| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > St Julien |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
This Chateau was created in the 1950's by the late Henri Martin who was also the regisseur of Chateau Latour. Consequently it does not appear in the 1855 classification but surely would, if it were ever updated. Along with big brother Saint Pierre, the quality here has improved massively in the last few years and this is a top St Julien performer these days. 50 hectares of vines which are planted 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot.
The 2016 Gloria is showing brilliantly and appears to be entering the beginning of its drinking window. Offering up a deep bouquet of sweet crème de cassis and blackberries mingled with sweet spices and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with fine concentration, ripe tannins and bright acids, it's a vibrant, precise wine from this sometimes rather flamboyantly styled estate, impressing for its purity of fruit and structural seamlessness. Gloria in excelsis! 2022 - 2040
The 2016 Gloria is noticeably deeper in color than its peers. It has a charming bouquet of blackberry, briar, brown spices and touches of sandalwood, complex and developing loamy elements with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity. Quite mineral-driven, leading into a composed, precise finish that indicates careful winemaking from great terroir. Superb. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting. 2026 - 2060
Dense and layered red with berry and tobacco character, a full body and a savory finish. Got it all here.
Deep garnet in color, the 2016 Gloria needs a little swirling before notions of blackcurrant cordial, kirsch, and stewed black tea spill from the glass, followed by hints of chargrill and wood smoke. The medium-bodied palate has a lovely plush texture and just enough freshness to support the generous black fruits, finishing with a spicy kick.
Immediately on the nose you get the rich structure of the fruit, rippling with texture and life. It has just the right amount of drama, offering a tight and well-focussed delivery. This is beautiful, showing great underlying freshness and grip with real tension and minerality. Drinking Window 2027 - 2050
Tasted blind. Restrained nose suggests there’s a lot going on here. Savoury – as dry as a Barton wine – but with great constitution. Drier than usual.
Drink 2027 – 2045
Tasted blind at the 2016 Southwold Group Tasting. A deep ruby colour in the glass. Cool black fruits and riper red fruits are layered with cedar and graphite on a pure and refined nose. The palate is chalky, with good bite from the tannins and acidity bringing real focus and finesse - this is cool, compact and fine with real potential. Fresh blackcurrant and dark cherries form the core of fruit, intense but never heavy. These flavours flesh out towards the finish, complemented by flecks of savoury spices and graphite once more, keeping everything cool and elegant. Long and intense at the finish with lingering ripe tannins, this will need a decant if opening now. The structure should soften in the next 2-3 years, after which the intensity suggests this will evolve and drink well for a further 15+ years.
Working with its new winery for the first time in 2016, Gloria has made a fine, aromatic, well structured blend, with more tannin and concentration than the 2015, but similar levels of perfume and finesse. Serious and age worthy, it’s sappy and long. 2024-36
The 2016 Gloria is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 7% Cabernet Franc that was picked from 29 September until 17 October. It is matured in slightly less oak than the Saint-Pierre, at 40%. This is a little more backward and broody compared to the Saint-Pierre and indeed its Saint Julien peers, demanding more coaxing from the glass. It almost reluctantly unfolds and unveils subtle pencil box and dry tobacco aromas. The palate is more outgoing than the aromatics with a vibrant, almost citrus-fresh opening, tensile tannins and a satisfying sense of energy. This feels nimble and agile in the mouth with a touch of white pepper lingering on the aftertaste. You come away with the feeling that this Gloria has something up its sleeve for those with patience to cellar it for eight to ten years. Drink 2024 - 2060.
The 2016 Gloria is comprised of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot aged 14 months in 42% new and 58% one-year-old French oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it sings of plum preserves, warm cassis and dark chocolate with touches of tobacco, bay leaves and lavender with a waft of dusty soil. The palate is medium-bodied, elegant and savory in the mouth with loads layers and a lifted finish. Drink Date: 2020 - 2035
