Château Gloria 2018

Juicy, polished tannins, good length, fruity finish. A generous, approachable wine in the style of the vintage.

The 2018 Gloria is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, aged for approximately 14 months in oak barriques, 40% new. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it sashays out of the glass with flamboyant notes of kirsch, black raspberries and cassis, plus hints of potpourri, unsmoked cigars and star anise. The medium- to full-bodied palate delivers a good amount of juicy black and red fruit flavors, backed by slightly chewy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing spicy.

Fresh and energetic, with violet, licorice and cassis aromas and flavors spilling forth while bramble and graphite run underneath. An applewood streak gives the finish some spine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2035.

Gloria is fast becoming one of the most exciting insider wines in the whole Bordeaux region, and that rare species of a non-classified St-Julien. The fruit here is brambly, textured and autumnal, and again the alcohol feels generous but balanced, with plenty of St-Julien finesse. It has the sense of not needing to try too hard to convince anyone. There is some austerity here, but the tannins have a spring to them through the mid-palate, while the alcohol is clearly present without dominating, likely helped by relatively generous yields of 46 hl/ha. Very good quality. 5% Cabernet Franc makes up the blend. 50% new oak.

A full-bodied red with a dense, juicy palate of blueberries and blackcurrants. Some black tea and tree bark, too. Tight yet long and linear finish. Very structured and polished. Drink after 2024.

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. Black core with crimson rim. Wonderfully pure and intense cassis aroma, fragrant but not sweet. Upright, bone-dry, super-fine tannins. Even though this is so embryonic still, at the core is juicy, lively fruit, the dry and firm tannins kept in balance by that fruit. Tannins add to the freshness. Long finish. (JH)

The 2018 Gloria has a wonderful, harmonious bouquet of copious blackberry, briary, cedar and tobacco notes that just feels so… effortless. The very harmonious palate offers pure black fruit laced with graphite. Displaying moderate weight and fine acidity, and quite linear and focused on the finish, this is a very classy Gloria that may warrant a higher score down the line.

Flowers and currants aromas are backed up by wet earth, cedar, tobacco and espresso. On the palate the wine is elegant, soft and juicy with loads of sweet berries, lift and focus. There is freshness and length in the finish. Give this 4-6 years in the cellar and enjoy it over the following 2 decades. The wine was made from a blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot 8% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, delicate bright rim. Delicate herbal savoury underlies cassis nuances, fresh wild berries, a hint of orange zest. Medium body, red cherries, freshly structured, somewhat loosely knit, charming style, fine fruit expression on the finish.

A youthful, unevolved 2018 with lots of up-front blue and black fruits as well as cedary herbs, violets, and scorched earth, the 2018 Château Gloria is medium to full-bodied and has a beautifully balanced, elegant mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and both richness and freshness. The purity of fruit is spot on. It's another brilliant wine from this estate that readers will love. It's going to benefit from 2-4 years in the cellar and cruise for two decades in cold cellars.

Kunz barrel sample 19: herbs, closed bouquet, blue and black berries, tobacco, graphite, smoke. Elegant, dense, classic palate with plenty of fine tannins, a finely muscular structure, dark aromatics, powerful fruit, and a long, aromatic finish. Has room to improve.

Herbs, closed bouquet, blue and black berries, tobacco, graphite, smoke. Elegant, dense, classic palate with plenty of fine-quality tannins, a finely muscular structure, dark aromatics, powerful fruit, and a long, aromatic finish. Can still improve. 17/20 2025 - 2048

Mint leaf, marzipan, fennel, smoked earth, fig, freshly grated black truffle, and a ton of cassis fruit. This is young but complex, with a bright future. The only wine in the vertical that is above 14% in alcohol, a reflection of the vintage, and a reminder of just how balanced and old-school St Julien is almost every year. Good stuff, full of life. 40% new oak. Harvest September 20 to October 1. Remi di Constanzo technical director.

The 2018 Gloria is deep garnet-purple in color. It gallops out with energetic notes of redcurrants, wild blueberries, and warm cassis, plus hints of rose oil, licorice, and tar. Full-bodied, the palate is jam-packed with black fruit layers, framed by ripe, velvety tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and lifted.

We detect at Gloria, as at Saint-Pierre, a slight shift in style, with wines that are a little less oaky in their youth, which suits them very well, all the more so as the substance is still there. The 2018 is all about elegance, with a very suave palate and very well-integrated tannins.

Aromas of blackcurrant, plum and black pepper are wrapped in a smoky hint, and the very aromatic palate with linen-like tannins makes this cru a fine success.

Deep garnet red. Superb expression on the bouquet, with classic notes of cedar, graphite, and black berries. Freshness is very much present, as is charm! On the palate, the wine is compact and creamy. It is ideally supported by its tannins and a refreshing acidic structure. What a beautiful symbiosis among all the elements. A convincing wine to follow over time.

Dark, intense, almost black color. An intense nose of ripe fruit with a note of blackberry jelly. Broad from the attack, rich through the mid-palate, very fruity, powerful in the middle of the mouth, with brightness to the flavor; the wine unfolds juicy, long, and very tasty. It’s very good. Blend: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc. Alcohol: 14.1% – IPT: 78 (above average) – pH: 3.74. Yield: 44 hl/ha.

This wine has all the structured intensity and ripe fruitiness of a Saint-Julien. At the same time, it displays a light touch with the black fruits and open texture, promising an attractive wine. Drink the wine from 2026.