Commune of Buttons

The Buttons family vineyard, planted in the early in 1990s, sits in the idyllic, tree-filled Basket Range region of the Adelaide Hills. It’s here, in the epicentre of Australia’s lo-fi wine movement, that siblings Sophie and Jasper have progressed their mother’s early work to create a label that strives for transparency and unpretentiousness. The resulting wines are vibrant and delicious and speak of site above all else.

Returning home from intrepid travels in 2013, Jasper, after meeting (and subsequently working with) Anton van Klopper of Lucy M fame, recognised his vineyard’s latent potential and aligned himself with a hands-off winemaking philosophy. He, along with his sister Sophie, decided to transition to organic farming practices and today the pair shape some of Australia’s most engaging wines.

The focus is mainly on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, both of which make up most of the family’s plantings, with Nebbiolo now also in the mix. In the winery, a varying percentage of whole bunches are employed (depending on the vintage) and gentle macerations are championed to preserve clarity. Low levels of sulphur are used to stabilise the wines, which are aged in seasoned barriques and stainless steel. Bottling occurs by hand at the source.