2018 Château Gloria Saint-Julien

96 POINTS

Wine Spectator

There's lots here, with raspberry, blackberry, currant and blueberry fruit all playing a role, along with lively briar and licorice snap notes. An apple wood frame keeps the elements in line.'

96 POINTS

The Wine Cellar Insider

Dark, almost inky in color, the wine offers intensity, richness, velvet textures and purity of fruit. The array of black, deep red and nearly blue fruit with smoke, flowers, earth, espresso and licorice leaves a marked impression on the nose, on the palate and in the long, silky, polished finish. '

96 POINTS

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW - Wine Advocate

The deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Malescot St. Exupery comes prancing out of the glass with flamboyant raspberry coulis, kirsch and redcurrant jelly scents over a fresh blackcurrant and boysenberry core with wafts of red roses, cinnamon stick and forest floor. Full-bodied, rich and opulent in the mouth, the palate delivers stacks of red fruit, cassis and floral layers with a firm, finely grained frame and plenty of freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Just lovely.'

94 POINTS

James Suckling

This is a tight and linear red, showing dark berries and blueberries with cedar with flowers. Full-bodied and foursquare. Framed and focused.

94 POINTS

Antonio Galloni MW - Vinous

Gloria is once again fabulous. Brisk and vibrant, the 2018 has so much to offer. The 2018 is a bit more linear than other recent vintages (such as the 2016) but it nevertheless has a lot to offer. Bright red cherry, cedar, tobacco, spice and floral notes pulse with tremendous energy. The tannins need a few years in bottle to unwind, but there is so much to look forward to. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Tasted four times.'

93 POINTS

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW - Wine Advocate

The 2018 Gloria is deep garnet-purple colored and gives up expressive notions of warm red and black currants, black cherries and boysenberries with hints of spice cake, cedar chest, pencil lead and menthol. Full-bodied with a firm texture of ripe, grainy tannins, it has a lively line cutting through the dense, savory layers, finishing on a lingering spicy note. The blend is currently 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Anticipated aging is for 14 months in oak barriques, 40% new.'

93 POINTS

Jeb Dunnuck

Readers looking for an estate on the uptick need to check out the 2018 Château Gloria, which is up with the finest vintages I’ve tasted from this Saint-Julien estate. Deeply colored with terrific cassis and blackberry fruits as well as ample leafy herbs and sappy flower notes, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, has polished, elegant tannins, and a great finish. It’s a juicy, fruit-forward effort with good concentration and lots of class. Drink it over the coming 25 years or more. The blend is currently 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, from a selection of 65% of the total production, that’s currently resting in 40% new French oak.'

93 POINTS

Decanter

Gloria is fast becoming one of the most exciting insider wines of the entire Bordeaux region, and that rare species of a non-classified St-Julien. The fruit here is brambly, textured and autumnal, and again the alcohol seems generous but balanced, with plenty of St-Julien finesse. It has a feeling of not needing to go too far to convince anyone. This is some austerity here but there's a bounce to the tannins through the mid-palate, while the alcohol is clearly there but not dominant, helped I would expect by relatively generous yields of 46hl/ha. Very good quality. 5% Cabernet Franc makes up the blend. 50% new oak.'