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Day in the life of Maarten van Beuningen
Read all about a day in the life of Maarten van Beuningen, Owner and Managing Director of Miravel Wine Estate.
What does your day consist of?
Working on a vineyard is a very interesting job. No one day is the same! Work starts at 7.00 am and normally goes through to 5.30 pm, but important jobs have to be finished so there is no time limit. The most important part of my job is planning on a monthly, weekly and daily scale. Time is spent in the vineyard checking with the manager that operations are going to plan. Timing of operations is crucial to optimize the production of the grapes, so work done well in the vineyard produces a good product for the wine maker!
What is the best thing about your job as a winemaker?
The most exciting time is the harvesting of the grapes. This is the “fruit of the vine” and the wine maker can now use his skills to produce the end product. The other exciting time is bottling the wine and making it market ready.
And the worst?
All the paper work and bureaucracy that needs to be done! There is a lot of it!
What makes you passionate about your work?
It’s about the process and telling people about the story of the wine. It is a product that is alive and so many people are involved in making the product! Drinking your own wine is the high point, so much has happened to get the wine into the bottle. You sip, reflect and enjoy and you’re in heaven!
What do you love about farming in the Helderberg area?
It must be one of the most beautiful areas in South Africa and the world! God has given us a great asset and we must use it wisely and what better way than to produce wine!
Do you have any advice for someone who wants to be a winemaker?
You need to be passionate about the product and you need to be prepared to work hard under pressure and ready to learn. Nothing comes easy!
What is your favourite wine / blend?
Miravel Sauvignon Blanc
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