Chateau Gloria 2020

A deep, dark garnet hue hints at the intense experience to come. Notes of cooked fruits, cherry, blackcurrant, and wild strawberries with smoky hints fill the nose. Elegant tannins, a delicate structure, and a powerful finish make this vintage one to remember.

Blend: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 11% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc

Wine Spectator: 93
Youthfully taut and well-structured, with singed apple wood and licorice root notes holding a core of red currant, dark plum and blackberry fruit in check for now. Reveals a nice racy graphite underpinning on the finish. One for the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.

Wine Advocate: 92
Rich, generous and demonstrative, the 2020 Gloria bursts with aromas of cherries, sweet berries, plum liqueur and cigar wrapper. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and generous, it will offer a broad drinking window. Best After 2023.

Decanter: 92
I love the clear depth to the blueberry and blackberry fruit on the nose here, a sense of elegance and glamour. Silky yet with a kick, this is enjoyable with a saltine cracker twist on the finish - an excellent St-Julien, but a little disappointing for this particular estate when considered next to recent vintages.

Wine Enthusiast: 95
Under the same ownership as neighboring Château Saint-Pierre, this estate produced a fine, stylish wine that will develop well. The outlines are already there with spice and black currant fruits underling the tannic structure.

Vinous: 95
The 2020 Gloria has an intense nose of penetrating blackberry, raspberry, crushed violet and crushed stone aromas. After 20 minutes, this just blossoms in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine acidity and just a touch of espresso and orange peel toward the finish, which remains taught and focused. What a wonderful Gloria! This might actually surpass its sibling, Château St. Pierre, this year.

Vinous: 95

The 2020 Gloria has an intense nose of penetrating blackberry, raspberry, crushed violet and crushed stone aromas. After 20 minutes, this just blossoms in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine acidity and just a touch of espresso and orange peel toward the finish, which remains taught and focused. What a wonderful Gloria! This might actually surpass its sibling, Château St. Pierre, this year.

James Suckling: 94
This is poised and elegant with notes of bitter chocolate, crushed walnuts, black peppercorns, blackberries and blackcurrants. It’s medium-bodied with silky tannins and layers of fresh black fruit. Classy.

Jeb Dunnuck: 93
Just about a perennial must-buy, the 2020 Chateau Gloria is another terrific vintage for this Saint-Julien chateau, which always seems to turn out a fabulous wine that sells for a great price. Sporting a deep purple hue as well as impressive aromatics of ripe blackcurrants, plums, camphor, smoked tobacco, and gravelly earth, it's a wine that blossoms with time in the glass. (I followed this bottle for multiple days.) Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has beautifully polished tannins, outstanding balance, and the more focused style of the vintage. Tasted twice with consistent notes. Best After 2027.

Jeb Dunnuck: 93

Just about a perennial must-buy, the 2020 Chateau Gloria is another terrific vintage for this Saint-Julien chateau, which always seems to turn out a fabulous wine that sells for a great price. Sporting a deep purple hue as well as impressive aromatics of ripe blackcurrants, plums, camphor, smoked tobacco, and gravelly earth, it's a wine that blossoms with time in the glass. (I followed this bottle for multiple days.) Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has beautifully polished tannins, outstanding balance, and the more focused style of the vintage. Tasted twice with consistent notes. Best After 2027.