Sounds like a romcom: Vittoria Castagnetta quits her job in London and swaps her suit jackets for overalls. To join her mother Federica on the other side of the world to run wine company Morgenster. Luckily, grandfather Giulio's legacy is in good hands with these two power women.
Text: Marjolein Schuman | Image: supplied
1.What is your connection with South Africa?
'I was at school in Geneva and then worked in the UK as a marketing manager. But I came to South Africa regularly. That's where my grandfather moved to in 1992. He fell in love with the Morgenster estate and decided to refurbish it completely during his retirement. The surroundings reminded him of his native Italy, so he chose to plant grapes and olives. My mother remembers the first vines, which were planted the year I was born.'
2.Did your grandfather teach you how to make wine?
'No, during the holidays we were only allowed to taste wine. And of course we drank his wine with food, our family has Italian roots. Grandpa was so proud, he wanted to control everything himself. The best was still not good enough for Morgenster, it really was his baby. So Mum and I didn't get the chance to learn from him. Holidays had to be real holidays, he thought. When my mother and I started running the business, we entered a completely new world.'
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