Pure class wines from the Basket Range
There is a bit of a debate amongst wine growers and journalists about the state of the natural wine scene in Australia. After the initial explosive impact of groups of young growers making and marketing their wines in an iconoclastic way and bringing in a new generation of thirsty wine drinkers, there has been a critical rowing back. The quality of farming and the sourcing and selection of grapes has come under increasing scrutiny. Low-intervention winemaking depends on the quality of the material and perhaps this has been neglected over the years and winemakers are churning out glouglou styles that are pleasant enough but lack real personality.
The Commune of Buttons wines illustrate that hands-on proactive vine farming can result in cracking, low-intervention, terroir-eloquent whites and reds.
The Button story is rooted in the Basket Range within the greater Adelaide Hills, where Jasper and his sister Sophie returned after time abroad to help revive their family’s 30-year-old vineyard. Originally planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay by their mother, the farm had primarily sold its grapes to other producers.
The Commune of Buttons wines illustrate that hands-on proactive vine farming can result in cracking, low-intervention, terroir-eloquent whites and reds.
But when Jasper and Sophie took over, they saw an opportunity to reshape the farm’s future, shifting towards organic and biodynamic practices. Their early days in winemaking were influenced by the surrounding community, especially local legends like Anton von Klopper, James Erskine, and Taras Ochota of Ochota Barrels.
It was a time of exploration, of finding their feet and the early wines reflected this mentality being immediate, juicy, and fruit-forward, very much according to the embryonic natural wine scene in Basket Range.
Though Commune of Buttons’ first releases were small and almost experimental (as were the wines from so many growers in this region), Jasper’s approach became more nuanced. His curiosity and desire to push the boundaries of what natural wine could be led him to a more considered, self-reflective style of winemaking.
“We spend so much time working in the vines, and that’s where it all starts for me. To make good wine, the vineyard has to be looked after in a particular way. The love you put in is the love you get back.” ~ Jasper Button
It’s been thirty years since the first vines were put in the ground at the Commune of Buttons property in Fernglen in the Basket Range. What was previously farming land is now home to 3.5 hectares of vines planted predominantly to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Twenty years later, siblings Jasper and Sophie started bottling their own wine and their family’s label was born. Now, Commune of Buttons is one of Australia’s benchmark estates for all that is good about natural wine. And for good reason; not only is the vineyard managed to the highest standards, but the winemaking is thoughtful and deliberate, born from over a decade’s experience with the site.
Commune of Buttons is one of Australia’s benchmark estates for all that is good about natural wine.
Jasper Button is now solely responsible for the 4.2 hectares of vines managed by the commune and following the wines from vine to bottle. The hard yards are put in first in the vineyard, Jasper’s viticultural approach incorporates organic and biodynamic practices; soil regeneration through cultivation and applications of mulch, teas and BD composts and preps; green and regenerative pruning; and dry farming in mature vines. The vineyards are low yielding, averaging out at just six tonnes per hectare. Jasper also sources a small volume of fruit from like-minded, organic growers in the cool Piccadilly Valley adjacent to Basket Range.
In the cellar, Jasper draws on his experiences in Europe—old-world vinification philosophies with new-world fruit. Vintages spent in Piemonte, Burgundy, Jura and Beaujolais have informed the direction of the Commune of Buttons wines—picking on natural acidity; gentle slow extractions; cool fermentations; and minimal racking form the cornerstone of the stylistic expression. Importantly, all the wines are bottled via gravity onsite, and when it comes to additions, sulphur is only added when absolutely necessary, and levels never exceed 20 ppm. This is obviously only possible thanks to the attention to detail paid in the vineyard and at every point in the cellar.
He says that his wines have evolved over the years. “When we started, we were really into whole bunch fermentation, inspired by winemakers from Burgundy and Beaujolais. But we found that didn’t always work for our soils. Over time, we scaled that back and now focus on long, cool fermentations with gentle extraction,” he says. The result is purity of flavour that’s unmistakable, with wines that feel more precise, less wild, but still full of life.
While Pinot Noir was the vineyard’s initial calling card, Chardonnay has since become an integral part of the identity of Commune of Buttons. With parcels sourced from their Basket Range vineyard as well as leased blocks in the cooler Piccadilly Valley, Jasper’s Chardonnays have developed a reputation for their balance of texture, complexity, and brightness. Jasper makes up to five iterations of this grape, dependent on the vintage.
“We’re lucky to have such diverse sites for Chardonnay…The amphitheatre-like shape of our vineyard creates these beautiful growing conditions where the vines stay cool in the mornings and warm up slowly during the day. It gives the wines this lovely natural acidity and ripeness that plays off each other perfectly.” ~ Jasper Button
The grapes for the Chardonnay are hand-picked in early March across two parcels of fruit on the north and east-facing aspects of the vineyard. After cooling overnight, the grapes are whole-cluster direct pressed, and the juice is settled in tank for 12 hours before being racked into 600-litre French demi-muid barrels where fermentation occurs ambiently with indigenous yeasts. Elevage in the same barrels for 11 months on full lees with some stirring. No filtration nor fining takes place with 20ppm of sulphur added at bottling. The Chardonnay has a characteristic yellow stone fruit acidity, it is round and luscious but still carries enough acidity and minerality for balance and complexity.
Gloria Pinot Noir comes from the home vineyard from 30-year-old dry-farmed vines on red clay over sandstone and quartz at 350 m above sea level. The fruit is chilled overnight and transferred to 2500-litre fibreglass and 2000-litre Jarrah vats. 90% of the fruit is destemmed and gentle pumpovers are carried out over the first three weeks. About 15% of the grapes were direct pressed and the juice poured over the ferments The wine is matured in 1800 litre foudre for 11 months before being bottled. The wine is bright, acid driven and red fruited, it has a lighter frame than a classic red Pinot from the rose addition during ferment but still has tannin complexity and structure in the finish.
2021 Chardonnay
2021 Gloria Pinot Noir
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