château gloria 2002

the parcels that make up château gloria were acquired by henri martin, mayor of saint-julien beychevelle during the 20th century. this key figure of the médoc (one of the founding members of the commanderie du bontemps) raised this vineyard to the level of excellent classified growths of the commune. it is now his son-in-law jean-louis triaud who manages the estate as well as the fourth classified growth château saint-pierre. jean triaud and the director rémi di costanzo now assist him to produce vintage after vintage a superb wine. the vineyard is composed of different local grape varieties such as cabernet-sauvignon, merlot, cabernet-franc and petit verdot. these are carefully cultivated, hand-harvested and traditionally vinified in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks before being aged in barrels for 14 months, half of which are renewed. the wines are sought after for their distinction and their ageing potential which endows them with great aromatic and gustatory complexity. chateau gloria produces generous and full-bodied wines, typical of the saint-julien appellation, itself renowned for its noble cabernet sauvignon. the blend is composed of 65% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot, 5% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot. the grapes are harvested manually and the wine is made in stainless steel tanks. the wine is aged for about 14 months in oak barrels, 40% of which are new. resulting from a classic vinification, the wine offers a sustained and colored dress. in the mouth, it is expressive, with round and perfectly ripe tannins. it will need a few years of ageing before it can reveal its full potential. this wine, which rivals in many respects - notably its perfect balance between body and finesse - is best appreciated after a few years of cellaring and with great gastronomic dishes. dare to pair it with small game, for example.