2025 Pooley Butchers Hill Chardonnay, Coal River Valley

Butcher's Hill is one of two estate vineyards in the Coal River Valley, and this single vineyard Chardonnay reflects the site's natural affinity for structure and depth. The north-facing block sits on dolerite and sandstone soils — the same geological foundation that underpins many of Tasmania's most celebrated vineyard sites. Hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed and barrel fermented in French oak with partial malolactic fermentation, the winemaking is restrained and deliberate, building texture without sacrificing the acid line that gives this wine its future.

Peach, nectarine and citrus on the nose, with toasted almond and a pastry richness that settles with time in the glass. The palate is seamless and mineral-driven, with a crystalline focus and an umami-rich mid-palate coiling through to a long, stony finish.

Production is small and these wines move quickly. The winery's own cellaring guidance is fifteen years or more from vintage. A serious wine if you’re patient though already compelling if you can't resist. Suits a butter-poached lobster, roasted pork with apple and fennel, or a good truffled brie at the end of a meal worth remembering.