We had a feeling that a tasting with Sparky Marquis would be different. The male half of the team behind Molly Dooker wines has a reputation for being not exactly shy-even by Aussie standards.
Sparky and masterblender wife Sarah Marquis blew through town last week. They were en route between heli-skiing in the Purcells and YVR, heading home to McLaren Vale, Australia, first to go go-kart racing and, second, to harvest. But someone suggested it might be a good idea to do a tasting in Vancouver. And Sparky obliged.
The wines are unique for their concentrated fruit intensity and quirky label designs.
I won't recreate the whole event here, but I can give you a couple of Sparkyisms of note:
. "We drink two things: Molly Dooker and Jack Daniels."
. "When we make wine we ask ourselves three questions: Would I drink a glass? If no, sell off the juice. Would I drink a bottle? If no, sell as bulk wine. Would I drink a bottle by myself? If yes, we can use it for Molly Dooker."
. "I age my wines for as long as it takes to find a corkscrew."
If you're a true Aussie Shiraz lover, you already know about the likes of blockbuster Velvet Glove, Carnival of Love and Enchanted Path, where to find them and what they cost.
However, we were also impressed by the relative value offered by the "Lefty" entry range.
. The Maitre D' 2009. Medium to full bodied, cassis and chocolate notes with structured tannins and juicy acidity. Excellent fruit and acid balance. Food friendly. Think anything grilled. $35.99 at B.C. Liquor Stores.
. Two Left Feet 2009. Mainly Shiraz, with Cab and Merlot. Plush with black fruit, vanilla, anise and black pepper notes through a layered mid palate to a lingering spicy end. BCLS $35.99.
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Blame it on Jimmy "wastin' away in Margaritaville" Buffet, if you want. But tequila doesn't get the respect it deserves. That may be about to change thanks to knowledgeable tequila ambassador Eric Lorenz, part of the team behind the inaugural Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»International Tequila Expo (VITÉ) May 12.
"Most people, when they consider tequila, don't think about the history of Agave spirits. But it actually has a place in pre-history," says Lorenz, who notes there is evidence of "ubiquitous" early agave pit roasting sites ranging from Arizona all the way down to Honduras-with one of the earliest known dating from around 5000 BC, in Texas's Big Bend National Park.
The day-long festival concludes with a Grand Tasting, 6 to 9 p.m., which will offer samples of several well known tequila brands as well as some harder to find drops. For tickets go to ticketstonight.ca. For more info, go to vancouvertequilaexpo.com.
