Dorwinion

Dorwinion sits in the southeast corner of the Wilderland map, between the lower course of the Celduin and the northwestern shore of the Sea of Rhun. It is far from the Misty Mountains and far from Gondor, in country warm enough for vines, which is rare this far north and east.

The Hobbit names it twice over. The wine in Thranduil's cellars came from the great gardens of Dorwinion, carried by barge and barrel up the rivers through Lake-town to the Elvenking's gate. It was strong enough that the butler Galion and the chief of the guard fell asleep over it, which is exactly the opening Bilbo needed to get the keys and pack the dwarves away.

That trade route is the main thing the map shows about Dorwinion. A wine country in the far east was linked by water to a hall in northern Mirkwood, and the barrels went back down empty for refilling. Tolkien gives no account of who ruled the land or how it stood with Sauron's Easterling allies. The trade also says something about the north. The Wood-elves grew no vines and bought what they drank, paying in goods that moved along the same rivers, and Lake-town sat in the middle of that route as the port where cargo changed hands.

Events at this place

1. TA 2941 · The Hobbit

   Wine from the great gardens

   Barrels of Dorwinion wine were delivered to Thranduil's halls. The butler and the guard drank deeply and slept, letting Bilbo take the cellar keys.

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