2016 Chateau Bel Air Gloria Haut Medoc Bordeaux 750 ml

Every year, nearly 6,000 Bordeaux estates pump out over 9,000 different wines. That means it’s impossible to know every label—but crucial to know the names behind them. 

For savvy buyers, Domaines Henri Martin is one of those must-know names. 

Henri Martin, the group’s late namesake, is the pioneer who’s widely credited with reviving the fame of Saint-Julien. He founded Château Gloria, which he made one of the most prized non-classified wines of the Médoc by piecing the estate together, mostly from Grand Cru–classified parcels. Later, he rejuvenated Fourth-Growth Château Saint-Pierre, which Robert Parker called “vastly underrated.” In Parker’s estimation, the estates represent two of the best values of Saint-Julien. 

But one of Martin’s greatest achievements lay just outside Saint-Julien. Attracted by its proximity to Château Gloria, in 1980 he purchased one of the many estates in Bordeaux named Château Bel Air, renaming it Château Bel Air Gloria. Located just south of the neighborhood that Gruaud Larose and Château Beychevelle call home, Château Bel Air Gloria sits in a plum spot near the Gironde but bears an Haut-Médoc label.

Crafted in a 97-point Bordeaux vintage, boasting a 93-point score from Wine Enthusiast, patiently aged since that stellar season, it was the surprise hit of a tasting we did in Bordeaux with Domaines Henri Martin. Bursting with aromas of ripe blueberry, fresh pencil shavings, barnyard, dark cherries, and plums, it’s rich and concentrated on the palate, with firm yet well-integrated tannins. It’s the perfect Bordeaux for the table tonight or for another decade in the cellar. 

The label might not be famous, but the team behind it is top-notch—and it only takes one sip to prove it.