2017 Chateau Gloria St.Julien

In most of France, wines are named by their place of origin and not by the type of grape (with the exception of Alsace). Just like a red Burgundy is by law, always made of Pinot noir, a red Bordeaux is a blended wine composed mainly of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Depending on the laws of the village from which the grapes come, the conditions of the vintage and decisions of the winemaker, the blend can be further supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and in rare cases, Carmenere. So popular and repeated has this mix of grape varieties become worldwide, that the term, Bordeaux Blend, refers to a wine blended in this style, regardless of origin.

Château Gloria is a wine estate in Saint-Julien. It did not feature in the official Bordeaux Classification of 1855, but instead was formed through numerous purchases of plots from classed growths including Beychevelle, Léoville-Barton and Gruaud-Larose. It is praised for its consistent performance and widely regarded by critics as being worthy of Cru Classé status.