For much of his life and until 2002, Maarten was a Zimbabwean farmer farming fruit, cattle, pigs and ostriches. But in 2003 many things changed and he and his family found themselves in Somerset West, embarking on a new career as wine farmers.
Maarten and his wife Janine acquired their farm Miravel, a portion of the then existing Dellrust, and built a home on their new property, with a view to turning a lifelong love of wine into a new way of life.
In 2014 the farm was sold to Milnerton Estates but Maarten and Janine continue to live in the house that they built. They now purchase the grapes from Milnerton and Lanrust Estates and the Miravel label continues!