Glenrowan
Glenrowan is one of Victoria's most historic wine regions, with production dating back to 1870. Even before Glenrowan was thrust into the annals of folklore by its association with Australia's most famous bushranger, Ned Kelly, Richard Bailey and his family established themselves in the early 1860s on their Bundarra property.
In 1866, Richard's son Varley planted vines on the rich red granite soil beneath the Warby Ranges. His fortified wines were such a success that he quickly expanded the vineyard and in the next 20 years, created a thriving local and export wine business.
This picturesque small region comprises 13 growers and seven cellar doors. Though phylloxera devastated the region in the late 1890s and early 1900s, most successful vineyards were quickly replanted with disease-resistant rootstock, and winemaking resumed. The region has a comparable climate to Rutherglen, though it has cooler temperatures in January and is generally wetter year round. The soils on the surrounding ranges are quite fertile and especially suited to vineyards and orchards. Shiraz is the main wine produced in the region, along with delightful fortified wines.
Fortifieds
Muscats and Tokays vie with those from the nearby Rutherglen region for primacy among Australia’s dessert wine styles. Some critics emphasis the finesse of the Rutherglen styles, while others prefer the sheer power of those at Glenrowan.
- The climate in Glenrowan is ideal – it is undeniably warm – and comparable to nearby Rutherglen, with which it shares a robust style of red and rich fortified wine.
- It is slightly cooler in January, drier during the growing season and wetter year round, yet has a considerably higher heat degree day summation (1567).
- The region has low rainfall probability during the ripening period, with cool night temperatures. The consistency of seasons is a real feature, delivering limited vintage variability.
- The Warby Ranges are the predominant geological formation in the region. The vineyards on their slopes are established on the well-drained, fertile, deep red clay and loamy clay soils that result from the weathering of granitic material washed down from the ranges.
- On the ranges themselves, at 400 metres (1,312 feet) elevation, there are also red and yellow duplex soils especially suited to vineyards and orchards.
- The soil types surrounding nearby Lake Mokoan are dark clays, loams and silty sands.