Mitchell Winery was established in 1975 by Jane and Andrew Mitchell. The entire range of Mitchell Wines receives multiple accolades every year. Highlights have been the Penguin Wine of the Year in 2003, a consistent 5 star rating in James Halliday’s Wine Companion and inclusion in the Financial Times Top 20 Wines of the World and regular Top 100 listings all endorse the Mitchell’s choice of region and variety and is reward for their long-term commitment to their wines and the region of the Clare Valley, South Australia.

This wine takes its name from the old peppertree which grows in the Shiraz vineyard at Watervale. It is a happy coincidence that the nose and palate of the Peppertree Shiraz show the spicy peppery characters of high class shiraz wines. The grapes are picked at optimum ripeness and fermented on their skins to extract maximum flavours and characters. Careful aging for about 18 months in small French oak barrels adds complexity to the finished wine.

It is a glass staining deep, dark purple to look at. On the nose it has lashings of dark berry, aniseed, spice and classic Clare mint. Of course for anyone that is familiar with this now legendary label, it is hard not to look at the label and pick up nuances of pepper though the character is probably not as prevalent with this magnificent release. There is a massive burst of dark fruit in the mouth with blackberry, dark cherry and the after-dinner-mint theme continues. It has the most silky ripe tannins on the end with the acidity keeping the whole package in check. The wine is generous in all aspects but impeccably balanced. While I tend to be conservative in my drinking windows in comparison to the experts, I am confident this will live a decade or more easily. Although we tend to rate bargains as being under $15 and certainly under twenty dollars, this is a dead set bargain as one could pay twice as much for it and not feel touched. If tackling now, I would suggest having it open for many, many hours. Exceptional stuff. Now – 2020+; Quality: Exceptional; BW; WineStar© August 2011
 
Bright purple-crimson hue; dry-grown, hand-picked estate grapes have produced a lovely wine, supple and smooth in the mouth, with vibrant cherry and plum fruit, good oak and sweet tannins. The best Peppertree Vineyard Shiraz to date. Drink: to 2030; Price $26; Rating: 96 Points; James Halliday Wine Companion 2012