2005 Château Gloria, 375ml

Château Gloria is a 118-acre estate in St.- Julien, Bordeaux. The estate is “unclassified” because it was founded after the 1855 official classification of Bordeaux estates. The estate was established in 1942 by Henri Martin, a native of the area and a one-time mayor of St.-Julien, who in his 40s purchased 15 acres of vineyards. Martin bought more property over the years, and building. He died in 1982 but Château Gloria is now run by his son-in-law, Jean-Louis Triad. Before his death Martin also bought Château St.-Pierre. Vineyards are planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 5% each Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. About 200,000 bottles are produced annually. The second wine is Château Peymartin. Robert M. Parker Jr. calls Gloria’s wines “always soundly made and consistently reliable.”

Saint-Julien is the smallest of the four main Médoc appellations with 2,175 acres of vineyards. It is just south of Pauillac on the left bank of the Gironde, and although it has no First Growth châteaux, its 11 Classified Growth estates are widely admired. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that winemaking in Saint-Julien from all classifications “is consistently both distinctive and brilliant.” He adds it is Médoc’s “most underrated commune.” The best-known estates are Léoville Las Cases, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Léoville Poyferré, Léoville Barton and Gruaud Larose, and most of those have riverside estates. The soil in this appellation is gravelly with clay. Cabernet Sauvignon is the main grape grown, and it is blended with Cabernet Franc, Merlot and sometimes small amounts of Petit Verdot.