Sons of Eden Kennedy Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre 2014

Sons of Eden is a partnership between Simon Cowham (one of Australia's most accomplished vignerons) and Corey Ryan (one of Australia's most accomplished winemakers). They make a formidable team and their exceptional skill and experience are expressed in the Sons of Eden Wines. Named in "Ten of the Best" by James Halliday in his 2010 Wine Companion.

"They do a lovely job of this blend, year in, year out. Juicy dark cherries, chocolate and spice. It's medium bodied, silky smooth and spicy, with ultra-fine powder tannin, juiciness of fruit, though does not taste sweet, and a controlled spicy red berried finish of excellent length. Super from nose to tail."  Gary Walsh

The Kennedy is a classic Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre blend from old vines in the Barossa Valley and is simply one of the best value wines that come out of South Australia. It is named after the Kennedy family, who originally planted the grenache vines that make up the majority of the wine. They are 60+ year-old, exceptionally low yielding vines from the Light Pass Vineyard. All three varieties are fermented separately and then matured separately in seasoned French hogsheads and puncheons for up to 16 months prior to blending and bottling. The 2015 Kennedy blend is Grenache (55%), Shiraz (35%) and Mourvèdre (10%).

"The estate-grown wines are of outstanding quality” - James Halliday

"Deep crimson in colour this wine is bursting with aromas of ripe cherry and plum backed with an array of sweet spice and liquorice notes. Complex ripe red fruit characters amid a fleshy mid-palate core of wild berries and spice create enduring layers of flavour. Soft and velvety tannins persist the length of the palate that finishes with some savoury nuances."  Sons of Eden 

Expert reviews

"Grenache (55%), Shiraz (35%) and Mourvèdre (10%), vines 17-100 yo, all components warm-fermented to 32^oC and matured separately, the grenache and mourvedre macerated on skins 10-120 days, pressed direct to barrel for 16 months. The relatively deep colour tells you this is not your average Barossa GSM, the bouquet and palate shout agreement from the rooftops. This is a very high quality blend worthy of comparison to Chateau Rayas of the Rhone Valley (albeit without challenging the incomparable Rayas). Drink by 2029."  James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion - 95 points

"A medium to full-bodied red wine that offers a rich and complex aroma of dark fruit, black pepper, and spice. On the palate, it delivers a delicious blend of juicy blackberry, plum, and raspberry flavors, complemented by subtle notes of vanilla and chocolate. The tannins are soft and well-integrated, leading to a long and satisfying finish. Has matured into a very special wine Barossa GSM."  Nick Munday, Canterbury Wines - 95 points and Special Value Wine  ★  (Tasted Dec 2021)

"They do a lovely job of this blend, year in, year out. Juicy dark cherries, chocolate and spice, some of the stuff that I codify as 'Barossa coal', which may or may not make sense, and light perfume of flowers and dried herb. It's medium bodied, silky smooth and spicy, with ultra-fine powder tannin, juiciness of fruit, though does not taste sweet, and a controlled spicy red berried finish of excellent length. Super from nose to tail. Drink: 2016-2021."  Gary Walsh, The Wine Front - 93 points

Awards

Special Value Wine – Canterbury Wines  ★

About the winery

When winemaker Corey Ryan and multi-skilled viticulturist Simon Cowham established Sons of Eden in 2000, they already had years of experience in South Australia's Barossa and Eden Valleys.

Ryan has racked up more than 25 Barossa vintages and worked in New Zealand with Villa Maria Estates; he was awarded 2007 New Zealand Winestate Winemaker of the Year. Back home, he was a 2016 finalist in Gourmet Traveller Wine's Australian Winemaker of the Year. But it was his time as a winemaker at Henschke that lit his fire for the Eden Valley.

Cowham's early days included selling OddBins wines in its glory days, returning from England to work for the Winemakers' Federation of Australia. He switched to grape growing by qualifying as a viticulturist and joining Yalumba as manager of its Heggies and Pewsey Vale vineyards in the mid-'90s. In 2013, Barons of Barossa anointed him Barossa Winemaker of the Year. He, too, has 25-plus Barossa vintages under his belt.

More than 25 vineyard sites across the Barossa and Eden Valleys supply fruit to Sons of Eden: 10 are directly managed and operated by the label, the rest are supplied by handshake agreements with their loyal generational growers. The success of the arrangement is demonstrated by three Most Successful Exhibitor awards from the Barossa Wine Show, two Winewise Small Vigneron Awards and an unbroken annual stream of five-red-star ratings from 2012 to now.