Keeping the Magic Alive: 20 Years Through the Eyes of the Team
While celebrating our recent 20-year milestone, our Owner & Chief Winemaker, Sarah Marquis, shared that at the heart of Mollydooker’s success is a dedicated team full of heart, science, and passion.
To truly understand how that vision comes to life every day, we sat down with two of our long-standing team members: Peter (Senior Winemaker), who has been here since the very beginning, and Annika (Cellar Door Manager), who crafts the memorable experiences our guests take home.
From late-night vintage chaos to accidental seafood inquiries, here is what 20 years of Mollydooker looks like from behind the scenes.
Peter – Senior Winemaker
Peter has been with Mollydooker for an incredible 20 years, navigating the evolution of our wines from our early days at a contract facility to moving into our home winery in late 2007.
Looking back over two decades, which vintage stands out the most to you?
2008 definitely stands out as the toughest. A massive heatwave made it really hard to build finesse into the wines, and it tested everyone. But you learn a lot in years like that – they stick with you more than the easy ones. On a prouder note, my first vintage as Senior Winemaker was incredibly special. There was a lot of added pressure on my shoulders, but bringing that in successfully was a major milestone.
How has winemaking at Mollydooker evolved over the years?
We’ve definitely become more precise. We are using better data, better winemaking tools, and sharper decision-making. At the same time, we have a much deeper understanding of our vineyards, how to grow quality grapes, and how to handle the fruit more carefully. The ultimate challenge is always improving our precision without losing the core Mollydooker style people love us for. (Though playing with some French oak recently has been very interesting!)
Vintage is notoriously hard work. What keeps it fun?
Vintage is always the standout time of year. It means long days and long nights, but it brings out a really great team environment. There’s a fantastic sense of everyone pulling in the same direction when things get busy. And honestly, there’s usually a fair bit of humour when you’re in the middle of a night shift, running on coffee in the early hours of the morning!
Peter’s Go-To Drop: Blue Eyed Boy is my easy, consistent go-to. And Carnival of Love is always a special treat when you open one.
Annika – Cellar Door Manager
Annika joined the team as a casual tasting host in February 2020. Just as she was finding her feet, the world changed overnight with the pandemic – but six years later, she leads the team that gives Mollydooker its face and its fame.
How would you describe the Mollydooker Cellar Door experience to a newcomer?
It’s really whatever our guests want it to be. We take pride in the details that make us different, and a big part of that is adapting to the people in front of us. Some guests want to geek out and talk about wine at length, while others just want to unwind, look at the view, and relax. We love both! At the end of the day, we just want people to leave having created a new memory and a story worth sharing.
Speaking of stories worth sharing… do you have a favourite guest interaction?
No two days are ever the same, and we often joke that we could write a whole book on our guest interactions. A personal favourite was a gentleman a few years ago who came in asking about the price of our swordfish. Yes… the fish! He was so genuinely sincere about it that I didn’t quite know how to respond at first. I gently reminded him that we are a winery and don’t sell seafood. It’s one of those stories that never gets old.
What does a “great day” look like for your team?
A great day is when we have one of those unexpectedly crazy, busy days where everyone just clicks and the whole team flows seamlessly. Afterwards, there’s nothing better than sitting down together, pouring a glass of wine, and reliving the chaos. We are a tight-knit bunch.
Annika’s Go-To Drop: The Scooter Merlot. It is massively underrated. If a guest tells me they don’t like Merlot, I consider that a challenge accepted!
The True Secret to 20 Years:
When asked what Mollydooker means to them personally, both Peter and Annika pointed straight back to the culture Sarah has built over the last two decades. For Peter, it’s a place with a “strong identity where it’s easy to feel proud of what you do.” For Annika, it’s a constant support system for personal growth: “I’ve met and worked with incredible people from all corners of the world and made friendships that will last a lifetime.”
Whether it’s in the vineyard, the early morning vintage shifts, or the shared glasses of wine after a busy day at the Cellar Door, the mission remains exactly what Sarah intended: making world-class wine, and having a lot of fun doing it.
Here’s to the next 20 years!