Sons of Eden’s Corey Ryan and Simon Cowham

The Sons of Eden are Corey Ryan and Simon Cowham, who pooled their experience in 2000.

Sons of Eden 2016 Cirrus High Eden Valley riesling, 2015 Zephyrus Barossa shiraz and 2014 Remus Eden Valley shiraz.

The Sons of Eden are Corey Ryan and Simon Cowham, who had many years of involvement in the broad scope of wine business in Australia and other parts of the world before they pooled their experience in 2000. Oenologist Ryan cut his teeth at Henschke, thereafter moving to Coonawarra (Rouge Homme and Penfolds), then Villa Maria in New Zealand, having done Flying Winemaker trips to vintage in the Rhône Valley; in ’07 he won the Institute of Masters of Wine Scholarship.

Cowham’s day jobs included working for Oddbins in the UK in its glory days, thereafter with the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia, switching from administration to grape growing by qualifying as a viticulturist and joining Yalumba as manager of its Heggies and Pewsey Vale vineyards. Their particular fields of expertise dovetailed perfectly when they took the plunge to establish and grow Sons of Eden, the Eden Valley a sacred place for each of them.

It’s a hands-on affair from vine to bottle, with not a vestige of corporate trappings. Over the past 17 years it has built up a network of 12 sites on 60ha owned and 25ha leased, and 18 sites on 100ha contract-managed by it. All up, they cover the very cool High Eden, the cool Eden and the warmer western Barossa Valley. All the parcels are separately vinified, with a maximum of three tonnes per parcel.

Since 2012, Sons of Eden has been rated five red stars in my annual Wine Companion; it was Best Exhibitor of the Barossa Wine Show in ’12 and ’13, and in ’13 was awarded Barossa Winemaker of the Year by the Barons of Barossa. And it goes on winning in the same way; the lowest ranked of the nine wines submitted for the upcoming Wine Companion received 92 points. The quality and clarity of the background information is likewise of five-red-star quality.

2016 SONS OF EDEN CIRRUS SINGLE VINEYARD HIGH EDEN VALLEY RIESLING

From the Boehms Springs Vineyard at 550m. This magnificent riesling rides on a magic carpet of lime, lemon sherbet and thrilling acidity. Only riesling can produce such intensity with such delicacy, with a fresh, airy spring day mouthfeel. A privilege to taste. 12% alc, screwcap

98 points, drink to 2036, $42

2015 SONS OF EDEN ZEPHYRUS BAROSSA SHIRAZ

Combines power and finesse on the prodigiously long palate; notes from all parts of the keyboard from the first sip to the aftertaste, sour cherries, dried herbs, licorice and black pepper soprano to the bass of blackberry, in a coruscating display of daring-to-be-different shiraz. 14.5% alc, screwcap

97 points, drink to 2040, $48

2014 SONS OF EDEN REMUS OLD VINE EDEN VALLEY SHIRAZ

The bouquet’s harmony of fruit and oak flow into the palate, with perfectly ripened shiraz proudly centre stage. Its core is its beautifully detailed and supple palate of red and black cherry fruit, elegance the last thought. 14.5% alc, screwcap

97 points, drink to 2040, $75