Chateau Gloria

Born at Chateau Gruaud-Larose in 1903, it seems as though Henri Martin was born into wine. His family had lived around Bordeaux for more than three centuries, usually earning their keep in the vineyards and cellars of the region. His grandfather was the maître de chai at the estate, and his father, Alfred, a cooper who subsequently took on the same role at Chateau St-Pierre, which in the early 20th Century was run by one of the Bontemps-Dubarry daughters and her husband, Georges Kappelhoff. But when Kappelhoff died the Martin family had no means of purchasing anything of significance. The majority of the estate was sold to the Van den Bussche family, who held tenure at St Pierre until 1982; Alfred had to make do with only a small plot of vines and the barrel room from which he ran his cooperage, all that he could afford to buy. He remained a cooper until 1936 when, following a strike held by his staff, Alfred sold his business and became a grocer instead. It seemed as though the Martin family were to be divorced from wine forever.

But this was not to be. In 1942, encouraged by Jean-Charles Cazes, Henri Martin purchased 6 hectares of vines in St Julien. This was the beginning of Chateau Gloria, the name coming from the land on which the Martin family home was built. His father Alfred, who had expressed only rage when initially hearing of his son's rash acquisition, subsequently joined him in his venture, and they went on to purchase more land, starting with a piece of the Beychevelle vineyard acquired from Armand Achille-Fould. Over the years the vineyard expanded to a very respectable 48 hectares, augmented by parcels from Léoville-Poyferré, Gruaud-Larose, Léoville-Barton, St Pierre, Lagrange, Ducru-Beaucaillou and even Duhart-Milon (a Pauillac property, but they owned a small plot in St Julien). The reputation of the wine also grew, and Martin often set the scene on the Bordeaux place with the release price for his wine, which was usually announced prior to any of the classed growth estates as defined by the 1855 classification. Despite the origin of his vineyards being exclusively classed growth properties, and despite the apparent quality of what he offered, Gloria remained firmly outside the Bordeaux old guard. It should come as no surprise to learn that Martin was one of the keenest proponents of a revised classification, but it was never going to be. Despite Martin's popularity, his position of mayor of St-Julien, a role he filled for forty years, his presidency of the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bordeaux and his leadership of the Commanderie de Bordeaux, an organisation he co-founded, there have long been too many interested in maintaining the status quo for such a radical shuffle to get underway. Henri Martin died in 1991, but not before he realised his ambition to own a classed growth chateau, with the purchase of St-Pierre in 1982. Today his son-in-law, Jean-Louis Triaud, continues his work at both estates.
Nowadays’ owner:Françoise Triaud
Technique Information
Location: Chateau Gloria is located in the commune of Saint Julien. It is surrounded by well known neighbors.
Appellation: Appellation Saint-Julien Controlee
Neighboring Chateau: Chateau Gruaud-Larose(2nd Growth 1855 Medoc)
Chateau Léoville-Barton(2nd Growth 1855 Medoc)
Chateau Léoville-Poyferré(2nd Growth 1855 Medoc)