Pooley Pinot Grigio 2023
Pooley Wines is a family-owned vineyard that was established in 1985 by Denis and Margaret Pooley, who planted vines on the banks of the Coal River in southern Tasmania. Initially, the vineyard was meant to be a retirement plan for the couple, but it soon turned into a passion project that flourished into a renowned premium cool-climate site. With the help of their son and grandchildren, three generations of the Pooley family have continued to bring meticulous care to their Cooinda Vale vineyard. In 2003, John Pooley and his wife Libby expanded their estate and established a second vineyard, Butcher’s Hill, with its first vintage produced in 2007. The passing of Margaret Pooley in 2010 marked a turning point for the family business, with Margaret’s granddaughter, Anna Pooley, returning to the family business in 2013. From this point onward, Pooley Wines has been made entirely by family hands. Today, more than 35 years after its establishment, Pooley Wines is recognised as one of Australia’s most renowned cool-climate producers. The Halliday Wine Companion awarded Pooley Wines the 2023 Winery of the Year, a testament to the family’s philosophy of making wines that reflect their unique environment while pushing the quality of the grapes and the wines even further. The Coal River Valley produces some of Australia’s finest wines, and Pooley Wines is at the forefront of this prestigious industry.
The Coal River Valley is a region rich in geological diversity, with alluvial soils, Permian mudstone and sandstone outcrops, Triassic sandstones, shales and coal measures, as well as numerous injections of Jurassic dolerite in pockets of the area. Tertiary basalt sediments and ferricrete deposits are also common throughout the Valley, contributing to the unique characteristics of Pooley Wines' Butchers Hill vineyard. Despite being drier than its northern and southern counterparts, the region still benefits from the surrounding Southern Ocean, providing a long ripening period moderated by a maritime climate. Pooley Wines implements a strong focus on biological farming and regenerative agricultural practices, allowing them to future-proof themselves from a changing climate while maintaining productivity and resilience.
The Butchers Hill Vineyard located in Richmond at the historic Belmont Lodge was established in 2003. The vineyard is a prominent feature to the Richmond landscape as it protrudes from the borders of the town. The steep north facing slope of this site starting from 30m-100m above sea level means that it receives some very long sunlight hours, protection from cold southern winds and increased drainage of soils. The ferricrete attribute of the soils not only hold heat and water longer as they are darker but the iron oxide also interacts with the production of flavonoids in the fruit and typically produces wines that are complex and robust. There are currently 6ha of vine planted on this property in total.
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. 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.
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.
The Finer Details
Style - White Wine
Varietal - Riesling
Country - Australia
Region - Coal River Valley, Tasmania
Vintage - 2023
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 13.3%