Gemtree Wines
McLaren Vale , South Australia
Winery Overview
Gemtree and the Buttery family of McLaren Vale believe in natural order and balance. They understand that farming is a generational responsibility and they are custodians of the land. Only by looking after the most precious of resources – the environment – can they hope to farm a better future.
Paul and Jill Buttery established the Gemtree vineyards in McLaren Vale in 1980 and today their daughter Melissa Brown (nee Buttery) is the Viticulturist and her husband, Mike Brown is the Chief Winemaker and Managing Director. The vineyards are certified organic and biodynamic – a testament to our commitment to sustainable farming and winemaking. Mike and Melissa’s philosophy is simple – a more environmentally conscious farming system and minimal intervention in the winemaking process to produce wines with finesse that express the true characteristics of each grape variety and the region.
At its very core, Gemtree Wines is authentic. They believe in what they grow and what they make. They believe in family and friends and believe wine is meant to be shared and memories made.
They look forward to sharing their wines with you.
Available in
Canada, China, Denmark, New Zealand, Singapore, Sweden, Taiwan, UK
Seeking Distribution in
Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, USA, Vietnam
Chief Winemaker/s
Mike Brown - Wine Maker, Melissa Brown - Viticulturist, Joshua Waechter - Wine Maker
Winemaker Bio
Mike is the Managing Director of Gemtree, where he does everything from making the wine to wearing out the shoe leather (in a normal year) during his travels from Queenstown to Quebec, sharing the stories of his McLaren Vale wines.
Orginally from NSW, Mike undertook a vintage in SA in the early 1990s, shortly thereafter leaving Sydney and his job at the stock exchange to study wine marketing and gain valuable insights into wineries and winemaking.
However, it was the smells, tastes and activity within the cellar that Mike really loved. After working many vintages in wineries around McLaren Vale and France, in 1998 Mike completed his first vintage as a winemaker at Gemtree.
Mike works alongside his wife, Melissa Brown - who is Gemtree’s viticulturist and a renowned expert in organic and biodynamic farming practices. Melissa’s grapes are brought to the winery in pristine condition where Mike and his team craft them into elegant and delicious wines, a direct reflection of how and where the grapes are grown. Mike is forever grateful he has made his home in McLaren Vale.
