get good. Drank half first night and the rest on night 2. Second half was markedly better.
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12/17/2014 - Zinlady Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely wine. I decanted and let breathe for four hours. Dark full bodied. Smooth. I think it was enjoyable at this age. Will drink my other bottle in a year. Had with chocolate dessert
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11/25/2014 - ovenmitt wrote: 90 Points
I have to say, I was at a loss for what to pair with Pollo en Mole. Had this earlier and remember the chocolate and monster size jelly juice that this was. In the end, it worked remarkable well..... Now I know!
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11/24/2014 - Cabernetking wrote: 94 Points
Drank at Eddie Martini's in Milwaukee/Mennome Falls. Great with decant, rich, lush, smooth just my style.
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10/24/2014 - CLOrta wrote: 91 Points
A lot of Huckleberry, fennel, spice and coffee on the nose.... Full balanced and sophisticated finish though needs decanting and a few more years.
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10/24/2014 - crsprout wrote: 90 Points
Initially, lots of alcohol and tart fruit. Gave this a good 4hrs. Alcohol blew off and it balanced out quite nicely.
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10/17/2014 - theonlylittledog wrote: 91 Points
Maybe too much wood for my liking. Would have preferred the fruit to be the star. Big and bold as you would expect. Maybe will be more balanced with long ageing, but will I wait?
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10/1/2014 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Unscrew and pour. Like all the Carnivals, a wild ride of over-the-top candied and jammy fruits and mocha elements. Definitely not my favorite vintage and the alcohol is not as well resolved as some other vintages at this comparative stage in life, but still a sweet tasty wine that people can love.
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9/23/2014 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with my prior notes, sans the mint component.
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8/3/2014 - jkwoodward Likes this wine: 92 Points
A bit much on the alcohol, but with notes of cherry and black fruit, with pepper on the palate and a long finish. Could use a bit more time.
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7/30/2014 - Jbod wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 5 hours and at room temperature. This bottle was incredible and shared with my girl to celebrate an incredible day for her at work:)
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7/14/2014 - Brett and Megan Likes this wine: 90 Points
blackberry, creamy mouthfeel
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6/23/2014 - Wine_in_HD wrote: 93 Points
good depth of flavor, rich, well balanced, good mouth feel, delicious RP 93+, WS 94,
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6/16/2014 - Maddog1070 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nicely done. Deep garnet in color, and I am in agreement with the note below regarding the dark berry nose and palate. It had some notes of black pepper in the nose for us as well. A little hot on the palate, but deliciously fruit forward, spicy, and well-rounded. We neither used the Venturi nor decanted, and although it is older than two years, I still did the Mollydooker Shake. Flavorful, lengthy finish. Good drink.
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6/13/2014 - bbcc66 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Vinturi'ed & decanted for 2 hrs. Dark fruit nose. Nice smooth tastes of blueberry with darker berry tastes sometimes. Not as fruit-forward as Blue Eyed Boy. Taste intensity varied from glass to glass.
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5/5/2014 - dke wrote:
Consumed some time ago but no notes taken... the wine was OK, but not great, I remember it being a bit hot even after a night or two.
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5/4/2014 - ovenmitt wrote: 86 Points
Not my cup of tea - or glass of wine as the case may be. Huge and over the top. Lots of blueberry, chocolate fudge and alcohol....no finesse in my opinion. I can't see how you can drink more than half a glass of this in and evening.
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4/11/2014 - andymcmahon1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Had to open something nice for an impromptu dinner - this is always a good one.
Opened and did the "shake" and poured a couple of glasses - very hot on opening, even with the shake. Sharp, heavy and wound up tight - let it sit for about an hour and it really opened up.
This could use some more time, but it was drinking very well after a couple of hours - mellowed out a lot and drank very smoothly. Typical MD, fruit-forward - tannins still very active.
Might have had a higher mark, if not for how tight it was initially. Still, love Molly D - they do a fantastic job with all of their wines.
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4/10/2014 - jwhisler Likes this wine: 92 Points
Amazing. Smooth with long finish.
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3/29/2014 - Nicholas81 Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Colour inky black. Nose very candied and very sweet. Palate very sweet and candied and syrupy. Extremely viscous. Liquorice, coffee, mocha and light coloured berries. Did not like it. Too over the top. Alcohol is too strong. Finish is long. Tastes a little like cough syrup. Quite undrinkable in large quantities. But i understand that this wine is a love or hate wine. For me, it is a huge wine without any finesse. So for me, this wine is more of a miss.
