CHATEAU GLORIA 3eme Grand Cru Classe, Saint-Julien 2023 Bottle

Description

IN BRIEF
Château Gloria 2023 opens with confident clarity: ripe blackcurrant, black cherry and bilberry lifted by pressed violet and rose petal, with graphite, cedar and pencil-lead savouriness. Gentle aeration reveals crushed bay, dried herb and a hint of smoked meat. Medium–full-bodied, it has a smooth, polished start, bright acidity and finely grained tannins that give tensile support without weight. Pure black fruit and plum are framed by black olive and a discreet liquorice thread; the mid-palate unfolds toasted cedar, dark chocolate and warm baking spice, while a stony mineral seam and saline thread drive a long, focused finish. Oak is judicious and integrated. Drink now with decanting or cellar 10–20 years. Top scores: JS 93–94; Decanter 93; WA 90–92.

ABOUT THIS WINE
Château Gloria, Saint Julien 2023 opens with confident clarity, a classic Saint Julien expression that balances concentration with floral lift. The bouquet offers ripe blackcurrant, black cherry and bilberry, lifted by pressed violet and a fine rose petal note, while graphite, cedar and a light pencil lead aroma provide a savoury, tensile backbone. With gentle aeration, crushed bay, dried herb and a hint of smoked meat emerge, adding complexity and a clear sense of terroir.

On the palate the 2023 is medium to full bodied, with a smooth, polished entry, bright natural acidity and finely grained tannins that give shape and tensile support without excess weight. Primary fruit is pure and concentrated, black fruit and plum framed by black olive and a discreet thread of liquorice. The mid palate unfolds with layered nuance, showing toasted cedar, dark chocolate and warm baking spice from measured oak ageing, while a stony mineral seam and saline thread drive momentum into a long, focused finish. Oak is judicious and integrated, offering gentle vanilla and clove spice that enhance the fruit rather than dominate it.

Texture is polished and tactile, the wine balancing elegance and grip as it evolves in the glass, revealing savoury strata of leather, graphite and undergrowth. Secondary notes of dried herb, cedar chest and a faint truffle whisper add depth and interest without detracting from the wine s primary clarity. The finish is persistent, returning to black fruit, bittersweet cocoa and a chalky mineral echo that lifts the close and invites another sip.

Château Gloria benefits from meticulous vineyard work and traditional Saint Julien blending, producing wines that combine immediate appeal with clear ageing potential. Drink now with decanting to reveal layers, or cellar for ten to twenty years to allow tertiary notes of forest floor, cigar box and sous bois to integrate. Serve at 16 to 18°C with roast beef, lamb, game or mature cheeses to complement its structural poise and savoury depth. Château Gloria 2023 is a refined Saint Julien, focused, layered and built to reward patience.

JAMES SUCKLING **** 93-94 Points
17 Apr, 2024 – Blackberries and blueberries with stone and sandalwood undertones. It’s medium- to full-bodied with integrated tannins that are polished and refined. Long finish. Solid and rather muscular. Could move up a notch.

DECANTER 93 points
Tasted by: Panos Kakaviatos (at Bordeaux, 18 Apr 2024) Part of Top value Bordeaux 2023 wines tasted en primeur
Drinking Window: 2026 - 2043
Distinctly floral aromas quite beguiled my senses - a brilliant start - leading to a pretty palate: balanced, clean, and with plenty of charm. Tasted a second time, I noticed some raw tannin, but that can be resolved with the barrel ageing (38% new in for the 2023 vintage). Overall, an excellent St-Julien, and for a very good price.

THE WINE ADVOCATE (90-92) points
Reviewed by: William Kelley
An attractive effort, the 2023 Gloria offers up aromas of dark berries and plums mingled with subtle hints of violets and licorice. It's medium to full-bodied, taut and lively, with good depth and persistence. This blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet France is the third and final vintage of organic conversion at Gloria.

VINOUS 91-93 points
Drinking window: 2030 - 2053
The 2023 Gloria is bright, punchy and super-expressive. Red-toned fruit, crushed flowers, white pepper and mocha are nicely dialed up. this super-classic Saint-Julien delivers the goods. Best of all, it should be a great value. - Antonio Galloni. Tasting date: April 2024

JANCIS ROBINSON 16.5 points/20
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc.
A touch more depth in colour compared with some, plenty of weight and heft on the palate. Perhaps not as concentrated as the colour might suggest but there is plenty of soft, dark-berry fruit here. I would prefer a bit more precision and focus on the finish but likely to have wide appeal. (AWH)

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ABOUT CHATEAU GLORIA
Château Gloria, classed as a 3ème Grand Cru Classé and located in Saint Julien, is a relatively modern Bordeaux estate that has established a reputation for consistent quality through meticulous vineyard work and traditional winemaking. Created in the mid nineteenth century by Henri Martin through the acquisition of prized plots from neighbouring classified properties, the estate sits on classic gravelly soils with pockets of clay that provide excellent drainage and heat retention, conditions that favour Cabernet Sauvignon while allowing Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot to contribute flesh, aromatic nuance and mid palate suppleness. Vineyard management is carried out parcel by parcel, with careful attention to vine age, rootstock choice and clonal selection, and yields are controlled to ensure concentration and clarity of expression, while sustainable practices increasingly inform soil care and vine health.

In the winery grapes undergo thorough sorting and gentle handling before fermentation in temperature controlled vats, where extraction is tailored to the character of each parcel to achieve balance between ripe tannin and aromatic lift. Élevage is conducted in French oak, a considered proportion of which is renewed each vintage, adding structure and subtle spice while preserving varietal purity and fruit definition. The estate’s cellars and facilities reflect a commitment to quality and to marrying respect for tradition with modern precision.

The Grand Vin of Château Gloria typically offers a poised bouquet of blackcurrant and dark cherry, complemented by cedar, tobacco leaf and a polished mineral thread that speaks to Saint Julien’s terroir, framed by fine, persistent tannins and bright supporting acidity. On the palate the wine combines density and elegance, delivering both immediate charm and the capacity to develop complexity with patient cellaring. Second and reserve cuvées provide earlier accessibility while retaining the estate’s stylistic focus on balance and typicity. Through steady investment and attentive stewardship Château Gloria continues to produce wines that articulate place, finesse and dependable ageing potential.