Greg Cooley Wines

About this Cellar

Originally from Brisbane, Greg followed the traditional path to winemaking via accountancy, fraud squad, corporate investigations, running a Wendy’s Supa Sundaes franchise and then selling residential property!  In 2001 he was drawn to the Clare Valley to live and work in one of the best wine regions in Australia, undertaking external studies in Wine Science.

Since then he’s established a boutique, but successful stable of wines, with reds made at Reilly’s Wines at Leasingham and his white wines made at Kirrihill Wines.   Reds are made in the traditional method - open fermented; hand-plunged; basket pressed and then matured in predominantly new French and American Oak barrels.  For whites, only free run juice is used.

There are some 16 wines in the portfolio including Sparkling red and white, Chardonnay, Riesling, Rose, Shiraz, Cabernet, Cabernet Shiraz, Cabernet Merlot, Merlot, Pinot, Port, Sangiovese, Reserve Shiraz, Reserve Cabernet and a Reserve Chardonnay. 

Each of Greg’s wines are named after people who’ve been of influence to him in his 47 years and their influence is as varied as the wine styles.  From the famous author Monica McInerney (a Clare girl) to his Greyhound Vet Graham Beh, each wine has it’s own story and he openly shares these stories in good humour at his regular wine lunches. 

Greg Cooley Wines donates $1.00 per bottle sold to a diverse range of charities including RSPCA; Fred Hollows Foundation; Operation Smile, Youngcare, The Smith Family and the Leukemia Foundation.  Greg lives in the small village of Penwortham with his partner Kelli and pet greyhounds Mickey and Midnight.

Top 5 wines from this winery

1. 2005 “Bennett & Byrne” Reserve Shiraz

2. 2006 “Bennett & Byrne” Reserve Shiraz

3. 2005 “Monica, Macca & Moo” Shiraz

4. 2006 “Dopity Brownhill” Sparkling Shiraz

5. 2007 “Day Day & Chippa” Sangiovese

Upcoming series of wine lunches

Townsville            Saturday 8 November

Townsville            Sunday 9 November

Brisbane                Saturday 15 November

Brisbane                Sunday 16 November

Brisbane                Wednesday 19 November (Wine dinner)

Brisbane                Saturday 22 November

Brisbane                Sunday 23 November

Toowoomba          Saturday 29 November

Brisbane                                Sunday 30 November