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3/17/2014 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 94 Points
A very stunning wine! Deep, dark, glass staining eggplant color, so dense that you would think you could stand a fork in it. Demur nose of dark fruit. Bold, richly extracted fruit with notes of licorice, mocha and cassis. Certainly much too bold for the masses. Lots of weight with grip and depth. Despite the strong backbone, there are many intriguing nooks and crannies to explore. There are layers of detail in the fruit and spices. The finish lingers on forever, due in part to the support of consistent tannins. My only perceived fault would be that the acidity is not quite in balance with the bold fruit, which contributes to a bit of fatigue. Regardless, this is one of those tastes that you will never forget. Still going strong the second day.
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3/13/2014 - kietkopelli Does not like this wine: 85 Points
I am utterly disappointed with this wine, nearly to the point of pouring it down the drain. First off the $60-80 price point is insulting when there are so many other wines, even from Mollydooker that are better. Compared to the 2005 vintage this is about as complex as Voss water. Compared to the 2010 Blue Eyed Boy this is about as weak as amusement park juice. So yes I am pissed I paid $65 for this wine but if if it's $35 there not much to be excited about.
On the nose it has beautiful fresh flowers and cherry pie. In the mouth this wines completely falls apart, fruit is weak, tannins are sloppy, and spices are nearly nonexistent. If you can find the 2005 or 2006 vintage of the Carnie BUY IT! If you like big fruity Shiraz go for the Blue Eyed Boy for about $40. This 2011 Carnival of Love is a huge passss.
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3/10/2014 - Terramare Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very good food wine (went well with our pasta/sausage). A touch too sweet for my taste, but still a great offering overall.
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3/8/2014 - Jbod wrote: 92 Points
Amazing bottle with some amazing friends!
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2/27/2014 - Schiffy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very big, fruit forward and extracted with dark, rich fruit. This is a classic Aussie Shiraz and typical of Mollydooker. Strong notes on licorice, mocha and cassis. Not for everyone, but love this style of wine for the right meal or occasion.
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2/24/2014 - tcarter Likes this wine: 92 Points
Could use some more time in the bottle, but already drinking great.
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2/21/2014 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Did the Mollydooker Shake, which helped a little. The wine is simply too young. I still have not repeated the Skittles in the Glass experience I did with the 2005 vintage when first released in any of the subsequent vintages, but this wine - true to its history is loaded with overripe and slightly candied fruit. It took over an hour to open and could improve a little in time.
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2/11/2014 - dbermanmd Does not like this wine: 87 Points
I have been a fan of Mollydooker and especially the CoL since 2006. In fact a have a bunch of them in my cellar and believe I understand their niche in the marketplace fairly well. There are times when you just have to have a CoL - charred medium rare cowboy rib eye with extra butter and brussel sprouts comes to mind. And a side dish of sweet potato with candied pecans.
This is the first time I (and my wife) ever did not like a vintage. It did not have that usual color, that powerful nose, and the taste profile was poor at best. Acidic, not integrated, like the fruits and alcohol were off doing their own thing and the finish was really not good. Bitter. Weird. And it went on and on. And it did not get better with air time.
There is a reason this vintage is being offered at a huge discount relative to prior ones. I for one am saving my money. I just do not see how this will evenrage into a good wine.
For completeness sake, we also opened the '11 Enchanted Path and were similarly shocked and disappointed. It looks like the '11 vintage is for me going to be one to avoid no matter what the financial incentives.
Really hoping the '12 vintage finds them both back on track.
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2/9/2014 - millerarner wrote: 89 Points
I tend to agree with Jungle Juice on this one (except not quite as harsh on the score). This was good, but wasn't great, and certainly isn't worth the price. Everyone knows what they're in for with Dookers -- reputed for their rich extracted fruit forward juice. But this seemed to be the result of a bad vintage unable to accommodate that style. Subsequent investigation proved my premise, '11 was a horrible year in McClaren Vale. Also discovered that prices for this vintage of COL's have dropped quite a bit. Perhaps another winemaker would have adjusted and tried something different on such an off year, but Sarah & Sparky are probably too pigeon holed now to do that. At a minimum they should have packaged and sold this lot as "Blue Eyed Boy".
