This wine comes packaged in a very premium single bottle box. Shipping starts from 1 August 2023.
Saronsberg, a leading Cape winery producing some of the most consistently acclaimed Shiraz and Rhone-style blends, has celebrated the launch of Sekelmaan - a brand new addition to this iconic legacy. the release of this ultra-premium Shiraz represents a new milestone in Saronsberg’s history.
Respect for the integrity of time is embedded in each one of the 1,500 bottles of Sekelmaan that make up this limited release. From the careful handpicking of grapes, through extended maceration on the skins during open-tank fermentation, to the 20 months in new French oak and further 60 months spent maturing in bottle - everything about this wine epitomises that true quality cannot be rushed.
On the harvest day of the maiden vintage, we noticed a sickle moon – ‘sekelmaan’ – rising above the Saronsberg Mountain. This phase traditionally represents growth and rebirth, a perfect symbol for what this wine signifies in our evolution as a cellar.
2016 Was a fine vintage year. In Tulbagh, the warm and dry growing season produced exceptionally healthy grapes which enjoyed optimal ripening, thanks to an unusually even-temperatured February. These rich, concentrated grapes resulted in wines with ripe structured tannins and a long, elegant finish. These qualities are exemplified in Sekelmaan. The grapes were sourced from the upper reaches of Block 27, a small vineyard located on the east-facing slopes of Saronsberg Mountain.
This is the first time a single-vineyard wine has been released under the Saronsberg label, and Block 27 was chosen for its consistently superior quality. The higher gravel content of these soils ensures better drainage and reduced vigour, delivering smaller berries and leaner yields; and higher elevation keeps temperatures at least three degrees cooler than the valley floor, supporting slower and more balanced ripening. It’s not surprising that fruit from this superlative block is also the cornerstone of internationally renowned wines like the flagship Saronsberg Full Circle and Saronsberg Shiraz.
As with all offerings in the Saronsberg portfolio, Sekelmaan will follow its own evolution led by clear intention. This new icon will always represent the finest Shiraz the farm has to offer, while showcasing the best vineyard or best wine from any given vintage. In this way, it will emulate its namesake - the moon - changing its appearance through the passage of time, but always constant in its essential nature.