“To get to the top, you have to start at the bottom”
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Negociant wines can trace their origins to 17th century, France, in particular the Burgandy region. During this time the French wine industry was monopolised by established wineries and vineyards, which only competed with one another and made it nigh on impossible for smaller players to partake in the game.
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The original purpose of negociant winemakers, allow peasant wine farmers, to produce and bring to the market different wines, under new labels, but over time the role of negociant winemakers changed, and they began to take on a role akin to a Quality Control Police person. To combat theft, tampering and other nefarious activities, negociant winemakers were present at all stages of the wine production, including harvest, barrelling and bottling. With this new role established, new wines, labels and farmers were able to join the market along with the established wines, to offer consumers more variety, and at cheaper prices.
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Over time, the definition of negociant wines, changed to what it is today, which is a small company or person, that purchases wine, or grapes, under their label. The defining feature of modern-day negociant wines is their lack of a physical vineyard and a commitment to small farmers and winemakers. In South Africa, negociant wines took a while to catch on, but in the latter half of the 20th century, they became a mainstay of the wine scene, as was the case in France. The South African wine market was dominated by established wine farms and vineyards; thus, the public zeitgeist was pre-disposed to these wines and very sceptical of new entrants. However, time mellowed these views, and new small wines are sought after by connoisseurs and casual drinkers alike.
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As wines without vines, Harry Hartman is conscious of the history and strives to represent the best of the ‘underdogs’ through our award-winning wines, whilst remaining cognisant of the fact that we are competing with vineyards and wine estates that have illustrious histories and wines that have not only won numerous awards but also the South African public’s mental retail space.
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Find out more about our wines and the unique characters of each bottle of our family here.
Meet our Family
We often get asked how all of our wines fit together, and we like to think of them as characters in the Harry Hartman family.
Learn more about the stories behind our wines - each bottle is a personality waiting for you to get to know them.
