Chateau Gloria 2013

Every true wine connoisseur is attracted to Chateau Gloria for that little 'unclassified' and 'mysterious' temperament. And Chateau Gloria's excellent quality, which may have exceeded the more prestigious classed growths in St. Julien, attracted some of them even more learned. But, of course, the character of the understated 2013 bottle as an age-worthy claret always show those classy cassis notes with a secondary bouquet of pencil shavings, herbs and cigar box on the nose. It may lack the floral dimension one may expect from outstanding wines; on entry, it tastes a bit saline, backward with a tannic structure, but it will serve correct as a food wine. The palate is well balanced, and the wine will load with Asian spices and black pepper that gain consistent support.

Owner Henri Martin, a cooper by upbringing, took over the property in 1942 and began purchasing vineyards from classed growth properties such as Gruaud-Larose, Talbot, Lagrange and Léoville-Barton. By the mid-1960s, he had 50 hectares spread across the appellation. In 1982 he purchased Château St-Pierre and thus realized his lifetime ambition of owning a Grand Cru Classé property. Henri Martin died in 1991, and Gloria operates by his son-in-law Jean-Louis Triaud is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25%Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. It aged in a combination of large oak foudres and small oak barrels (50% new). The vines are ancient.

The score is RP88.