CHATEAU GLORIA 2008

Description & Press Reviews
Wine Style:  Full Bodied Red

Chateau Gloria is a Saint Julien Grand Cru and came into being as the result of one man's desire to own and run a classed growth property. Henri Martin, one time Mayor of Saint Julien, was born at Château Gruaud Larose in 1903 and was a cooper. Martin's family had wine in their veins having lived around Bordeaux for more than 3 centuries and coopering for the châteaux He bought 14 acres of vines in 1942 in Saint Julien which were the beginnings of Chateau Gloria.

Martin expanded his vineyards, buying and trading land row by row, parcel by parcel, until he had assembled 123 acres. He was a able to accumulate different soil areas from Crus Classés Châteaux Beychevelle, Léoville Poyferré, Gruaud Larose, Léoville Barton, Ducru Beaucaillou and Duhart Milon - a feat made all the more difficult by the fact that Saint Julien only has 2,200 acres all told and almost all of these belong to the 11 Crus Classés in the appellation.

He named his Château “Gloria” after the land on which the Martin family home was built. Martin's quest to own a classed growth estate was realised when he bought the Fourth Growth (4ème Cru) Château Saint Pierre in 1982 at the grand age of 78.

Château Gloria is a deep crimson wine with rich blackcurrant , toffee, pepper, spice and cedar notes. The wines are aged in large oak foudres and small oak barrels – 50% of which are new. They are full bodied with supple tannins and are best drunk after 5 years of cellaring.

Robert Parker 90 points. "2008: A stunning sleeper of the vintage, this beautiful, already irresistible, plum/garnet-colored 2008 is a wine to purchase by the case. It possesses a dense plum/purple color, a glorious perfume of Christmas fruitcake, cedarwood, black currants, jammy cherries and licorice, medium to full body and a silky personality. It will provide both a hedonistic and intellectual turn-on over the next 10-15 years."