Te Muna Valley ticks all boxes for Moy Hall

By Joelle Thomson

One of Martinborough’s newest wine brands has bought one of the village’s oldest wineries, 

Butterworth Vineyard (formerly known as Julicher) in Te Muna Valley. 

The purchase was made in May by Phil and Carolyn McArthur, owners of Moy Hall Vineyard, restaurant and cellar door.

“Buying this vineyard means we now have a home of our own in which to make our wines, as well as another vineyard in an amazing place to grow grapes. We’re pretty excited to have that access to lovely Te Muna style grapes from which to make wines to incorporate into our Moy Hall range,” says Phil McArthur. 

The McArthurs bought the established Moy Hall vineyard on Marts Road in 2015 and opened their cellar door restaurant on site in 2018. They have since taken over the lease of the Blue Earth Vineyard, owned by Mike and Margaret Hansen, situated at the end of Te Muna Valley.

The new acquisition provides another diverse string to their winemaking bow, albeit not always the easiest one. 

“Te Muna Valley can be a very hard place to grow Pinot Noir with higher risk of frost and wind as well as dryness and the heat. From all angles, it’s more challenging to grow grapes in Te Muna but I think the potential is to make some pretty amazing wines.” … Continue Reading

Martin Square, Soldier’s Memorial Park: Truth or Fiction?

1907: The Square is fully fenced and planted in English trees and pines.

By Mate Higginson

There is always truth and fiction in all the stories that are told and retold, about events in relationship to certain places.

To start with: Martinborough’s founder John Martin did not make provision for Parks or a Cemetery. However, in the plan of his town, he did have a Square with four roads going through it.

In the beginning, this open area acted as a gathering place for people.

The first notable occasion was Queen Victoria’s 60^th Jubilee. They planted an English tree in each segment of the Square with wooden fencing around them for protection.

The next planting may have been at the time of the new King’s Coronation. Who planted what at the time is not recorded.

April 27,  1905 Martinborough became a “District,” a Town with a population of 603.

Prior to that the Featherston Roads Board, under Ward 5 Greytown Otaraia Riding, administered the area. More planting could have taken place to mark these significant moments.

One story is that four Oak trees were planted: one in each segment of the Square to honour Mr George Pain, Mr T F Evans, (both Commissioners of this new town), Mr. Wi Hutana, a noted Maori businessman and later a Commissioner, and Mr A Gilles one of the early settlers. But there is no record of the occasion. … Continue Reading

Martinborough WFC: First-ever home game

The all-important stats:

Result: Irrelevant, but Martinborough Women scored at least 2 good goals.

Enjoyment factor: as a spectator 10/10

Enjoyment Factor: as a player: 11/10

Effort and commitment: off the scale.

Possession: Marty 58%; the opponents in Green: at times a bit less

Shots on target: 3; goals 2.

Shots off target: 4.

Good saves: quite a few.

Martinborough Women’s soccer team have been in existence for only a few months.

Saturday 11 May in front of a near capacity crowd they played their first home game.

After a mere 3-0 loss the previous week against Carterton, spirits were high for the first homer  against a very strong Wairarapa United FC.

Before 11 May Martinborough Women’s FC had played only one game. To be in Martinborough and to be able to see footwork with the ball that even Ronaldo would be pleased with, eventually beating 3 players, was a treat. Forwards. Backwards. Nut-megging the opposition. Dinking and dunking. It was a treat that one hardly ever sees from “The Phoenix.”

Lionel Messi put in some fine and sublime ‘slide-rule’ passes into space and allowed Peter Crouch or ‘the Gazelle’ on the wing to run on to the ball. … Continue Reading

Martinborough Golf

Grandma and Grandpa winners (from left):  Andy Morison, Richard Pither, Marie Scrimshaw, Jane Terpstra.

By Karen Stephens

An annual favourite, the Beef & Burgundy Ambrose held on Friday 10 May, saw a great turnout in favourable conditions (thank goodness it wasn’t the previous day when winter arrived with full force!) 

Top honours went to the team of Michael Bing, Shane Colton, Tiawharangi Aranui, and Lisa-Marie Ireland with a Net score of 56.25. The Women’s Longest Drive was Sandra Petersen and the Men’s, Owen Lloyd. Nearest the Pins: #6 Brock Shute, #8 Tiawharangi, #12 Carol Parkinson, and #16 Zeb Livingston. 

Thank you to everyone involved and sponsor: Eastwood Motor Group. 

The ever-popular Grandmas and Grandpas tournament on Sunday 19 May saw a good turnout of both. The Grandma winner was Marie Scrimshaw and the Grandpa Richard Pither – their grandchildren will all be proud. The non-Grandma winner was Nicola Warren and the non-Grandpa Guy Walmsley.

On the same day the Ngahau Trophy was played for, provided to the club by June and Guy Hume as a competition amongst the Committee, Ladies Committee, Staff, Administrators, and Life Members. Ngahau was the name of the Hume’s Pirinoa farm and coincidentally 19 May was the day that June and Guy married in Sydney during WWII. The trophies were to recognise the work that these members do for the club on a voluntary basis. … Continue Reading