Uitkyk Carlonet 1984

By , 21 May 2020

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6

Uitkyk in Stellenbosch was first granted to a certain Jan Oberholzer in 1712, later that century becoming the property of self-made immigrant Martin Melck (of Muratie fame) who ceded it to his son-in-law Johan David Beyers in 1776, Beyers responsible for building the splendid manor house.

In 1929, Prussian nobleman Hans von Carlowitz purchased the property, the first to plant vines and a wine called Carlonet, originally made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cinsault, was what the farm became best known for.

Von Carlowitz’s son Georg sold Uitkyk to Gerry Bouwer in 1963 and Bouwer’s son-in-law Harvey Illing gave up his Natal dentistry practice to become winemaker. In 1984, the Bouwer family sold to the Bergkelder, which had held a part share (Illing staying on as winemaker for a while) and it later became part of Lusan Premium Wines, a joint venture between German financier Hans Schreiber and Distell. Most recently, it was acquired by US-based Eileses Capital in 2018, its vineyards set to supply Warwick going forward.

From the depths of the late Harold Eedes’s cellar, the Carlonet 1984. The 1986 edition of John Platter’s South African Wine Guide says of Carlonet “formerly a robust, full-bodied dry red… from ’78, when rotating fermenting tanks were introduced, made in a lighter style, though still substantial”. The 1982, meanwhile, was the first vintage matured in new Nevers oak and the 1984 was deemed “extremely promising”. No indication of varietal composition provided – though labeled as “Cabernet Sauvignon”, legislation at the time permitted up to 25% of other varieties.

The wine appears quite well preserved with notes of red cherry, some herbal characer and a little oak spice on the nose while the palate is light bodied with acidity that some might consider perky and others tart, the tannins long since vanished. Very much of its era.

CE’s score: 89/100.

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Comments

6 comment(s)

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    René Ramon | 22 August 2022

    I have an Uitkijk Carlonet Carbernet Sauvignon 1982, in my cellar. Should I open it or leave it for another 40 years?

      Christian Eedes | 22 August 2022

      Hi René, I’d recommend opening it – it’s either going to be hanging on or already past it but it’s not going to get very much more interesting with more time in bottle.

    Kwispedoor | 22 May 2020

    100% Cabernet Sauvignon

      Christian Eedes | 22 May 2020

      Hi Kwispedoor, Please let us know why you are so certain that it was pure Cab – it’s a big deal in terms of understanding where SA fine wine has come from and where it’s going to…

        Kwispedoor | 23 May 2020

        Christian, I remember in the early nineties when I started tasting wine as a young student at Tuks Wynkultuur Vereniging, it was one of the things we discovered and learned. Varietal wines became more fashionable around that time and Bergkelder was quite pivotal for wine lovers then, with pre-release and Vinoteque release wine offerings. They always communicated the fact that Carlonet was 100% Cabernet. I will DM you some photographic evidence. From the maiden Platter edition: “A robust, full-bodied, consistently good dry red made entirely from cabernet sauvignon.”

    Angela Lloyd | 21 May 2020

    Does anyone still use those rotating fermentation tanks? They were all the rage around the early-mid 1980s, until more than one winemaker declared ‘they make soup, not wine’!

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