94-96. Barrel Sample. This wine promises a great future ahead. It has all the elements in balance-rich tannins, intense black fruits and fragrant acidity-to suggest successful long-term aging.

Subtle pine and black licorice. You get the mellow merlot and lack of new French oak. its smooth very well rounded and pairs well with a risotto, duck and lamb stew.

A grippy style, with a pleasantly rugged edge to the copious brambly tannins that push the core of plum and blackberry reduction along. Lots of licorice snap and tobacco notes show on the finish, which offers persistent grip. Delivers more guts than polish, but will age solidly. Best from 2020 through 2030. 16,665 cases made.

The 2014 Gloria has a powerful bouquet with blackberry, boysenberry and cedar-forthright and demonstrative. The palate is structured and quite masculine, a light marine influence filtering through, but just missing a little complexity on the second half, where I would like to see more Cabernet expression. Perhaps this is one Saint Julien where I expected more. Tasted twice with consistent notes. Drink Date: 2018-2029.