Château Gloria 2021, Saint-Julien, Bordeaux

Château Gloria is a red Saint-Julien from the heart of the Médoc, made by the Triaud family from vineyards on Garonne gravel with some sand and clay. The blend is led by Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc; in this vintage Petit Verdot, from a massal selection, plays a larger part than usual and adds lift and perfume to the nose. It was also the first vintage from vines farmed organically. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel tanks, malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel, and the wine is then aged for around 14 months in French oak.

The nose is pure and perfumed, with cassis, dark cherry and sweet berries, fresh mint and a herbal touch. The medium- to full-bodied palate is fleshy and seamless, with notes of liquorice and dark chocolate, polished, finely honed tannins and a racy, refined finish with a hint of graphite.

Serve at around 16–18°C, ideally decanted for an hour or two while young. It is a classic match for roast lamb, beef, duck and game, as well as mushroom dishes and hard cheeses. Already approachable, it will continue to develop in bottle well into the 2030s.

Château Gloria is a Saint-Julien estate created by Henri Martin, who came from a long line of Bordeaux wine people and was a cooper by upbringing. In 1942 he bought his first six hectares of vines, from Château Beychevelle, and over the following decades assembled plots bought from neighbouring classed growths, reaching around 50 hectares by the mid-1960s. In 1982 he bought Château Saint-Pierre, fulfilling his ambition to own a classed growth. After his death in 1991, the estates passed to his son-in-law, Jean-Louis Triaud, and they remain in the family today. The vineyard lies on Garonne gravel with some sand and clay, planted mainly with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Gloria moved to organic farming from the 2021 vintage, with certification following in 2024, and Jean-Michel Comme, formerly of Château Pontet-Canet, now advises on a move towards biodynamics.