Marlborough New Zealand Wine Country. In a small area there are thousands of grape vines and many wineries. The grapes are mostly for white wine, thus white or green grapes. Many are covered for protection from insects and maybe birds. Sometimes stones are used as a mulch (for heat and protecting the roots). And the foliage is often removed from the lower part of the vine, so the fruit is exposed to the sun. On the top of the vines the foliage is thick, the lower part has the fruit.