2012 Brothers in Arms Formby & Adams Leading Horse Cabernet Sauvignon Langhorne Creek 750 ml

Historic, fully mature Cabernet almost a decade into its impressive long life isn’t usually accompanied by a freshly awarded 94-point score and Wine Enthusiast Editors’ Choice designation. But this 2012 Brothers in Arms Leading Horse Cabernet Sauvignon is full of surprises. 

The Wine Enthusiast review heralded this outstanding wine as “a quintessential South Aussie Cabernet drinking beautifully after eight years of bottle age.” And you’ll only find it here, exclusively on Wine Access. 

It truly is a mountain of a wine, showcasing the very best of the region’s potential. A deep, sumptuous ruby hue precedes its aromatic concentration, where dark berry compote and wild bramble compete for attention with wild tobacco and dark chocolate. 

This Cab is exceedingly generous, with memorable layers of fruit, spice, and perfect tannin integration that can only be achieved by purposeful extra aging. The best part is that it’s still got life ahead, and should continue to drink beautifully for another eight years or more. 

Brothers in Arms is a small property in Langhorne Creek—one of the best-kept secrets in all of Australian viticulture. Less than a one-hour drive from Adelaide, Langhorne Creek benefits from a maritime climate that keeps it significantly cooler than neighboring regions like McLaren Vale and Barossa. This is partly due to what the locals call the Lake Doctor.

Much like the Mistral wind’s effect on the wines of Southern France, the high quality of Southern Australia’s wines is often attributed to the Lake Doctor—a wind coming off Lake Alexandrina, which is three times the size of Sydney Harbor. The wind carries its cooling effect across the lake directly from the Antarctic and Southern Oceans and into Langhorne Creek’s sun-dappled vineyards. There, its moderating influence on the vines is dramatic, developing well-structured Cabernet that can age and evolve alongside reds four times the price. 

If anyone knows how to capture the Lake Doctor’s windswept magic in a bottle, it’s Brothers in Arms. Owner Guy Adams represents the fifth generation to live and work on this land, which has been in the family since his great-great-grandfather William Formby planted vines in 1891. 

With over 130 years of handed-down expertise in how to coax greatness out of their deep alluvial soils, it’s no wonder “this historic winery’s Cab rates high in the bang for buck category,” as Wine Enthusiast put it. 

We wouldn’t have spent a year chasing after this wine if that weren’t the truth—and that was before it hit the 94-point big time. With all its opulence and density, any lover of Napa Cabs will flip for this 2012 Brothers in Arms Leading Horse Cabernet. Not only for its price, but also because it’s been perfectly aged for you.