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still tinged with racial bias, combined with a government that talks a lot about policies it doesn’t implement. And of course, when it comes to wine, South Africa has a saturated market. It is a feat for a newcomer to make inroads. SUPPORTING LOCAL Despite the successes Vivian and her family have accumulated – just looking around me in that dining hall, it was hard not to feel impressedwithwhat’s been done in the face of so many challenges – the road ahead will be difficult. Vivian tells me she wears two hats: one is fighting for change within the industry – given the ongoing paucity of people of color at the top – and the other is building and sustaining her company. She feels that they cannot be seen as a failure; the implications for others like her would be dire. “My dream is to create a legacy,” she says. “I want something I can pass down, although, I am approaching 60,” she adds, with a half-smile. Even with this dream she is temperate, admitting that the fruits may not be borne out before the arrival of grandchildren. It is, however, her son Derek who made my reservation over the phone and who conducted the wine tasting for me. With a background in architecture, he is now working towards becoming a sommelier. Like hismother, he toomentions wearing several hats. I think he was amused by my scribbling notes in the margins of the official wine tasting menu he provided, circling the flavours I was able to detect, and drawing a smiley face next to the wines I enjoyed the most. (A sommelier I am not.) This ended up being an unhelpful endeavour, with five out of six wines receiving a smiley, making it an onerous task to select just one or two bottles for purchase. Having tasted the ‘butterscotch’ in the Brutus Family Reserve Chardonnay – a fact I gleefully hollered at Derek as he helped set up that nearby table for pending guests – I placed that on the ‘must buy’ list, along with the Seven Sisters Sauvignon Blanc. When I asked Vivian if she wanted to see more of her fellow South Africans walking through the door she replied, “Of course! I want potential visitors to know that when they buy a bottle of Seven Sisters wine, they are doing something good.” She is, in part, referring to the fact that proceeds from every Seven Sisters wine bottle go to their foundation of the same name, which “strives to provide security and comfort to disadvantaged and abused women”. But she is also referencing the importance of supporting small local businesses. Walking back to my car, I kept thinking about how hard it is to manage a first- generation enterprise, especially when it comes to wine, an industry built on disenfranchisement. It’s true that the Brutus family does not have a centuries-long land legacy, but they do have pride of family and heritage, and the legacy part will come. The optimismandhopeexpressedby Vivianand Derek was palpable, as was the belief that their hard work would pay off. As I watched the large group of American tourists finally arrive, giddy at the beauty that surrounded them, I felt like I was witnessing the start of that pending reward. PLAN A VISIT For more information, go to their website: www.sevensisters.co.za To schedule a wine tasting, a food and wine pairing, or to make a lunch reservation, call Seven Sisters at +27 (0) 21 879 1996 or email info@sevensisters.co.za . Bookings essential. Bonus: The vineyard is dog friendly! My dream is to create a legacy Family photos adorn the walls with Vivian in the center. A cool and pristine entryway welcomes visitors. Tasting time All images supplied by Seven Sisters 42 | Summer 2022 | ontapmag.co.za