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, both named: Finalists 2018 GT Winemaker of The Year : Anna and Matt Pooley.