A star in the making 

In 1985 Anna’s grandparents planted 17 rows of vines in Southern Tasmania’s Coal River Valley. From those early days, Anna was hooked. She loved the activity, excitement and sense of community around making wine. Over time the family expanded the estate and established a second vineyard, and Anna’s grandmother Margaret remained chief executive of the original Cooinda Vale Vineyard well into her 90s. 

Anna’s early enthusiasm never left her. After school she headed to the mainland to study winemaking in South Australia. Her talent meant she was in high demand when she finished her studies in 2003, and her first job was at world-renowned winery Wolf Blass in the Barossa Valley. From there she racked up an impressive list of experiences, working in Austria and Italy’s Tuscany, and for big names back home including Penfolds, Rosemount and Yellowglen. She became a specialist in cool-climate winemaking with a focus on white and sparkling wines. 

Opportunity led Anna to South Australia when she took on the job of winemaker for Treasury Wine Estate’s iconic Tasmanian brands, Heemskerk and Abel’s Tempest. Her star was on the rise. She won a series of awards and accolades including being named as one of the Wine Business Magazine Top 50 Most Influential Wine People of 2009 and Australian Young Winemaker of the Year by the Wine Society in 2010. In 2012, Anna completed the exclusive Len Evans Tutorial, the holy grail of wine industry programs. 

It was a rapid rise which she says was only possible with the support of the wine community. “There’s so many talented people, that’s the beauty of this community in Australia,” she says. “We are all so closely connected. If you need help with something, it’s as simple as picking up the phone or trying someone’s wine and asking a question. Everyone’s free and open with knowledge and advice... We share a common passion and that’s a beautiful thing.”

Back to the beginning

In 2013 Anna returned to where it all began and became winemaker at Pooley Wines alongside her winemaker husband Justin Bubb. For the first time, Pooley Wines were made entirely by family hands, from grape to glass. Anna’s brother Matt manages the vineyards and together they continue the family philosophy of making wines that reflect their unique environment, while pushing the quality of the grapes and the wines even further. Anna’s winemaking approach: “Keep it simple, really keep the winemaking to what’s absolutely required so that what you get in the vineyard is what you see in the glass,” she says. 

Today Pooley Wines are winning awards and fans wherever they are poured. Anna continues to hone her craft, learning more about the soils, climate and grapes, and helping to build the reputation of the family winery and the Tasmanian wine community.

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