2024 Pooley Syrah, Coal River Valley

Gold at Royal Hobart Wine Show

Inky purple in the glass, with intense, appealing aromas of violet florals and white pepper over black cherry and blackberry compote and a hint of vanilla. The palate is plush with savoury edges: a silky and velvety seam of fruit supported by grainy tannins and a grippy graphite finish. Delicious. Drink 2025 to 2033.

95 points Melissa Moore for The Real Review, November 2025

Pooley Wines was established in 1985 when Denis and Margaret Pooley planted ten rows of Riesling and seven rows of Pinot Noir on their farm at Cooinda Vale in the Coal River Valley — a retirement project that quietly became one of Tasmania's most admired wine estates. Three generations of the family have shaped it since, with winemaker Anna Pooley now at the helm, bringing precision and a deep sense of place to everything produced under the label.

Pooley Wines was established in 1985 when Denis and Margaret Pooley planted ten rows of Riesling and seven rows of Pinot Noir on their farm at Cooinda Vale in the Coal River Valley — a retirement project that quietly became one of Tasmania's most admired wine estates. Three generations of the family have shaped it since, with winemaker Anna Pooley now at the helm, bringing precision and a deep sense of place to everything produced under the label.

Syrah is not a given in Tasmania. The variety needs a well-chosen site and a season willing to cooperate, and when both align the results can be striking. The Coal River Valley — drier and sunnier than most of the island — gives this wine its ripeness, while the cool nights preserve the aromatic precision that defines the style. Violet florals and ripe dark fruits on the nose, with fennel seed and a thread of white pepper adding savoury complexity. The palate is generous and polished, with dark cherry, plum and a chalky mineral grip carrying through to a long, driven finish.

A wine with genuine cellaring potential, though already showing well. Good company for duck confit, a slow-roasted lamb shoulder or a firm aged cheese at the end of an unhurried evening.