The JBH Story

John Barton Hack is widely recognised as the ‘father’ of the South Australian wine industry.

John Barton Hack – or JBH – planted South Australia’s first ever grape vines in 1837, established South Australia’s first ever commercial vineyard, and produced South Australia’s first ever wine with the help of his brother Stephen in 1843.

So proud was the colony of its remarkable achievement, that a case of the wine was sent to England to Queen Victoria.

Eight generations later, we continue our family’s proud legacy with a range of elegant wines that honour the JBH name.

Our History

The John Barton Hack story is a remarkable achievement of a man driven to succeed against all the odds. We are proud to honour our forefather with our range of fine, hand-crafted wines.

01 Mar, 2023

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1837

John Barton Hack and his wife and children sail into Holdfast Bay, South Australia onboard The Isabella from England. He brings with him grape vine cuttings. Later that same year, he plants the vines on his land on North Terrace, Adelaide –the first settler to do so in the new South Australian colony. He later relocates his family to a country estate at Echunga Springs, and replants his grape vines there.

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1843

John Barton Hack proudly presents a commercial vineyard of several thousand grape vines bearing ripe fruit. He also sells vine cuttings to other early South Australian settlers to establish their own vineyards, contributing to the birth of the South Australian wine industry.

01 Mar, 2023

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1843

South Australia’s first wine is produced by John Barton Hack with the help of his brother, Stephen.

01 Mar, 2023

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1845

The first wine exported from South Australia from John Barton Hack’s original grape vine cuttings is sent to England to Queen Victoria.