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a South African triathlete, who joined the country’s Olympic team. They designed a special label for their Somesay wine and a portion of the sales of that bottle went to her Olympic fund. “We are a small company,” Jen points out. “We producemax 20,000 bottles a year. There are way bigger companies out there with much bigger marketing budgets and HR departments who don’t even bother, and I am really proud of the fact that we try do things that will make a difference.” SHIFTING PERCEPTIONS How has Harry Hartman been received in the South African wine world, I want to know. Sean says they have seen the two extremes. On the one hand, the broader wine industry, the young-gun, rebel winemakers – they love them. They know Sean and “think it’s cool” what they are doing. “The Estates are not loving us so much. We are disrupting their monopoly.” And there’s the question of legitimacy: many feel that if you haven’t invested R50 million into a property, then you cannot expect the same respect or status. But Sean argues that companies like his own have helped, and can continue to help, the Estates’ brands – and that assistance could and should be a two-way street. The team almost landed a contract with a resort group who were looking for someone to source and brand their wine. A contract like that would solidly put them on the map and secure their business. “We have a reputation for being able to source really good quality wines and being able to do it on a consistent basis.” Sean maintains that if you do a vertical assessment of their soon-to-be five vintages, you will find that the quality is consistent. They currently export about 20% of their product and are looking to expand on that. But again, there is the awareness hurdle they face. Sean laments that in the UK, the public drinks more wine per capita than anyone else, but even there, among people more familiar with South Africa (than say the Americans), there is still this perception that European wines are better. The Harry Hartman team hopes to help shift that perception as they pair high quality wine with meticulously designed labels, each telling a specific story, whether that’s about the mists of Elgin, or the journey of a Zimbabwean sommelier to the “wine olympics” in France. Sean once more: “The wine industry needs to provide opportunities for people who haven’t had them, not only because it’s the right thing to do but because it’s the sustainable thing to do for the country and its economy… And Harry Hartman needs to be a part of that.” (L to R): Alex Ficinus, Krishna Naidoo, Michael Crossman, Lydia Afonso, Jen Yates, Sean Harrison and Rachel Laemmle ontapmag.co.za | Winter 2024 | 33