Mr Mart in Cooper, former McWilliam’s Group Senior Winemaker has embarked upon a new wine venture by creating his own company – Cooper Coffman Wine Company, which includes the former Hamilton’s Winery at Eden Valley.
Created during a chance meeting at a Sydney dinner party between Mr Martin Cooper and Investment Banker, Mr Chris Coffman, Cooper Coffman Wine Company was created to strategically focus on producing an internationally successful portfolio of authentic wines.

At a time when large corporations are consolidating and rationalising, Cooper Coffman Wine Company is focused on developing wine brands of the highest possible quality standards using purpose built small scale winery infrastructure.
Mr Martin Cooper, Chief Winemaker and Managing Director says, “We are challenging the current wine culture of mass produced, global wine brands, by offering exceptional wine styles of substance made without compromise.”

Since its inception less than 12 months ago, Cooper Coffman Wine Company has quickly developed into a dynamic wine company, including a talented team of over 20 employees and significant wine assets in the Eden Valley (SA) and Tumbarumba (NSW).
The company has also leased ACT’s most significant winery – Kamberra.

All three strategic moves have been made to fulfill the company’s vision of growing the best possible fruit from the best possible locations, but to also focus on super-premium, small batch wine production.

The company first acquired control over a rare piece of South Australia’s winemaking heritage in the Eden Valley, SA – the Hamilton’s Stonegarden Winery and Vineyard. Now renamed Eden Road, the winery and vineyard is one of the oldest wineries in Australia, first established in 1861.

the Eden Valley wines will play a significant part in building the wine portfolio of Cooper Coffman Wine Company.

At the end of 2007, Cooper Coffman Wine Company also acquired control of the formerly named Tralee vineyard in the NSW wine region of Tumbarumba. Renowned for its high altitude and true cool climate viticulture, Cooper Coffman plans to launch a series of single vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines from the 2008 vintage.

Situated in the heart of our nation’s capital, the lease of Kamberra winery will be used as a major contract processing facility servicing the heartland of the premium NSW and ACT wine districts and will be the home of Tumbarumba and Hilltops winemaking during Vintage 2008.

Wi th a marked career in the wine industry spanning 11 years, Mr Martin Cooper has established his credentials as both a notable winemaker and industry professional. At 33 years old, Martin has made wine on three different continents and over twenty different viticulture regions.

In his previous role as McWilliams Group Senior Winemaker, Martin won the prestigious Qantas Medal for Young Winemaker of the Year (2003) and was chosen as an inaugural Len Evans scholar.

Mart in is recognised as a formidable judge and has been a vocal member of the judging panel at many of the capital city Wine Shows including Royal Perth, Royal Adelaide and Royal Sydney.

For Martin, the evolution of winemaking is not about being concerned with the profit picture, but to make wines that epitomise his own idiosyncratic tastes rather than be driven by the so-called popular market place.

“This approach allows me to make very distinctive wines in limited quantities of the highest calibre and expose wine enthusiasts to the real hedonistic pleasures of wine produced without compromise,” said Martin.

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