Pooley Pinot Noir 2018

This week we continue our run of wines from Australian pedigree wineries with one of the countries finest producers of Pinot Noir from the excellent Tasmanian sub region of Coal River. The winery is the family owned Pooley Estate that is run by sister and brother duo Anna (winemaker) and Matt (viticulturist) Pooley. We rank these guys in the top two Pinot Noir producers in Tasmania and the top five nationally. Like most great Pinot Noir producers, these wines are grown and made in tiny quantities and sell out every year. We now have access to these, ready to ship from July 1.

Anna and Matt’s grandparents planted the original Cooinda vineyard in the Coal River Valley in 1985, well before serious viticulture was a thing in Tasmania. Matt was a child when he helped his grandfather turn the soils for the planting and has since gone on to plant the Butchers Hill vineyard (2003) near the picturesque town of Richmond, taking the total Pooley vineyard area to 16 hectares.

Both vineyards sit in the esteemed Coal River Valley sub-region. It is only 30 minutes North-West of Hobart and is a small area that is proving perfect to grow Pinot Noir in Australia. The reasons are that it is cool, sunny and dry with a sloping terrain. The coolness means that it gets a long, even growing season allowing perfect flavor development. The sun also allows ripening while the dry climate means that the vines are free from disease pressure. Pooley have been pioneers in this region with Anna crafting world class wines that convey the terroir.

The Pinots of Coal River have richness, power, structure and generosity. They are dark in the glass for Pinot Noir, and are dark in their fruit flavours. Whilst there is power, there is also a supple and silk like texture. We think that Coal River and the south east corner of Tasmania is home to some of the most exciting Tasmanian Pinot and is where Pinot lovers should be looking in the future.

The 2018 Pinot Noir is a blend of the Pooley vineyards. If you’re interested in sourcing some of the single vineyards, reach out and we will coordinate. This wine is a great introduction to the winery, the region and some ‘earlier’ drinking Pinot Noir. It is delicious straight out of the gates and will drink well for the next three years. The flavours are intense fresh cherry, raspberry, cranberry, tart plum, vanilla, cream, pepper and cold black tea. The palate is medium bodied, supple and juicy.

We hope you enjoy the wines. If you are heading to Hobart, a visit to Coal River, the town of Richmond and the Pooley cellar door are a must. When you go, feel free to reach out to us for some tips along the way.

Cheers,

Tom and Dan