Pooley Cooinda Vale Chardonnay 2023
Product Information:
The 2023 Cooinda Vale Chardonnay is in top form, showcasing a sumptuous nose of roasted almond, fresh butter, sea spray, and jasmine. This elegant aromatic profile is followed by the signature grapefruit pith and mandarin notes, seamlessly blended with flavours of crème brûlée, macadamia, apricot, and salted lemon. A racy acid line brings everything together, creating a poised and vibrant finish.
The fruit was handpicked and cooled to 5°C overnight, ensuring optimal freshness. The following morning, the fruit was whole-bunch pressed, with the hard pressings separated. The juice was inoculated with CHD yeast and transferred to barrel, where primary fermentation lasted for 20 days. The wine underwent 50% malolactic fermentation (MLF) and was matured in 40% new French oak barriques from Marcel Cadet barrels (D&J) for 8 months. After maturing in barrel, the wine spent an additional 6 weeks in tank prior to bottling. No fining was performed, but the wine was filtered for clarity.
Maker:
Pooley Wines is a family-owned vineyard that has been crafting exceptional cool-climate wines since 1985. Founded by Denis and Margaret Pooley on the banks of the Coal River in Tasmania, the vineyard has flourished under the care of three generations of the Pooley family. In 2003, John Pooley and his wife Libby expanded the estate with the addition of Butcher’s Hill Vineyard. Since 2013, Margaret’s granddaughter, Anna Pooley, has taken charge of winemaking, ensuring that Pooley Wines continues its tradition of producing premium wines with meticulous attention to detail.
Today, Pooley Wines is recognized as one of Australia’s most prestigious cool-climate producers, with the Halliday Wine Companion naming it Winery of the Year in 2023. This accolade reflects the family’s dedication to crafting wines that express the unique terroir of the Coal River Valley while constantly pushing the boundaries of quality.
The Vineyard:
Cooinda Vale Vineyard, established by the Pooley family in 1985, is situated at an elevation of 80 to 100 metres, nestled in a protected nook north of Campania. This cool-climate site is known for its continental conditions, with extreme temperature fluctuations, frequent frosts, and occasional snow. The iron-deficient grey-brown sandy loam over clay subsoils limit vine growth, encouraging the production of delicate, nuanced wines. The 2023 growing season started with challenging weather conditions during flowering but was followed by a mild and steady summer, ideal for the slow and even development of flavours, acidity, and structure in the grapes.
Nose - White Peach, Flinty Struck Match, White Flowers
It has a fair amount of flinty struck match, pink grapefruit, white nectarine, white flower and fennel tip perfume, cashew and spicy cinnamon oak.
Palate - Candy Apple, Nectarine, Toasted Biscuit
Plenty of generosity and depth of character with a lean acid profile. A palate of candy apple, nectarine and toasted biscuit.
Finish - Broth, Cashew, Stony Finish
has a certain juiciness too, and offers plenty of salted cashew and stony things on a finish of superb length.
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. - Gary Walsh, The Wine Front, 96 Points.
The Finer Details
Style - White Wine
Varietal - Chardonnay
Country - Australia
Region - Coal River Valley, Tasmania
Vintage - 2023
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 12.5%