CHÂTEAU GLORIA

The 2021 Gloria is terrific and everything it should be. Floral and spice notes open first, revealing a mid-weight, slightly nervous Gloria. Medium in body, with good depth, the 2021 offers fine balance. Tobacco, cedar, mint and red cherry linger. Drinking range: 2028 - 2041 Rating: 91 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2024)

The 2021 Gloria, which contains a healthy slug of Petit Verdot (14%), has a clean and pure bouquet with black cherries, bilberry, cedar and crushed violet scents, almost Margaux-like in style. The oak is nicely integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with a graphite-tinged entry. This is quite a "vertical" Gloria, conservative in some ways, yet it does not compensate in terms of precision on the finish, and it feels reassuringly long on the aftertaste. There’s good potential here. Drinking range: 2027 - 2045 Rating: 93 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Feb 2024)

61 Cabernet Sauvignon, 19 Merlot, 14 Petit Verdot, 6 Cabernet Franc | 54% new oak | 13.1% alc | 35 hl/ha There is a large percentage of Petit Verdot in this wine, and it serves to add colour, depth and impact. However, I wonder if it has also taken away a little elegance? While there is an impressive fanfare on the nose and palate, there is not quite as much behind the façade, and the reasonably short finish marks this is a good wine but not a keeper. Rating: 16 Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (Jun 2022)

I like the firmness and polish to this, with medium body, creamy tannins and a delicious finish. Racy and refined. Rating: 92-93 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2022)

The 2021 Gloria is the first vintage where the vineyard farming has moved to organic viticulture (though there are no plans for certification.) It was picked from September 27 to October 9, stopping for 5 days between the Merlot and Cabernets, with a large percentage (14%) of Petit Verdot from a massal selection. It has a very pure and perfumed nose thanks to the contribution of the Petit Verdot. The palate is medium-bodied and quite dense for the vintage, displaying fine body and weight, gentle grip and a touch of graphite toward the finish. Very fine. Drinking range: 2027 - 2045 Rating: 91-93 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2022)

The 2021 Gloria is charming, as it so often is. Bright and energetic, the 2019 has so much to offer. The purity of the red-toned fruit is so appealing. Gloria can show some hard edges when it is young, but the 2021 is very nicely balanced for a young Saint-Julien. Drinking range: 2028 - 2041 Rating: 90-92 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (May 2022)

Always a wine that manages to find itself on the right side of ripe, and the right side of exuberant and even in 2021 you will recognise those two skills here. This is bright, cheerful, carefully placed, enjoyable stuff with liqourice and bitter chocolate, First year organic, Jean Michel Comme consultant. Harvest September 27 to October 9. Drinking range: 2025 - 2036 Rating: 91 Jane Anson, Decanter (May 2022)