Skip to content
  • Home
  • About
  • Meet your Pilots
  • Events
  • Advertise
  • Contact
large logo Wine Pilot
WinePilot_Banner Ad
  • Stories
  • Casual
  • Entertaining
  • Special Occasions
  • Beer & Spirits
  • Home
  • Stories
  • Wines
    • Trophy Wines
    • Casual
    • Entertaining
    • Special Occasions
  • Beer & Spirits
  • About
  • Meet your Pilots
  • Events
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Menu
  • Home
  • Stories
  • Wines
    • Trophy Wines
    • Casual
    • Entertaining
    • Special Occasions
  • Beer & Spirits
  • About
  • Meet your Pilots
  • Events
  • Advertise
  • Contact

The rise and rise of Gemtree wines

Home > Stories > The rise and rise of Gemtree wines

Angus Hughson

Read More

The year is 1987 and budding stockbroker Mike Brown was working on the floor of the Sydney Stock Exchange. Having spent much of his time growing up in the country watching his father work farms it was a new world and Mike was loving it. The pace, the city, the nightlife – all were intoxicating. But unfortunately not for long. On the 19th of October, the market crashed and this country boy was out of a job. And while Mike did not know it he was about to begin a journey that would take him back to his country roots and to Gemtree Wines.

The Gemtree story though had been sown decades before and began with the purchase in 1966 of an Adelaide wine shop by Paul and Jill Buttery. Fourteen years later and well before Australian table wines had taken off they made the leap into vineyards, acquiring a property on Tatachilla Road in McLaren Vale in 1980. Paul also went on to found a vineyard management business – helping to establish and tend local properties. It gave him an ear to the ground and an eye on practices around the region. Soon enough when high quality new adjoining vineyards came onto the market he would snap them up, expanding the family’s area under vine.

But there was still no Gemtree wines. The Buttery family were happy to let their neighbours take the risks of developing new wine brands – they would simply sell fruit to the highest bidder. However the next generation were not so sure, with children Andrew and Melissa launching Gemtree in 1998, with a single Shiraz. 

After Mike Brown’s brush with stockbroking he found himself working in a Sydney liquor store. And it was not long before he got a taste for the business and at this stage selling wine. In 1990 Mike enrolled in Roseworthy Agricultural College for a two years stint. Thereafter he launched himself into winemaking, and on the way worked for luminaries such as Warren Randall, Andrew Garrett and Chester Osborn, gaining knowledge from each of these very different experiences. In 1994 Mike met his soon to be wife Melissa Buttery, and was later the natural choice for Gemtree’s winemaker.

A seminal moment for Gemtree was the 2006 Great Shiraz Alliance tasting. Mike and Melissa tasted Shiraz from around the world, and were struck by a handful of wines – their character, power and brightness of fruit. One feature tied these wines together – biodynamic wine production – and Melissa’s reaction was immediate “We have to do this”. At the time some pioneers were experimenting with natural farming methods but it was far from common and it certainly took a little time for the Buttery clan to come around.

Melissa’s brother Andrew had returned from the corporate world in 1997 to launch Gemtree and was not happy. “You two are off the wall. If you screw this up, you’ll pay the difference. And don’t come back to me with any excuses”. One key feature of biodynamics is the lower fruit yields and production plus higher labour costs, which Andrew remained unconvinced could be covered by higher fruit quality and price. In addition, a family that had prided itself on strict vineyard management would now be going down a path whereby their own vineyards were encouraged to exist in a more unkempt, natural state without herbicides and pesticides, with natural grasses growing up and down what had traditionally been barren vineyard rows. That said, the changes was made and in 2006 30 percent of the vineyards were converted to biodynamic viticulture, which grew to full certification in 2011. 

Since that time Gemtree has expanded its dedication to the natural environment with wastewater treatment plants and energy neutral status, due to a large solar panel array. Perhaps the greatest achievement has been the increase in local biodiversity gained by the creation of a natural 10-hectare wetland, surrounded by 50,000 native plants and trees. 

Common wisdom would be to distance vineyards away from forested areas to avoid any predator issues. At Gemtree the vineyard is planted next to the wetland to encourage rather than discourage biodiversity. Since the wetland was created a common local moth pest has not again been a problem as it has provided a suitable habitat for the moth’s predators. Bad news for moths but good news for wine consumers in that while Gemtree is no doubt a leader in the wine trade for biodiversity and sustainability their wines are also exceptional and very well priced. 

