Skip to main content

Story: Viticulture

Wind machines

Image
Wind machines

Most frosts occur on calm, clear nights, when cold air remains trapped near the ground. Growers turn on their wind machines when frosts are predicted. The machines mix the warmer upper air with the cold air near the ground, raising the air temperature around the vines. These machines are in a Marlborough vineyard.

Using this item

Otago Daily Times

by Charmian Smith

Permission of the Otago Daily Times must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Maggy Wassilieff, Viticulture – Cultivation requirements, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/18309/wind-machines (accessed 25 June 2026).

Story by Maggy Wassilieff, published 1 March 2009.