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2/7/2014 - fitchbuck wrote: 92 Points
Nose & palate banging immediately on PnP: 94. Unfortunately, it slowly declined over the few hours drunk & by the end, the white pepper had overtaken the candied fruit beginnings: 90.
Overall, expected a bit more - glad I got this on closeout for under $40. Possibly too young at this point?
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2/7/2014 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 92 Points
This 2011 continues with a big powerful concentrated, dense, deep and complex wine, black inky purple in color, with super ripe blackberry and raspberry and layer of blueberry flavors that are a bit over the top for my preference, almost being raisiny and hint of herbs in their concentration, with tones of spicy cinnamon and clove, and hints of creme de cassis, mocha and black pepper on the smooth lingering sinewy tannin finish. This is not for the faint hearted and needs a big steak, bold cheeses or dark chocolate to offset its in-your-face power.
http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2014/02/mollydooker-carnival-of-love-shiraz-2011.html
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1/31/2014 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful nose of black fruits, rich raspberry, cloves and a touch of mint. In the mouth, ripe red fruits with smooth tannins but demonstrating some structure too. Delicious wine! Decanted 4 hours before consuming.
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1/26/2014 - ClubTerry Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very young and primary at first but opened up nicely after long decant.
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1/24/2014 - Scott Butler Likes this wine:
I agree with the notes of some others, this is really nice - but is very tight and primary. Prior vintages were drinkable almost immediately. Nice dark fruits, pepper, a hint of an herbal note. I have one more and look forward to trying it in 3-4 years.
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12/23/2013 - elefkowitz wrote: 92 Points
Truly delicious. Got "oohs" and "aahs" from a table of non-wine drinkers, which is always the best part of introducing people to new wines. It was still very young and has many years ahead of it - glad I've got some to lay down for a while...
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12/20/2013 - okiedocs Likes this wine: 90 Points
I'm so torn here because Mollydooker is consistently one of my favorite wines and hands down the COL is the flagship (well Velvet Glove aside). I just had some Enchanted Path from this vintage and it was great and I had the opportunity to buy some of this for $30 so I went for it. I popped and did the Mollydooker shake and drank and was kinda bummed at how thin it was. It was more like a heady Pinot than COL that I am used to and so I let it sit for about 2 hours and it did open up some. I think this vintage is particularly tight and a bit thinner than previous years, but this may appeal to a larger base that doesn't like the Mollydooker smash mouth style. I will wait and review again later
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12/7/2013 - jharaen Likes this wine: 93 Points
Threw a lot of sediment for a two year old wine. Deep purple colour, generous dark fruit and tobacco on the nose. Benefited from a hour in the decanter to open up. Long and lingering on the pallet with good structure and firm tannins. Very enjoyable.
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11/25/2013 - junglejuice wrote: 71 Points
I am definitely in the minority here on this one. I found this wine to be disjointed, alcoholic and hard to drink on the first night. On the second night the alcohol settled down a lot, however, the flavor profile was not great with notes of dark berries, the taste not sensation of grain alcohol and a strange off balance allspice/clove note that threw me off and tasted completely artificial. The only other Carnival I have had is the 2005, which I have had a few times and each was a massive slap you around crazy bombastic experience that was delicious expression of this huge, manipulated massive style. The 2011 was just flat out not good. Not even for the style.
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10/26/2013 - LJD Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank this with no decant and liked it a lot. I look forward to trying this again in a few years.
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9/9/2013 - rbradleypate wrote: 91 Points
Incredibly young and tight. Popped and decanted for about an hour, and needed more like 3 or 4. Great mouthfeel and wonderful structure. It will be excellent once it has about 5 years of age on it.
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6/15/2013 - ralevine wrote: 93 Points
Wow...friend turned me onto this bottle and now will look on wine-searcher for other vintages to buy. Seems CT members really enjoy this wine and I think it is very good value
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5/17/2013 - Jbod wrote: 94 Points
Was an incredible wine. Shared the special bottle with family and friends. Celebrating my daughters graduation!
Amazing young lady amazing wine!
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2/15/2013 - MLoscalzo wrote: 91 Points
A bit young. Needs an hour to open if drinking now.
It does open up very nice.
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