2005 Chateau Gloria, Saint-Julien

The Château Gloria 2005 has what you might describe as an “airy” bouquet armed with bright brambly red berry fruit, boysenberry and touches of cedar coming through, atypically showy in style but there is nothing wrong with that, especially in this vintage. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin: plenty of tobacco and dried herbs infusing the black fruit with a convincing austere finish that lingers long in the mouth. Give this Gloria several years to soften. Excellent.

This wine is glorious – so to speak – with loads of exuberant fruit and plenty of cedary forest floor, Christmas fruitcake, blackcurrant and cherry fruit. This dark ruby/purple-colored wine is again an over-achieving beauty. Drink it over the next 15 or so years.

Red-ruby. Leather, mocha and a whiff of game on the nose; less pure and expressive today than the 2006. Big and rich but not particularly fruity. Presents a somewhat awkward combination of impressive volume and leafy cabernet. Finishes with tough, somewhat rustic tannins.

Dark, narrow rimmed red; light, gravelly nose; medium full, moderately concentrated, slightly dry textured wine; straightforward, crisp, ripe, cabernet based flavour of modest complexity, but a bit dry for real pleasure and easy drinking. Certainly needs food, which would bring out the fruit, Now – 2022+

Tasted blind. Blackish crimson. Sweet start on the nose. But then it lacks a bit of freshness. Heavy, rather brutal tannins on the end. Shame – just a bit overdone. (JR)