The Brothers in Arms wines are about a connection, not just with a vineyard in Langhorne Creek called the Metala, but with a family tradition that has evolved for over 125 years. The first settler of the land, Herman Daenke, sold the property to Arthur Formby in and around 1880; his son went on to plant Shiraz and Cabernet vines in 1890 that are still producing today.

As generations of Formby passed, wine was made in the cellar for personal consumption and grapes were sold to other wine producers. The Metala Vineyard has been well known as a highly sought after grape source to several quality brands for many years. The current generation of Formby, Guy Adams and his wife Liz, have grown the vineyard and launched and built their own Brothers in Arms brand to what it is today.

The Adams brothers Guy and Tom, first started Brothers in Arms as a lark mostly for their own enjoyment and consumption. However, under the guidance of their father,those old vines made some superlative first efforts. Brows were raised; they were on to something and so the lark turned into a real effort. Their first release in 2000 of the 1998 vintage Shiraz sold out in six weeks.

In each of the ensuing vintages the entire Formby family participated in all phases of wine production: growing, picking, crushing and blending their grapes. Critical praise soon followed. The 2002 Shiraz earned a Robert Parker score of 91 points and Australia’s James Halliday’s rating of 95 points in his Australian Wine Companion 2007. Then the No. 6 Shiraz Cabernet blend (named for how many Generations of Formby) was created with the 2004 vintage earning Halliday’s recognition with 90 points.

This brand has been built on generations of sweat and the desire of one family to make premium wines that are affordable. The Formby’s want nothing more then for the wine enthusiast to connect with their heritage, just as they have for over 125 years.

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