Winner 2023 Halliday Wine Companion Winery of the Year
“Tucked into a bend of the meandering Coal River, there is a deep spirit about the quaint Cooinda Vale vineyard, still the source of Pooley’s finest wines. To winemaker Anna Pooley, sense of place is everything, “for this is where the heart and soul of wine exists.” It is the eloquent articulation of the native Tasmanian spirit of the rugged and beautiful landscapes of their Cooinda Vale and Butcher’s Hill vineyards that has elevated Pooley Wines to the pinnacle of Australian pinot noir, chardonnay and riesling…”
Tyson Stelzer, Halliday Wine Companion
About
Pooley Wines was established in 1985 when the late Denis and Margaret Pooley planted ten rows of Riesling and seven rows of Pinot Noir on their 16-hectare farm at Cooinda Vale in the Coal River Valley in southern Tasmania, and then a further second vineyard in the Coal River Valley at Richmond. Margaret Pooley remained the chief executive of Cooinda Vale Vineyard until well into her nineties. She was a hardy Scot and could be found tending vines during the coldest Tasmanian winters.
In 2003, John Pooley, son of Denis and Margaret, and his wife Libby bought Belmont, a heritage-listed Georgian home on the outskirts of Richmond. They have been lovingly renovating this second Pooley Wines Coal River Valley property, and have planted vines on nearby Butchers Hill. In 2007 the first vintage of Pinot was produced. The cellar door is housed in old sandstone stables on the Belmont property.
All the vines are tended by Matt Pooley and wines made by his sibling Anna Pooley and husband Justin Bubb.
2023 Cooinda Vale Releases
2022 Cooinda Vale Riesling
Varietal/s: Riesling
GI: Coal River Valley, Tasmania.
Clone/s: GM198, 2236
Yield: 8.0T/Ha
Harvest Date: 21st April 2022
Bottle Date: 18th August 2022
Baume: 11.5-12
Production: 3888 bottles
Alcohol: 12.03%
PH: 3.05
TA: 9.0 g/L
RS: 5.36 g/L
Vinification
Whole bunch pressed to stainless steel tank for inoculated ferment (TXL strain) over 15 days. 5 months on fine lees in tank.
Viticulture
Location: Cooinda Vale, Campania.
Appellation: Coal River Valley
Established: 1985
Elevation: 80m-100m
Soil Type: Sandy loams & sandy clay loam over impervious clay
Aspect: North-East Facing
Size: 6ha under vine
Growing Season
The lead-up to 2022 vintage included one of the wettest winters on record, a cool drying spring into summer with high humidity. All these factors led to healthy canopies and bunch numbers. The cool conditions, especially around the time of flowering resulted in some poor fruitset in earlier flowering varieties. This delivered a combination of small and large size berries to form reducing the overall yields and intake in those varieties. The vintage started a couple of days later than usual, but with the high humidity/lowered diurnal range, our late ripening varieties were picked slightly earlier than usual. Overall, a quality vintage.
Tasting Notes
Initially the nose is a little shy with fresh notes of citrus peel and blossom. The palate is typical Cooinda Vale, refined and elegant with lemon sherbet, cumquat and marmalade. Strong acid profile with a persistent finish.
Cellaring: 15+ years
Review by Gabrielle Poy, Real Review
'Delicate notes of spiced nectarines, fennel, crushed rocks and lime zest lead into a taut palate. The core is simmering with energy, fine chewy phenolics add scaffolding to the intense palate. This is seamless and flowing, an extraordinarily youthful riesling. The pedigreed fruit is allowed to shine through, thanks to judicious winemaking.'
95 Points
2023 Cooinda Vale Chardonnay
Varietal/s: Chardonnay
GI: Tasmania, Coal River Valley
Yield: 3 T/Ha
Clone/s: Penfolds, I10V1
Harvest Date: 5th April
Alcohol: 12.5%
PH: 3.25
TA: 7.8 g/L
RS: 0 g/L
Bottle Date: 18th February 2024
Production: 3,733 bottles.
Vineyard
Location: Campania, Tasmania
Appellation: Coal River Valley
Established: 1985
Elevation: 80m-100m
Soil Type: Sandy loams & sandy clay loam over impervious clay
Aspect: North-East Facing
Size: 16ha under vine
Growing Season
The 2023 growing season started with budburst in September and continued with flowering in November. This year, we experienced a lot of wind and rain during flowering which makes for very challenging conditions. Between October and December 2022, there was 230mm of rainfall at both of our vineyard sites. It resulted in poor fruit set, and an overall reduction in yield for the season. Late December saw the rain disappear, leading away from the La Nina weather pattern and towards a drier, warmer El Nino period. It was a mild summer with no extremes of heat, whilst remaining warm. This is great for steady and slow development of flavour, acid, sugar, and tannin. All the elements that make for great quality wine.
