James Hall of Brothers in Arms
What is your job?
General Manager of Brothers in Arms.
Where is your winery?
We are located in Langhorne Creek in South Australia, which is situated on the shores of Lake Alexandrina and 5 miles from the Southern Ocean.
Why was this location chosen?
The descendants of the current owner settled here in 1882, establishing a horse station and trading business (similar to Cobb & Co) on what was then the main route from South Australia’s main city Adelaide to the gold fields in Victoria. They planted the first vines in 1891.
Why did you choose wine?
I grew up surrounded by winemaker family friends in South Australia. I worked in the retail wine world and whilst at university I got bitten by the wine bug!
Describe Brothers in Arms’ wines in one word?
Texture
What is your favorite varietal?
Cabernet Sauvignon – just over Shiraz.
What was your favorite wine that you produced and what set it apart from your other wines?
The 2007 Brothers in Arms Cabernet Sauvignon 2007. It is our current release and we hope to export it to the USA next year. The majority of this wine comes from a Cabernet Sauvignon block planted in 1891. This is the oldest officially recorded Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard in the world still producing off its original rootstock.
What was your greatest ever wine experience?
Visiting Chateau Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande in Pauillac, Bordeaux way back in 1989. We had a private tour and tasting of barrel wines as well as museum wines.
This is closely followed by a museum tasting in 1999 to celebrate 140 years of the Saltram Winery in the Barossa Valley. We tasted wines dating back to the 1920s; a 1945 vintage port made from Cabernet Sauvignon was an absolute standout. This wine was made by mistake when a cellar hand inadvertently added fortifying spirit to a 1,000 gallon oak cask of Cabernet Sauvignon instead of Shiraz as was the norm. The wine was still fresh and lively!!
What is your favorite meal to pair with one of your wines?
Lamb-based dishes!
What does “terroir” mean to you?
Terroir is the soul of our vineyards – their personality. We aim for our wines to stay true to the Estate and true to the region, so what we see is a differences from year to year as a result of the variations that occur in the growing season.
The second major component is the major differences due to differing climate conditions and its impact on the soils and therefore the vines.
The third component of “terroir” is aspect (or topography); for our region Langhorne Creek is relatively flat so we don’t get the major variations that can occur in vineyards grown in hills and steep valleys.
Besides your own wines, who would you say is your favorite wine producer?
To be honest this question is unfair as I like different producers for different wine styles.
For Champagne I’m a Pol Roger tragic; for Australian Shiraz I’m a huge fan of Two Hands in the Barossa for the richer, fuller styles, yet equally Mount Langhi Ghiran in the Grampians (Victoria) for more elegant, complex, layered flavors. Then there’s Dog’s Point in New Zealand for some awesome Sauvignon Blancs, Grosset for Clare Valley Riesling…I think you get the picture
What do you hope for the future of your winery?
To grow steadily and profitably. Work our way through the mire of the GFC (Global Financial Crisis). Keep producing wines that reflect the estate. Finally, I hope we continue to broaden people’s awareness of our region.
What is your favorite thing to do outside of wine?
I am a cricket tragic (still play), and Australian Rules football nut (the greatest game in the world), and love golf. However, above all sharing great times with my family and friends, whilst sounding clichéd, is what life is all about.
What challenges do you see moving forward regarding regulations or economic restrictions and what are you currently doing to adapt?
We need to continue to be a business that is nimble, that can adapt to change and take advantage of opportunities through quick, yet well-informed decision making.
The US market is a challenge, because of its three tier system, which means that wineries and importers bear the brunt of tough conditions. I don’t see too many distributors or retailers drastically dropping their margin demands, but they are quick to expect that from the importers and wineries.
In Australia where we have a less regulated system, the market place is more flexible and whilst some retailers have much more power across the entire country than in the US, there are more options available to a winery to sell direct to trade customers or consumers.
In the US regulations are a fact of life; it is our choice to want to sell our wines there, so there’s little point in complaining about “the system”.
If you were not into wine, what would you do?
Some sort of sports/outdoor/travel business on or close to the coast, with a sense of community about it. I need a travel component so that I can get to the wine regions!! Bottom line though is I can’t imagine NOT being in wine.
