With some of the oldest vines in the Barossa, Australia Bethany Wines has special place in the region’s winemaking story. Johann Gottlob Schrapel and his family arrived from Silesia on the George Washington in 1844. This was just eight years after South Australia was settled. Like many Silesian migrants, they travelled by ox cart to Bethany (Bethanien), and established the Barossa’s first settlement.

In 1981, fifth generation brothers Robert and Geoff established Bethany Wines. They built a winery in the quarry where the early pioneers had hewn stone for their homes. They crushed 2 tonnes of Shiraz and Riesling, launching the next chapter of the Schrapel wine story.

The early 1980s were tough for Barossa grape growers. A glut followed a red wine boom and grape prices fell below production cost. The State Government wanted growers to pull out old Shiraz and Grenache vines. They encouraged growers to plant new varieties or leave the industry. Fortunately, the brothers chose to establish a tradition of winemaking from this undervalued yet irreplaceable resource of old vineyards.

Johann planted the first vineyard in 1852 from cuttings carried from Europe. He built a wine cellar and had reputation as a winemaker. Despite this our family were grape growers for the next four generations. This Reserve range of wines from Bethany Wines in the Barossa Valley were envisaged a series of ‘chapters’, each honouring various people from their heritage and highlighting their respective contributions to the Bethany Wines 165 year story. As precious pinnacle wines, they were to exude gravitas and excellence as the first in the series of heraldic ‘bookends’.

The Bethany Reserve ‘GR’ is a testament to the dedication of fifth generation brothers winemakers, Geoffrey and Robert Schrapel in crafting and building Bethany Wines. Whereas the Bethany Reserve ‘LE’ is a tribute to fourth generation vignerons, Lawrence and Edna Schrapel who, for over 50 years, were resolute custodians as vignerons of the Bethany vineyards.