2010 - Gloria, Saint-Julien

Deep rich ruby colour, brooding and a little closed on the nose, this is a great wine in both 2009 and 2010, which is not always the case, perhaps because the two vintages needed different skillsets. You can pick either vintage for Gloria though, and this one majors on crayon, campfire, violet flowers, grilled almonds, blackberry, damson and incense.

The 2010 Gloria has a very attractive and quite intense bouquet with a surfeit of blackberry and wild strawberry scents, cedar and light seaweed coming through with aeration. The palate is very well balanced with supple but firm tannins framing the pure blackberry and bilberry fruit, laced with black pepper and clove. Very complex, very focused and very precise on the finish, this is an outstanding 2010 Saint-Julien. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.

Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Gloria features notions of cedar, sandalwood and dusty earth with a core of black cherry compote and black berry pie plus wafts of tapenade, truffles and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a solid frame of firm, grainy tannins and lively acid with emboldened flavors and an earth-laced finish.

Tasted blind. Deep brick-rimmed garnet. Sweet, ripe, dark and just a touch pruney on the nose. Charry too. Then pretty chunky tannins, with what seems like a disconnect between the fruit and the structure. Not sure it will come round but other tasters rated this more highly than I did. (JH)