The original Glaetzer settlers migrated from Brandenburg to the Barossa Valley I 1888 and Ben's father (Colin) and Uncle (John) are both Barossa Stalwarts and world renowned Barossa Valley Winemakers.
Ben was born in 1977 at Corowa, NSW and grew up at Rutherglen and Great Western before his family moved to South Australia in 1985.
He was educated at Ararat West and Angle Vale Primary Schools, completing his senior schooling at Prince Alfred College and the University of Adelaide, attaining Bachelor or Agricultural Science (Oenology).
Ben commenced working at Tyrrell's Vineyards in the Hunter Valley and in 1998, Ben returned to the Barossa Valley to assist Colin at Glaetzer Wines and Barossa Vintners. In late 1999, Ben was asked to travel briefly to Armenia and become responsible for the creation of Pernod Ricard's first Armenian table wine.
Ben holds the following positions:
- Director, shareholder and chief winemaker, Barossa Vintners, Barossa Valley 10,000 tonnes per annum production
- Director, shareholder and chief winemaker, Heartland Wines, Langhorne Creek and Limestone Coast
- Director, shareholder and chief winemaker, Mitolo Wines, McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley
- Chief winemaker, Glaetzer Wines, Barossa Valley
- Chief winemaker, Woodstock Wines, McLaren Vale
Ben is directly responsible for the annual production of more than 1000 wines for the 25 clients at Barossa Vintners and produces over 250,000 dozen for his own labels, exporting to 25 countries around the globe.
In 2004, Ben, along with his father, was nominated for the Qantas/Australian Gourmet Traveller Winemaker of the Year Award and he won the Qantas Medal as Young Winemaker of the Year 2004/2005.
