Martinborough
Encyclopedia
Martinborough is a town in South Wairarapa, a district in the Wellington region on the North Island
of New Zealand
. It is 65 kilometres east of Wellington and 35 kilometres south-west of Masterton
. The town has a population of about 1300 full-time inhabitants.
in the 19th century. Many of the town's streets are named after foreign cities visited by Martin. Before Martinborough was established the southern part of the region was known as Waihenga, a point that seems to be lost at times in the history of the district. A feature is the colonial architecture, one example of which is the historic Peppers Martinborough Hotel, built in 1882.
Prior to the expansion of viticulture, Martinborough was largely a rural service town for nearby farms.
s producing wine
s, notably Pinot noir
. Martinborough has a warm micro-climate, with hills to the east and west. Almost all the vineyards are in thin ribbons around the northern and eastern sides of the town, and on the Dry River to the south. All follow dry riverbeds, which provide appropriate soils for viticulture. Notable wineries include Schubert Wines, Te Kairanga, Tirohana Estate, Palliser Estate Wines, Dry River, Martinborough Vineyard, Murdoch James, Ata Rangi, Craggy Range and Alana Estate. During November, the region's wines are celebrated in the Toast Martinborough wine festival. This event temporarily enlarges the population by 10,000.
Other industries around Martinborough focus on traditional beef and sheep farming, growing olives, lavender and nuts, and fishing at the coast settlements of Ngawi and Cape Palliser
. Tourism is an important industry for the town, and the information centre is a good source of advice about accommodation, activities, wineries and where to eat.
There are numerous options for accommodation, from casual B&Bs to a five-star hotel. A small number of wineries and specialist tour operators offer vineyard tours, while there are many dining opportunities at wineries, or at the cafés and restaurants dotted around the attractive village square. A vibrant shopping precinct exists with boutique shops.
The town is home to the South Wairarapa District
Council.
. The international cooking school Le Cordon Bleu
, in partnership with UCOL, said that it would open its first New Zealand campus in Martinborough by 2009, but they have now changed the venue to Wellington
instead, upsetting many who looked forward to the economic boost this would have provided to the town.
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It is 65 kilometres east of Wellington and 35 kilometres south-west of Masterton
Masterton
Masterton is a large town and local government district in the Wellington Region of New Zealand. It is the largest town in the Wairarapa, a region separated from Wellington by the Rimutaka ranges...
. The town has a population of about 1300 full-time inhabitants.
History
John Martin is regarded as the town’s founder and set out the first streets in the pattern of the Union FlagUnion Flag
The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
in the 19th century. Many of the town's streets are named after foreign cities visited by Martin. Before Martinborough was established the southern part of the region was known as Waihenga, a point that seems to be lost at times in the history of the district. A feature is the colonial architecture, one example of which is the historic Peppers Martinborough Hotel, built in 1882.
Prior to the expansion of viticulture, Martinborough was largely a rural service town for nearby farms.
Martinborough Today
Martinborough has a large number of vineyardVineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s producing wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
s, notably Pinot noir
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
. Martinborough has a warm micro-climate, with hills to the east and west. Almost all the vineyards are in thin ribbons around the northern and eastern sides of the town, and on the Dry River to the south. All follow dry riverbeds, which provide appropriate soils for viticulture. Notable wineries include Schubert Wines, Te Kairanga, Tirohana Estate, Palliser Estate Wines, Dry River, Martinborough Vineyard, Murdoch James, Ata Rangi, Craggy Range and Alana Estate. During November, the region's wines are celebrated in the Toast Martinborough wine festival. This event temporarily enlarges the population by 10,000.
Other industries around Martinborough focus on traditional beef and sheep farming, growing olives, lavender and nuts, and fishing at the coast settlements of Ngawi and Cape Palliser
Cape Palliser
Cape Palliser is a promontory on the southern coast of New Zealand's North Island and the southernmost point of the North Island - it is in fact considerably further south than Nelson or Blenheim in the South Island....
. Tourism is an important industry for the town, and the information centre is a good source of advice about accommodation, activities, wineries and where to eat.
There are numerous options for accommodation, from casual B&Bs to a five-star hotel. A small number of wineries and specialist tour operators offer vineyard tours, while there are many dining opportunities at wineries, or at the cafés and restaurants dotted around the attractive village square. A vibrant shopping precinct exists with boutique shops.
The town is home to the South Wairarapa District
South Wairarapa District
South Wairarapa District is at the south-east tip of the North Island of New Zealand.-Introduction:South Wairarapa includes three towns and several localities that have a wide range of economic activity, natural features, and visitor attractions, only a few of which are noted here. Martinborough is...
Council.
Education
The town offers education at a primary level at Martinborough Primary School, which contributes to the roll of Kuranui CollegeKuranui College
Kuranui College is a state co-educational secondary school in Greytown, New Zealand. It is the only secondary school in the South Wairarapa District, and serves the towns of Greytown, Featherston, Martinborough, and the majority of Carterton....
. The international cooking school Le Cordon Bleu
Le Cordon Bleu
Le Cordon Bleu is the world's largest hospitality education institution, with 35 schools on five continents serving 20,000 students annually. Its primary education focus is on hospitality management and the culinary arts...
, in partnership with UCOL, said that it would open its first New Zealand campus in Martinborough by 2009, but they have now changed the venue to Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
instead, upsetting many who looked forward to the economic boost this would have provided to the town.
External links
- www.martinborough.com
- www.martinboroughnz.com Martinborough Business Association website
- www.tirohanaestate.com