Vinification
Fruit was handpicked and cooled to 5 degrees overnight. Fruit was whole bunch pressed the following morning with hard pressings separated. Following day juice was inoculated with CHD yeast and transferred to barrel. Primary fermentation lasted for 20 days. The wine saw 50% MLF completed. The wine saw 40% new French oak barriques which are Marcel Cadet barrels from D&J. The wine was matured for 8 months in barrel. It then spent 6 weeks in tank prior to bottling. No fining but filtered.
Tasting Notes
A Cooinda Vale Chardonnay to go down in the history books, aromas of roasted almond, fresh butter, sea spray and jasmine. The palate leads in to the signature grapefruit pith and mandarin, brought together with creme brulee, macadamia, apricot, preserved lemon and a tight acid line.
Cellaring Potential
15 + years (from vintage)
Winefront Review by Gary Walsh
Posted on 23 August 2024
'Gee, Pooley are in peak form at present, and it’s so nice to taste these wines again. I would have loved to have tried this alongside the 2023 Butcher’s Hill, review here, tasted last month, though I’ll just have to dig into my Rainman-like powers of recall. Excellent Chardonnay. Curiously, perhaps, it takes me about five to ten minutes to taste a wine, and write a review. Or at least that’s the case for a wine I have no questions about, where the quality is so clear, that the fingers fairly fly over the keyboard. Let it roll, baby roll.
It has a fair amount of flinty struck match, pink grapefruit, white nectarine, white flower and fennel tip perfume, cashew and spicy cinnamon oak. It lights up the palate, it crackles with energy, but also has some umami flavours, a light chicken broth, oatmeal, that kind of thing, has a certain juiciness too, and offers plenty of salted cashew and stony things on a finish of superb length. It’s such a good and interesting expression of Chardonnay. Tight, yes, but delivers heaps of flavour. Unreal.'
96 Points
2023 Cooinda Vale Pinot Noir
Varietal/s: Pinot Noir
GI: Tasmania, Coal River Valley
Yield: 3.5 T/Ha
Clone/s: 115, Pommard, Abel, 2051
Harvest Date: 26th March - 10th April
Alcohol: 12.5%
PH: 3.60
TA: 5.9g/L
RS: 0 g/L
Bottle Date: 18th March 2024
Production: 8,800 bottles
Vineyard
Location: Campania, Tasmania
Appellation: Coal River Valley
Established: 1985
Elevation: 80m-100m
Soil Type: Sandy loams & sandy clay loam over impervious clay
Aspect: North-East Facing
Size: 16ha under vine
Growing Season
The 2023 growing season started with budburst in September and continued with flowering in November. This year, we experienced a lot of wind and rain during flowering which makes for very challenging conditions. Between October and December 2022, there was 230mm of rainfall at both of our vineyard sites. It resulted in poor fruit set, and an overall reduction in yield for the season. Late December saw the rain disappear, leading away from the La Nina weather pattern and towards a drier, warmer El Nino period. It was a mild summer with no extremes of heat, whilst remaining warm. This is great for steady and slow development of flavour, acid, sugar, and tannin. All the elements that make for great quality wine.
Vinification
Fruit was handpicked except for Block 10. Most ferments were 100% destemmed fruit but a 100% whole bunch ferment was carried out on Abel clone. 15% of this was used in the final blend. Fermentation was carried out for 15-25 days with gentle extraction through modest pumper regime. Ferment was inoculated with XR Grand Rouge. The wine was matured for 11 months in French oak barriques of which 30% were new. Barrels used were CAVIN and St Martin. No fining but filtered.
Tasting Notes
Classic Cooinda Vale, elegant, poised and precise. Delightful aromas of cherry ripe and caraway precede soft raspberry jube and fennel on the palate, with orange citrus, grapefruit pith on the lingering finish.
Cellaring Potential
15 + years (from vintage)
Winefront Review by Gary Walsh
Posted on 23 August 2024
'The Tasmanian winemakers are very good at popping cans of beer as ballast into boxes of samples. Joe Holyman sometimes with the Boags Red, Peter Dredge with the odd tin of Cascade, and in this box, Justin Bubb put in a couple of cans of Birra Moretti, bless him! It’s plus one point for all winemakers who do this. Only joking, if that were the case, then this would get 97 points, though I’m kind of tempted to go there.
This is just superb. It has perfume, ripe strawberry and cherry, shows a little creamy spicy oak at this early stage, though it’s good oak and it sits well within the wine. It’s plush, yet stony and fine, concentration of fruit is outstanding, and the mouth-feel is wonderful. It’s super long. It has some gently earthy character, and that fine ‘mineral’ acidity closing it out is so nice. This is an absolute banger.'
