Gloria St-Julien 2016

95 points Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux): "Plum colour, with spiced damson and raspberry leaf aromatics. A good few years from being truly open and ready to drink, this is nevertheless superbly enjoyable, even if closed in. Unrolls to show waves of cocoa bean, dark chocolate shavings, espresso, crushed rocks, bilberry and blackcurrant fruits. The chewy tannins are confident and dominating the structure, exerting quiet control over the shape and form of the palate. Bursting with poential. 40% new oak, with one of the latest harvests in the vertical, running from September 29 to October 17. Remi di Constanzo technical director. (11/25/22)."

94 points Neal Martin (Vinous): "The 2016 Gloria is noticeably deeper in color than its peers. It has a charming bouquet of blackberry, briar, brown spices and touches of sandalwood, complex and developing loamy elements with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity. Quite mineral-driven, leading into a composed, precise finish that indicates careful winemaking from great terroir. Superb. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting. Drink 2026-2060. (01/20)."

94 points Jeb Dunnuck: "I was lucky enough to taste the 2016 Château Gloria on multiple occasions and it’s unquestionably the finest vintage of this cuvée I’ve tasted. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, aged in 42% new French oak, its deep purple color is followed by a powerful, medium to full-bodied wine that has thrilling purity in its ripe black and blue fruits, tobacco, and graphite-laced aromas and flavors. Deep, layered, with ripe tannins and the purity and freshness that makes the vintage so special, this is a brilliant Gloria to drink over the coming 20+ years. Drink 2019-2039. (02/28/19)."

94 points Wine Spectator: "This has a slightly chunky feel now, with bramble and tar notes jutting out a bit, but the core is saturated with cassis and blackberry fruit flavors and there's fun energy throughout. Offers a lovely tug of sweet tobacco detail on the finish too. Just let this settle in the cellar. Best from 2024 through 2038. (03/31/19)."

93 points William Kelley (Wine Advocate): "The 2016 Gloria is showing brilliantly and appears to be entering the beginning of its drinking window. Offering up a deep bouquet of sweet crème de cassis and blackberries mingled with sweet spices and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with fine concentration, ripe tannins and bright acids, it's a vibrant, precise wine from this sometimes rather flamboyantly styled estate, impressing for its purity of fruit and structural seamlessness. Gloria in excelsis! Drink 2022-2040 (10/31/22)."

93 points Elin McCoy (Decanter): "Though it's hardly under-the-radar, this unclassified château (one of the few in this appellation) consistently offers rich bright fruit , charm, and juicy generosity in a lighter, elegant St-Julien style, especially in top vintages like 2016. The plots that make up its vineyards were painstakingly acquired by the late Henri Martin and it's now run by his daughter and son-in-law, along with fourth growth Château Saint-Pierre. The blend in 2016 is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot and aged in 40% new barrels. This was the first vintage made in a new winery, with 76 different-sized tanks, and it's one of the best wines ever from Gloria. Drink 2022-2040. (03/31/21)."