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Amidst the tranquil setting of a heritage-listed church in rural South Australia, Father Brendan Kelly carries out the time-honored ritual of pouring sacramental wine into a brass chalice. This sacred tradition has remained largely unchanged for over a century.
Located at the Sevenhill Jesuit Mission in Clare Valley, the production of altar wine is a process deeply rooted in history. Here, the wine is grown, harvested, and fermented on site, a practice that has been faithfully upheld for 175 years.
“I feel immensely proud and greatly committed to all that has gone before us here,” Father Kelly shares with SBS News, expressing a deep connection to the legacy of the mission.
As the superior of the mission, Father Kelly is part of what is believed to be the last Jesuit-owned winery in Australia. The Jesuits, known formally as the Society of Jesus, are a Catholic order established in the 16th century with a rich tradition of global missionary work.
The Jesuits — members of the Society of Jesus — are a Catholic order founded in the 16th century, with a long history of missionary work around the world.
A heritage site beyond wine
The Gothic Revival church at the heart of the property continues to serve the local parish, just as it has for generations.
“This mission is of great historical significance. The colony in Adelaide was very new when the Jesuits first came here,” Kelly says.
The first group took up residence over Easter in 1851, settling into a mud hut on the property. It is named after the seven hills of Rome.
They had travelled from Silesia, then part of German-speaking Prussia, enduring a hazardous four-month sea voyage followed by a five-day journey by cart from Port Adelaide.
“They came to Australia to escape the persecution they felt for their faith,” Kelly says.
“They were seeking a greater freedom, a place where they could express their faith and their worship.”
According to Sevenhill historian Bishop Greg O’Kelly — Australia’s first Jesuit bishop, appointed in July 2006, by then-Pope Benedict XVI — the Jesuits initially set out to establish a German Catholic colony.
“Over time, the Clare Valley’s Catholic population grew strongly,” he tells SBS News. “
“Eventually, they built around 36 little churches. Those early Jesuits spent their lives out there serving people.”
To meet the need for sacramental wine, the founding fathers also planted their first vines in 1851, creating what would become the Clare Valley’s first working winery.
Today, around one-third of the 300-hectare property is under vine.
General manager Christian Fraser says the harvest for Shiraz — a dark-skinned grape variety used primarily to produce red wine — is underway.
“Some of our vines are about 160 years old,” Fraser says.
“They are Shiraz vines and the grapes will be picked in the next day or two. They’ll be crushed and go straight into our premium red blend.”
Sevenhill Cellars produces around 400,000 bottles annually and operates as a not-for-profit.
Much of its altar wine is exported, supplying churches across Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Timor and Papua New Guinea.
The remainder is sold domestically to Catholic and other denominations, including Lutheran and Anglican churches.
The historic cellar door also sells table wine, with more than 40,000 annual visitors drawn by both the wines and the site’s rich heritage.
“It is a beautiful place to visit with the church and so much history,” says Gary Tippet, a visitor from Melbourne.
“From the cellars up on the hill to ruins down below, there is so much more than just a winery to visit.”
Adapting to survive
Despite its legacy, Sevenhill is impacted by various pressures facing the global wine industry.
After surviving two world wars, the Great Depression and a COVID-19 downturn, Sevenhill Cellars is now adapting to a new set of challenges.
“It is a tough time for many in the wine industry due to oversupply. Also, consumer tastes are changing and global consumption is going down,” Fraser says.
“So, at the moment, there’s a fair bit of consolidation across the sector. What we are seeing at our cellar door and in our consumer databases is that many consumers are looking for lighter, easier drinking styles.
“We are adapting our range to make sure that we can cater to all markets.”
Research shows a sustained global oversupply of red wine grapes continues to weigh on producers, with early 2026 indicators forecasting prices for varieties such as Shiraz will remain low.
Lee McLean, CEO of the Australian Grape and Wine, an association that represents more than 2,100 winemakers and 6,000 winegrape growers, says the country’s wine sector is facing a “structural crisis driven by collapsing global demand and the lasting impacts of the China trade disruption.
“Left unmanaged, the adjustment will be disorderly, prolonged and deeply damaging for regional communities,” he tells SBS News.
To diversify, Sevenhill’s heritage-listed buildings have also been repurposed for accommodation and retreats.
“Visitors say it is a very special place. Even the stones tell their own stories,” O’Kelly says.
“There are ancient buildings, with sacred spots like the crypt where around 38 Jesuits are buried. These are people who served their whole lives there.”
Even as the wine industry evolves, for those behind the mission, it remains a cornerstone for faith and community.
“It is a place where people can visit and find peace and friendship, where we make them feel welcome,” Fr. Kelly says.
“This is our foundation place and a good reference point when we consider how we’re moving into the future,” he says.
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