Glenrowan is a wine region in Northeast Victoria. Along with nearby Rutherglen, it is a formidable outpost famed for producing Australian "stickies" or fortified wines, produced from Muscat, Tokay (France's Muscadelle), Shiraz and Touriga. The region's full-bodied dry table wines, made predominantly from Shiraz, are also highly regarded.
In line with neighboring wine regions, the winegrowing history of Glenrowan dates back to the gold-rush era in Victoria, which began in 1851. However, its vineyards were devasted by phylloxera infestation in the 1880s. Nevertheless, the region's winemakers continued to pursue their dreams and Glenrowan steadily recovered to become one of Australia's premium wine-growing areas. Although the region has only a handful of wineries, the high quality of their wines brought it GI (Geographical Indication) status in late 2003. Most of these vineyards are situated around Glenrowan township, between the Warby Ranges and Lake Mokoan.
Glenrowan is positioned along the northern border of Victoria, some 150 miles (240km) from the coast. This far inland, and without any substantial altitude, the valley floor is warm during the growing season, which is reflected in the heavier styles of Glenrowan's wines. Any cool air that comes down from the mountains is mitigated by the temperate effects of Lake Mokoan. Vineyards strategically located on the slopes produce the best table wines, as warm days there give way to cooler nights – resulting in concentrated flavors in the grapes. The deep and well-drained red granitic soils are also vital to the region's overall terroir and wine styles.
The word "big" perfectly describes the wines of Glenrowan. These are some of Australia's most famous fortified wines, and are characterized by their intensely complex character achieved through extended oxidative aging. The dry table wines, led by Shiraz, easily rank as some of the most powerful in the country, in terms of concentration of fruit, palate weight, alcohol and complexity. These wines also respond well to extended bottle aging. Chardonnay produces the best white wines.
