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Martinborough
Village Camping, Wairarapa, New
Zealand
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Martinborough is a working wine village, and there’s
always something going on. Pruning takes place over
winter. During spring the vines are budding and
particularly vulnerable to frost. Expect to see and
hear helicopters, blowers and frost pots during a
cold night. The vines are tied back and netted
during summer and from late January until the grapes
are picked bird scarers are in operation. These can
vary from gas guns and shot guns to people driving
up and down the vines tooting their car horns.
Picking usually starts in early Autumn and can last
for 6 to 8 weeks, the vineyards always keep a close
eye on the weather but it becomes an obsession at
this time of year. Autumn is a beautiful time of
year to visit as the vines provide row upon row of
autumnal colour.
Martinborough is renowned for its boutique wineries,
locally grown produce and excellent restaurants. It
is also a great base from which to explore the
highlights of the Wairarapa, from the seal colony at
Cape Palliser and the Putangirua Pinnacles to the
wild Pacific beaches on the east coast and the
rugged Tararua ranges to the west.
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