More than 40km south of Adelaide by the old road, McLaren Vale has attracted winemakers, vignerons and visionaries for more than 180 years. Already a major wine region in the 1880s it was a century later that Paul and Jill Buttery purchased a plot of land named Gemtree off the narrow gum-lined track that is Elliot Road.
Some 14 years after establishing the vineyards, Melissa (Jill’s daughter) not only worked the vineyards but became a qualified viticulturalist, a well-regarded expert in biodynamic and organic farming and married a boy called Mike Brown, who is now Gemtree’s chief winemaker and managing director.
After much trial, error, grit, determination and some choice swear words, Melissa was determined to farm all of Gemtree’s blocks organically. Gemtree earned full organic certification in 2011.
Mike Brown （Managing Director/Chief Winemaker ）
Mike “The Chief” Brown is the managing director of Gemtree, where he does everything from making the wine to wearing out shoe leather during his travels from Queenstown to Quebec, sharing the stories of his McLaren Vale wines.
In the year 2000 in a small French café, Mike and Melissa decided to have a crack at making wines from the family vineyards. Mike is immensely proud of what he and Melissa have built since.
For more information, please go to their website: