Matthew Pooley
Natural Leader
As a teenager, Matthew Pooley helped plant the family vineyard. More than 30 years later, he’s turned it into a huge success story in Tasmanian wine.
When a young Matt helped his grandfather plant the family vineyard in 1985, he set the course for the rest of his life. Now the viticulturist for the award-winning Pooley Wines, Matt is a leader in sustainable growing and a passionate producer of refined, cool-climate wines. Alongside his sister Anna, the winemaker, he’s building on the family’s legacy and helping to share Tasmania’s brilliance with the world.
Building a wine dynasty
The Coal River Valley in southern Tasmania is a haven for fresh produce and fine wine, and Matt wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. After studying farm management in Victoria, he returned to the region in 1994 to run the family’s property. He honed his winemaking skills at Tasmania’s first contract winemaking company before turning his attention to growing the family wine business.
These days it’s more of a family affair than ever, with Matt managing the vineyards and his sister Anna, a rising star in the winemaking world, handling things in the winery. Her husband Justin makes wine alongside her. Together, they continue the family philosophy of crafting wines that reflect their unique environment, while pushing the limits of quality.
“It’s certainly a long tradition that I’m very proud to be involved in, and to know that it’s been the building blocks that my grandparents started and have continued, my father’s continued and hopefully my children will be able to continue as well,” says Matt.
Among the pristine wilderness of this unique island, a major focus for Matt is sustainability. In 2013 he won a scholarship to travel and study sustainable management in small, cool-climate vineyards around the world, and he’s now a leading voice in Tasmania on growing grapes in an environmentally and economically sustainable way.
It’s an important part of the Pooley Wines story that’s all about Tasmanian wine at its best. Matt and Anna’s wines are highly acclaimed and in 2018 the siblings were finalists in the Gourmet Traveller WINE Winemaker of the Year awards.
“We focus on a lot of small details and we’re prepared to go that extra mile to maintain quality and pursue perfection,” says Matt.
“Nothing is achieved without hard work – and passion behind that. I’d like to be remembered for the hard work and the pioneering efforts that I’ve put into the industry here in Tassie.”
“We focus on a lot of small details and we're prepared to go that extra mile to maintain quality and pursue perfection.”
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