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.
Pooley Spring Releases
2023 Pinot Grigio
Varietal/s: Pinot Grigio
GI: Coal River Valley, Tasmania.
Alcohol: 13.3%
PH: 3.1
TA: 9 g/L
Production: 26,178 bottles
Residual Sugar: 0 g/L
Bottled: 5th August 2023
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.
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.
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.
Optimal Drinking: 2023-2028
2022 Cooinda Vale Chardonnay
Varietal/s: Chardonnay
Alcohol: 12.5%
GI: Tasmania, Australia
TA: 7.4 g/L
PH: 3.15
Clone/s: Penfolds, I10V1
Yield: 5.5 T/Ha
Baume: 12
Harvest Date: 29th March 2022
Bottle Date: 15th February 2023
Production: 4150 bottles
Vinification
Hand-picked, chilled to 5 degrees overnight. Whole bunch pressed to tank, then put to barrel the next morning. Wild, barrel fermentation for 20 days. 8 months maturation in 35% new French oak barriques (80% Marcel Cadet and 20% St Martin). Transferred to tank for 2 months with minimal lees stirring. 40% malolactic fermentation.
Vineyard
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
Soft aromas of green apple, buttered toast, and grapefruit perfume the nose. The palate is generous with notes of stone fruit, beeswax and lemon with nashi pear. Beautifully balanced with a long finish.
Optimal Drinking: 2023 - 2038
2022 Cooinda Vale Pinot Noir
Varietal/s: Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 13.1%
GI: Tasmania, Australia
TA: 6.0g/L
PH: 3.61
Clone/s: 114, 115, Pommard, Abel
Yield: 6.5 T/Ha
Baume: 12.5
Harvest Date: 1st April to 12th April 2022
Bottle Date: March 23rd 2023
Production: 8920 bottles
Vinification
Hand-picked. Wild fermentation (10% whole bunch blended from Oronsay ferment) for 16 days with 7 days post-ferment maceration. Matured in 30% new French oak barriques (Cavin & St Martin - Fine grain, 36 months seasoning, medium toast) for 11 months.
Vineyard
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
A wondrous display of fragrance with stewed fruits, liquorice and charred wood and subtle spice characters. The palate offers great intensity with red currants, sour raspberry and white pepper. The oak and tannin integrate seamlessly into a silky finish.
Optimal Drinking: 2023 - 2033
