This has always been a very good 1975. Atypically powerful and muscular for Gloria, it exhibits as much fruit as many of the top wines. The opaque garnet color reveals slight amber at the edge. The wine offers a classic St.-Julien/Pauillac aromatic profile (tobacco, cedar, currants) combined with more earthy, dusty notes than usual (blame that on the 1975 vintage). A sweet, rich, chewy attack is followed by a dense, concentrated wine that may suffer from a lack of complexity and finesse, but more than compensates for that deficiency with plenty of muscle, extract, ripeness, and body. Drink it over the next 5-7 years.

It has been many years since I had tasted the 1975 Gloria, until it was served at the property as a reminder of how well this Saint Julien can age. As Parker commented himself, it was always a good 1975 and after 40 years, it has retained that endearing cigar box, almost briney nose. The palate used to be quite tannic and foursquare. It has softened in recent years, still unapologetically "old school" Claret 0151a broad shouldered, burly kind of Gloria, but at the same time undeniably well balanced and fresh. It seemed to fatigue a little in the glass, so I would recommend just popping and pouring this faded joy today rather than tomorrow. Tasted March 2016.