With some of the Barossa Valley’s oldest vines, Bethany Wines has deep roots in the region’s winemaking story.

Johann Gottlob Schrapel and his family arrived from Silesia aboard the George Washington in 1844, just eight years after South Australia was settled. Like many Silesian migrants, they travelled by ox cart to Bethany (Bethanien), establishing what became the Barossa’s first European settlement.

In 1852, Johann planted a vineyard using cuttings brought from Europe and built a wine cellar, establishing an early connection between Bethany’s soils and the making of wine. For the next four generations, the Schrapel family remained closely connected to the land as grape growers, tending vineyards that would become an important part of Bethany’s winemaking heritage.

Today, those historic vineyards remain at the heart of what makes Bethany special: old vines, distinctive sites and generations of knowledge in the vineyard.

In 1981, fifth-generation brothers Robert and Geoff Schrapel established Bethany Wines, bringing winemaking back to the family’s vineyards. They built the winery into the old quarry where early pioneers had hewn stone for their homes, and crushed just two tonnes of Shiraz and Riesling in their first vintage.

It was a bold decision at a difficult time for the Barossa. Following a boom in Australian red wine, a glut saw grape prices fall below the cost of production, while growers were encouraged to remove old Shiraz and Grenache vines in favour of newer varieties.

Instead, the brothers saw value in what was already here. They chose to preserve and make wine from the region’s old vineyards — recognising that mature vines, distinctive sites and Barossa varieties were worth protecting.

From those beginnings, Bethany Wines grew a reputation for wines with character, as well as for warm hospitality and one of the Barossa’s great views. What began with two tonnes of fruit became a winery with a place in the story of Australian wine.

In 2025, Bethany Wines entered a new chapter, with ownership passing to a group of passionate South Australians who see enormous potential in this remarkable place.

The vineyards, the quarry and the history remain, but Bethany is looking forward. We’re building on what makes this place special — old vines, great sites, good winemaking and a deep connection to the Barossa — while bringing fresh energy to the wines we make and the experiences we share.

Because Bethany has always been about more than what’s in the bottle. It’s about coming together, enjoying a beautiful place, discovering great wine and having a good time along the way.

So come and see us. Taste the wines. Take in the view. Enjoy a good conversation.

Good. Delicious. Fun.