Pooley Wines

Pooley Wines was established in 1985 when Denis and Margaret Pooley purchased 16 hectares in the Coal River Valley as a retirement project, drawn by the prospect of working a cool-climate site in southern Tasmania. The first vintage was released in 1989, launching what has become one of Tasmania's most celebrated wine estates. Three generations of the Pooley family have shaped the winery through its first four decades, with the second generation taking over operational responsibility in the 2000s and a fourth generation now involved. Margaret Pooley became Australia's oldest female vigneron before retiring in 2010, having seen the estate grow from a small retirement project into one of the country's most acclaimed cool-climate producers. Anna Pooley, recognised as one of Wine Business Magazine's Top 50 Most Influential Wine People in 2009 and Australian Young Winemaker of the Year in 2010, returned to the estate as winemaker in 2013 after gaining experience at premium estates in Australia and Europe. A second vineyard, Butcher's Hill, was established in 2003, expanding the estate to its current 18 hectares and adding a more elevated, structured site to complement the original Cooinda Vale plantings.

• Founded 1985 by Denis and Margaret Pooley as a retirement project; first vintage 1989
• Three generations of Pooley family involvement; fourth generation now joining the estate
• Butcher's Hill vineyard added in 2003, expanding the estate to 18 hectares
• Anna Pooley returned as winemaker in 2013; Australian Young Winemaker of the Year 2010

The Pooley estate comprises two distinct vineyard sites totaling 18 hectares within the Coal River Valley sub-region. Cooinda Vale, the original 12-hectare site planted by Denis and Margaret Pooley, sits at 130 metres above sea level on north-facing slopes. Butcher's Hill, established in 2003, accounts for the remaining 6 hectares on a more elevated site with greater diurnal range. Both vineyards are situated in the Coal River Valley, where soils consist of brown-black dermosol over decaying sandstone with friable clay subsoil, high in natural acidity and associated with the alluvial plains and river terraces of the Coal River. The cool maritime climate, moderated by the broader Tasmanian rain-shadow effect, provides long growing seasons extending into May, high sunshine hours, and predominantly winter rainfall of approximately 450 to 550 millimetres annually. The vineyards are protected from prevailing winds but can experience occasional frost and snow in the dormant season. Pooley is Tasmania's first and only fully accredited environmentally certified sustainable vineyard, a classification that underpins the family's approach to viticulture and winemaking.

• Cooinda Vale: 12 hectares at 130 metres elevation; Butcher's Hill: 6 hectares at higher elevation with greater diurnal range
• Brown-black dermosol soils over decaying sandstone with friable clay subsoil; high natural acidity
• Cool maritime climate with long growing season extending into May; rainfall 450 to 550 millimetres annually
• Tasmania's first and only fully accredited environmentally certified sustainable vineyard

Pooley Wines focuses on varieties well-suited to the cool Coal River Valley climate. The estate grows Pinot Noir, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Syrah, and Gewurztraminer. The house style prioritises purity, detail, and elegance, producing refined cool-climate expressions that reflect the site's distinctive terroir. Pooley Riesling is among the estate's most distinguished wines, dry, taut, and citrus-driven with crushed stone mineral character that compares to top Mosel and Clare Valley examples. Pinot Noir from Cooinda Vale shows red cherry, forest floor, and fine ferrous tannins; the single-vineyard Butcher's Hill Pinot Noir adds greater structural concentration. Chardonnay leans toward restraint and mineral tension with lean barrel-fermented expressions. Winemaking is led by Anna Pooley alongside co-winemaker Justin Bubb, with viticulture overseen by Matthew Pooley.

• Pinot Noir and Riesling are the estate's signature varieties; both rank among Australia's finest cool-climate expressions
• Cool-climate style emphasises purity, detail, and elegance
• Winemaking team: Anna Pooley and Justin Bubb; viticulture by Matthew Pooley
• Gewurztraminer and Syrah reflect the estate's experimental range alongside the core Pinot, Chardonnay, and Riesling portfolio

Pooley Wines has earned a consistent run of national recognition over the past decade. The estate was named 2023 Winery of the Year by the Halliday Wine Companion, the most prestigious annual award in Australian wine. Pooley ranked the ninth top winery in Australia by The Real Review in 2021, having ranked thirteenth in 2020. In 2012, the estate won the Tasmanian Vineyard of the Year Award. Beyond wine accolades, Pooley holds the distinction of being Tasmania's first and only fully accredited environmentally certified sustainable vineyard, a classification that underpins the estate's approach to both viticulture and winemaking. The cellar door operates from the heritage-listed Belmont Estate in Richmond, one of Tasmania's most historically significant convict-era buildings, and the property also offers luxury accommodation at Prospect Country House.

• 2023 Winery of the Year, Halliday Wine Companion
• Ranked #9 Top Winery in Australia, The Real Review (2021)
• 2012 Tasmanian Vineyard of the Year Award winner
• Cellar door at heritage-listed Belmont Estate in Richmond; luxury accommodation at Prospect Country House

The Pooley Wines cellar door operates from the heritage-listed Belmont Estate in Richmond, a building dating to the 1830s and one of Tasmania's most historically significant convict-era structures. Belmont Estate sits within Richmond, Tasmania's third-oldest town and one of Australia's most intact Georgian-era settlements, with the 1823 to 1825 Richmond Bridge (Australia's oldest stone bridge still in use), the 1830s Richmond Gaol museum, and the historic Richmond Arms hotel anchoring the township's heritage character. The cellar door experience combines the Pooley wine portfolio with the architectural and historical significance of Belmont Estate, creating one of Tasmania's most distinctive wine tourism destinations. The estate also offers luxury accommodation at Prospect Country House, allowing visitors to extend their experience beyond a single day. The combination of premium wine, heritage architecture, and proximity to Hobart (approximately 25 kilometres away) has made Pooley a key anchor of the Coal River Valley wine tourism circuit, drawing visitors interested in both the wine and the broader heritage and natural attractions of southern Tasmania.

• Cellar door at the heritage-listed Belmont Estate in Richmond; building dates to the 1830s
• Richmond is Tasmania's third-oldest town and one of Australia's most intact Georgian-era settlements
• Estate offers luxury accommodation at Prospect Country House; extends single-day visits into overnight stays
• Combination of premium wine, heritage architecture, and proximity to Hobart anchors the Coal River Valley wine tourism circuit