You have to work very hard to find a bad 2019 red Bordeaux. There is something so special about this vintage, so beguiling. It’s a vintage that academic tasters can discuss all evening whilst those just looking for pleasure can simply enjoy all evening. 2019s are pretty much brilliant from top to bottom.
They also represent rather good value. Released into the uncertainty of lockdowns at prices that reflected the prevalent mood, it was arguably the last vintage where buying en primeur made real sense.
2019 Château Gloria is a wine that shows everything that is great about 2019 and is a wine that Neal Martin has given the highest rating ever for this château: 96 points. This puts it level with Beychevelle (£810 per dozen), and above Ducru Beaucaillou (£1,400 per dozen) in 2019. He writes: “Perhaps the most precise and delineated nose among an impressive array of Saint-Julien's this year… Extraordinary length. Serious.”
We checked in on a bottle in the office yesterday and reckon that (a) with a good decant you can drink it tonight and (b) Neal is right that this is a serious wine that will keep for decades. This is part of the beauty of 2019: the ripeness of the tannins is such that the wines are so, so approachable yet they have the weight of fruit, structure and balance to keep for decades. Our Chairman often compares the vintage to 1982; those of us with shorter memories liken it to a more subtle version of 2009.
At £320 per dozen in bond 2019 Gloria is just £20 above what was a very reasonable release price. Drink it now or keep it for a decade or two; this is a Saint Julien that over-delivers and more.
The 2019 Gloria has a compelling nose: black fruit, crushed rocks, tobacco and very subtle marine scents that are all beautifully combined. Perhaps the most precise and delineated nose among an impressive array of Saint-Julien's this year. The palate is medium-bodied with a lively opening. A touch of soy infuses the black fruit; fine-boned with wonderful sapidity on the finish. Extraordinary length. Serious. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. Drink 2027 - 2060
This is Neal Martin's highest score for Château Gloria in any vintage.
The 2019 Gloria has turned out very well, delivering aromas of blackcurrants, plums, burning embers and a deft framing of creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and nicely concentrated, with a vibrant core of ripe and fleshy fruit, lively acids and powdery structuring tannins that assert themselves on the youthfully firm finish, this shows considerable promise. Drink Date 2027 - 2060
2019 Gloria continues to overdeliver for its pricepoint and is now drinking beautifully. A fine and aromatic nose shows notes of fresh plum and blackcurrant, a little sweet smoke and a touch of rosemary. The palate follows, with real focus to the fruit giving an elegant, lifted yet intense profile of fresh black fruit. This is bolstered by some smoke and toast from the wood, but the texture and direction of the wine gives it refinement and moreish drinkability. Supple, bright and layered in flavour; fruit, spice and earth come in waves to keep the palate and mind engaged. Long and focused on the finish, this is a serious Gloria. You could drink this any time over the coming 15-20 years.
Sweet berry and cherry aromas with violets, following through to a medium to full body with creamy, linear tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Tight and curated, in a structured way. Try after 2027.
The 2019 Gloria, a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot, is deep garnet-purple in color. Scents of blackcurrant jelly, plum preserves, and chocolate-covered cherries jump from the glass followed by hints of pencil shavings and fruitcake. The medium-bodied palate is rich and spicy, with velvety tannins and a long, opulent finish.
Another winning velvety texture out of St Julien. You can trace the warmth and generosity of the vintage in the concentration and the ripeness of these blackberry and raspberry fruits but it is so seductive and carefully balanced with a core of freshness and a ton of crushed stone, black chocolate and baked earth adding layers and interest. This should be good value and is a definite buy. So much character and personality, right up there with the best vintages of this property. 40% new oak, 5% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Drinking Window 2026 - 2042
Tasted blind. Complex nose with savoury layers. Aromatic ink. Smooth and polished. Lovely balance with really lively energy. Nothing forced. Very long. Almost pretty!
Showing beautifully, with the polished, pure, elegant style of the vintage, the 2019 Château Gloria sports a deeper ruby/purple color as well as great aromatics of cassis and assorted blue fruits to go with smoked tobacco, cedar pencil, damp earth, and floral notes. I love its purity, and it's just a quintessential, medium to full-bodied, layered Saint-Julien that can be drunk today or cellared for a solid two decades. It should be a no-brainer purchase for the wine lovers out there. 2022-2042
