About the Wine

Chateau Gloria is fairly unique among the major appellations on the left bank of Bordeaux. The estate was only pieced together in the 1970s so there is no 1855 classification that the estate can rest its hat on. Instead, Chateau Gloria has to prove its quality and value year after year with exceptional wine. This estate regularly produces wine worthy of mention among the very best producers of Saint Julien.

Esprit de Gloria Saint-Julien is a second wine from Chateau Gloria. What’s a second wine? It’s a wine made from the same vineyards as a chateau’s “first wine” (which isn’t really the term used, but we’ll use it here for ease of explanation). It’s also made by the same winemaker and in the same cellars and barrels. Usually, it comes from younger vines that will eventually create the Chateau’s greatest wine. That’s the case with the Esprit de Gloria. It’s made from the youngest vines, but still reflects the typicity of the Saint-Julien appellation and the spirit of Chateau Gloria. 

Second wines are fantastic opportunities for those who want to drink great Bordeaux without paying for Grand Cru Bordeaux. If you’ve never dove into second wines before, the Esprit de Gloria is a great place to at least get your feet, or your palate, wet. Consider this: The 2018 Chateau Gloria (the Chateau’s “first wine,” if you will), is rated 94 points. The 2018 Esprit de Gloria Saint-Julien is rated 93 points. The difference is slight, but the savings is significant.

This wine, grown in the soils of the never-disappointing Saint Julien, a small, important red wine appellation of the Haut-Médoc on the Left Bank, is elegant and age-worthy. And, let’s not forget this is a 2018 Bordeaux, a vintage that is considered excellent, possibly even legendary.

Aging: 14 months in casks

Tasting Notes: Dark cherries and plums explode in the glass, and the wine has bold flavors of plum, cocoa, spice, tobacco, and leather. Beautiful, fruity finish. Give it time to open, at least an hour. More is better.

Reviews

The second wine of Château Gloria, this shows a sophisticated structure that gives richness as well as good balance. The structure and bright fruits are already softening to promise great things from 2025. ~93 Wine Enthusiast

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