96 Points
Estate Wines
2024 Riesling
Varietal/s: Riesling
GI: Tasmania, Coal River Valley
Yield: 6-8 T/Ha
Clone/s: D2V3, GM118, G119
Harvest Date: 28th March to 15th April
Alcohol: 13.00%
PH: 3.15
TA: 7.92 g/L
RS: 3 g/L
Bottle Date: 25th June 2024
Production: 21,971 bottles
Growing Season
Due to an unusually warm winter, 2024 growing season started 3 weeks earlier than expected. This lead to a busy end of winter for the vineyard team who did a great job getting the vines ready for the season ahead. The warmer temperatures and reduced but steady rainfall through the growing period was a contrast to V23, these optimal conditions lead to beautiful, high quality grapes. Harvesting commenced at Butcher’s Hill in early March with the House Block Pinot Noirs, and concluded with the Cordon Cut Riesling at Butcher’s Hill. Exceptional quality fruit and no pest or disease presence lead us to expect great things from the 2024 season.
Vinification
A blend of Cooinda Vale, Butcher’s Hill and select parcels from the Coal River Valley. Fruit was handpicked and cooled overnight to 5 degrees. fruit was then whole bunch pressed to tank. fermented in stainless steel and juice inoculated with TXL strain yeast. brief maturation on fine less prior to bottling.
Tasting Notes
The palate opens with candied orange zest and mandarin, clean acidity revitalises the palate and clears the way for lime cordial, apple sherbet, dry honeysuckle and white jasmine to finish off this outstanding cool-climate riesling.
Cellaring Potential
8 + years (from vintage
2023 Pinot Grigio
Varietal/s: Pinot Grigio
GI: Tasmania, Coal River Valley
Alcohol: 13.3%
PH: 3.1
TA: 9 g/L
RS: 0 g/L
Bottle Date: 5th August 2023
Production: 29,203 bottles
Growing Season
The 2023 growing season started with budburst in September and continued with flowering in November. 2023 vintage experienced a lot of wind and rain during flowering which made for very challenging conditions. Between October and December there was 230mm of rainfall on each of our vineyards. This resulted in poor fruit set, and reduction in our overall yields. Late December saw the rain ease leading away from the La Nina weather pattern and towards the warmer El Nino period. With a milder summer and no extreme heat we saw a steady and slow development of flavour, acid, sugar and tannins, bringing some amazing quality wines.
Vinification
The fruit was chilled to 5 degrees then whole-bunch pressed to tank. Cold settled and racked to tank for ferment. On fine lees for 3 months.
Tasting Note
A vibrant aroma of citrus blossom, candy apple and yuzu on the nose. Bright characters of white peach and apricot follow on the palate with subtle notes of green apple and beeswax. Strong acid and persistent length finish this lovely wine.
Cellaring Potential
Drink fresh, 5 years (from vintage)
2023 Chardonnay
Varietal/s: Chardonnay
GI: Tasmania, Coal River Valley
Yield: 5 T/Ha
Clone/s: P56, P76
Harvest Date: March 23rd
Alcohol: 13.3%
PH: 3.15
TA: 8.82 g/L
RS: 0 g/L
Bottle Date: November 8th 2023
Production: 9,333 bottles
Vinification
Fruit was cooled to 5 degrees overnight before being whole bunch pressed. Juice was fermented in tank to keep temperatures maintained at 18 degrees, then transferred to barrel at 1 Baume to finish fermentation. It remained in French oak barriques (20% new) for 7 months on full lees. 20% malolactic conversion.
Tasting Notes
Summer fruits on the nose with white peach, rockmelon and pear followed by a palate of candy apple, nectarine and toasted biscuit. Plenty of generosity and depth of character with a lean acid profile and seamlessly integrated oak.
Cellaring
Potential 8 + years (from vintage).
Winefront Review by Kasia Sobiesiak
Posted on 20 July 2024
'A Chardonnay from Pooley simply labelled the Coal River Valley.
Juicy, tongue-teasing and twisting, green melon with a sprinkle of salt and squeeze of lime. Toned well, something you’d call a great balance. Feels young and fresh, rightly so, a bit creamy, yoghurty, with cedar spice to finish, nutmeg and cinnamon. Frisky and youthful, but feels like it went to a good school and comes from a good house. Which it does!'
94 Points
2023 Pinot Noir
Varietal/s: Pinot Noir
GI: Tasmania, Coal River Valley
Yield: 5-7 T/Ha
Clone/s: MV6, 777, ABEL, 115 and 114
Harvest Date: 25th March to 15th April
Alcohol: 13%
PH: 3.6
TA: 6.10 g/L
RS: 0 g/L
Bottle Date: 1st February 2024
Production: 21,696
Vinification
A blend of Cooinda Vale and Butcher’s Hill with the addition of some smaller parcels of selected growers within the Coal River Valley. 10% whole bunch inclusion, 14-20 days on skins with minimal pump-overs. Inoculated ferment with XR yeast. Matured in a mixture of French Oak Barriques and Puncheons (10% new) for 9 months.
Tasting Notes
Bright notes of fresh raspberry, cherries and black pepper on the nose with an underlying layer of mineral and cacao. On the palate, it's persistent with generous red fruits, cedar, subtle game, and a dusting of aniseed. It's delicately balanced with fine tannin and brilliant breadth.
Cellaring Potential
8 + years (from vintage)
(Image: Anna Pooley - Pooley Wines / www.pooleywines.com.au)