Bushfires in Australia’s state of Victoria have swept through multiple wine-producing areas, inflicting severe damage on local wineries. At one estate, flames destroyed not only the vineyard but also the owner’s family home, while a warehouse storing wine was also burned down.
Victoria-based Fowles Wine released a statement detailing the scale of the losses. The winery said it now faces a complete loss of its 2026 vintage, with 100% of its grape harvest wiped out, and has also lost the Fowles family residence, where the family had lived for many years.
“It is with heavy hearts that Fowles Wine confirms our vineyards in the Strathbogie Ranges have been devastated by the January 2026 bushfires,” the winery said in its statement.
According to the statement, in the early morning of Jan. 8, under extreme fire danger conditions, a bushfire that originated in Longwood spread rapidly toward the vineyard. By later that morning, the fire had destroyed around 300 acres of vines within the estate’s 1,800-acre farm and caused significant livestock losses.
As forecasts warned of worsening fire conditions overnight, winery staff were forced to evacuate the property. On Jan. 9, ongoing ember attacks ultimately destroyed the Fowles family home, where the family had lived for 20 years. Thanks to the efforts of the Country Fire Authority (CFA), the winery’s production facilities were saved.
The fires also spread across the estate’s broader farmland, with around half of the land burned. No livestock were lost on the farm, and its historic homestead and stables were preserved.
Fowles Wine said that because the vineyard was completely destroyed, the 2026 vintage will be a total loss. However, the winery’s production facilities in the Strathbogie Ranges, along with its warehouse, cellar-door store and restaurant, were not affected.
In its statement, the winery thanked the CFA and all emergency responders, and expressed gratitude for the support shown by the community, industry peers and friends. “In a time of such devastation, the kindness and generosity we have experienced has been deeply humbling,” it says. “Our thoughts are also with the many other families who have lost homes, livelihoods and land in these fires.”
The bushfires in Victoria have been burning since last week. According to Australian media reports, some of the fires were sparked by lightning, though the exact causes are still under investigation. As of Saturday afternoon, there were 67 active fires across the state, including 10 that remained out of control. The scenes have been described as “apocalyptic.”
Authorities have urged residents in areas including Longwood, Carlisle River and Walwa to evacuate immediately. More than 800,000 hectares of land across Victoria are currently under bushfire warnings.
Large swathes of farmland, livestock operations and vineyards have been affected. In some fire zones, wine and agricultural producers have seen their inventories damaged by smoke taint, heatwaves and direct fire damage. The Guardian reported that a local cold-storage facility was destroyed by fire, with goods belonging to around 80 companies stored inside — many of them wine and beer producers.
The overall scale of losses is still being assessed, and no official figures for industry-wide economic damage have yet been released. The local wine sector has begun organising grassroots fundraising and support efforts. For example, Boomtown Winery has hosted a fundraising event, raising more than A$130,000 to help affected wineries resume production. Impacted producers are continuing to assess their losses and are urging consumers to buy local wines to support the industry’s recovery.
For those looking for a way to support Fowles Wine, you can do so by purchasing wine through Fowles’ website, or joining its wine club or visiting the cellar door.