By Angus Hughson

Stories You Might Also Like

Little bottles of joy – JJ Prum style

Little bottles of joy - JJ Prum style

View
A long way from home at Apricus Hill

A long way from home at Apricus Hill

View
The Provence rosé revolution

The Provence rosé revolution

View
Penfolds Collection 2020

Penfolds Collection 2020

View
Seppeltsfield Luxury Releases 2020

Seppeltsfield Luxury Releases 2020

View
Wine Grapes, how did they get here?

Wine Grapes, how did they get here?

View
Margaret River’s latest rising star

Margaret River's latest rising star

View
Twin Peaks – Yangarra’s Rhone Risings

Twin Peaks - Yangarra's Rhone Risings

View

SIGN UP TO WINEPILOT

Follow US

Facebook
Instagram
Youtube
Twitter

Drinks adventures podcasts

FEATURED POSTS

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
Winepilot is in Sydney, Australia.
Winepilot
So the simple question is - how good is Brokenwood Graveyard Hunter Valley Shiraz 2019? 🪦🍷96 Points good 👏👏👏 - check out the full review through the link in our bio #wine #winewriter #huntervalley #shiraz #96points #vintage2019

So the simple question is - how good is Brokenwood Graveyard Hunter Valley Shiraz 2019? 🪦🍷96 Points good 👏👏👏 - check out the full review through the link in our bio #wine #winewriter #huntervalley #shiraz #96points #vintage2019 ... See MoreSee Less

View on Facebook
·Share

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email

View Comments
  • Likes: 2
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Winepilot
Winepilot
Australia Day Drinks Sorted - Check out our wine recommendations from Brokenwood Wines Dandelion Vineyards ALDI Australia Drink Ottelia + Eat Fodder Step by Step and Mitchell Wines https://mailchi.mp/18c939227cb0/winepilot

Australia Day Drinks Sorted - Check out our wine recommendations from Brokenwood Wines Dandelion Vineyards ALDI Australia Drink Ottelia + Eat Fodder Step by Step and Mitchell Wines mailchi.mp/18c939227cb0/winepilot ... See MoreSee Less

View on Facebook
·Share

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email

View Comments
  • Likes: 5
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Winepilot
Winepilot
Every year summer brings with it a bunch of articles on why we should be drinking more riesling. Yet a lot of people are too scared to try it, holding onto memories of sickly sweet wines.⠀
⠀
@champagneandchips delves into this rumour and helps with the mystery of buying the style you like.⠀
⠀

https://winepilot.com/story/riesling-rumours/

Every year summer brings with it a bunch of articles on why we should be drinking more riesling. Yet a lot of people are too scared to try it, holding onto memories of sickly sweet wines.⠀
⠀
@champagneandchips delves into this rumour and helps with the mystery of buying the style you like.⠀
⠀

winepilot.com/story/riesling-rumours/
... See MoreSee Less

View on Facebook
·Share

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email

View Comments
  • Likes: 4
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Load more

WINE CELLARING PARTNER

MEET YOUR PILOTS

Angus Hughson

Angus Hughson

Jeni Port

Jeni Port

Tony Love

Tony Love

Jane Skilton

Jane Skilton

Ken Gargett

Ken Gargett

Melissa Moore

Melissa Moore

Ray Jordan

Ray Jordan

Annette Lacey MW

Annette Lacey MW

Morgan Dunn

Morgan Dunn

Nicole Bilson

Nicole Bilson

Dave Brookes

Dave Brookes

Shanteh Wong

Shanteh Wong

Matt Dunne

Matt Dunne

Erin Larkin

Erin Larkin

Andrea Infimo

Andrea Infimo

James Atkinson

James Atkinson

Regan Drew

Regan Drew

Simon Curkovic

Simon Curkovic

Andrew Graham

Andrew Graham

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on pinterest
Share on linkedin
Share on tumblr
Share on whatsapp
Share on email
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
  • Voyager Estate MJW Chardonnay 2018
  • The Hare and the Tortoise Pinot Gris 2020
  • Tread Softly Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2020

ABOUT US

To help you drink better every time, Winepilot is your good times passport – a personal drinks guide to the greatest sips and nips from Australia and around the globe.

OUR NETWORK

Drinks Adventures
Australian Wine Vintages   
Wine Intuition

Envelope
Twitter
Instagram
Facebook

WINEPILOT WANTS YOU!

Join the Winepilot community
today for your one-way ticket to better drinks.

© 2020 WINEPILOT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

TERMS & CONDITIONS | PRIVACY POLICY

Welcome to Winepilot.com

Winepilot is your ticket to better drinks. We are out and about in the bars, wineries and breweries every day checking out what's good and not so good so you don't have to. Sign up now and get onboard for your trip through through our world of the best drinks everyday.

Check out our latest reviews
John
Smith
[email protected]

Never see this message again.