Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

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oysterboy
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by oysterboy »

sean.mcgrath wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 2:39 pm
oysterboy wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 7:47 am
the light bulb came on for me when I tasted a Ridge Lytton Springs Zin around 1985. A bit like the Supreme Court definition of pornography, "You know it when you see it."

I would recommend periodically buying a few bottles of higher-end wines for aging that are warranted by some research. I am now 74 and have friends who became quite passionate about wine when they were around 60-65. Having now experienced aged wines, they greatly lament not having bought more outstanding wines years ago that would be maturing now. As someone mentioned above, buying already-aged wine is a crapshoot.
Maybe I should start a thread on the light bulb moment. :-)
In my first job in 1987, we had a training in SF and the local team did an amazing job giving us a week to remember while sticking to budget. I had my first cab, Rutherford Hill, at a restaurant. The guy across from me at the table and I were both wide-eyed. I had no idea a wine could taste like that!

I do wonder about your crapshoot comment, though. Have you had bad experiences? I used to be quite proud that all of my wines had been aged in my own cellar, but now at 57 I do not have that many en primeur seasons left to age wines for decades. I started buying a bit at auction last year, and so far the experience has been only positive. Idealwine takes shipment and inspects, although they can't guarantee storage conditions of course. Still a small sample size, but so far so good. I just had some 1990 Sociando-Mallet delivered yesterday -- looking forward to trying it.
Yes, most of us recall that epiphany moment of, "I think I get it". It is fun to hear of others' versions.
My use of "crapshoot" was a bit of an exaggeration which was a poor choice. I have had a few bad experiences through auctions, most of which I attributed to poor storage. At age 74, I seldom buy wines with drinking windows more than 7 or 8 years off, and do so then only because the wine just sounds irresistible, which is foolish, of course; but so what? I have been very fortunate to have accumulated a lot of great wine, more than I will ever drink. And, a dear long-time friend and wine companion left me 3 cases of extraordinary wines in his will, mostly from the '90s, that I intend to drink over the next couple of years.

At your age of 57, I think you have plenty of time to buy wonderful wines and store them for 15 years and longer for great enjoyment. I'm 17 years older than you and enjoying wine as much as ever. BTW, the '90 Sociando-Mallet was a wonderful wine when I last tasted it probably 10 years ago, and I'll bet it still is. A great vintage all over Europe. It sounds like you have a trustworthy wine merchant to source these wines for you. Best wishes on your continuing enjoyment.
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unclescrooge
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by unclescrooge »

oysterboy wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 5:01 pm [quote=sean.mcgrath At age 74, I seldom buy wines with drinking windows more than 7 or 8 years off, and do so then only because the wine just sounds irresistible, which is foolish, of course; but so what? I have been very fortunate to have accumulated a lot of great wine, more than I will ever drink. And, a dear long-time friend and wine companion left me 3 cases of extraordinary wines in his will, mostly from the '90s, that I intend to drink over the next couple of years.

At your age of 57, I think you have plenty of time to buy wonderful wines and store them for 15 years and longer for great enjoyment.
Has age affected your taste, or choice of wines?

I read an article a while ago that said brighter, bolder wines were getting higher ratings as wine critics were aging and losing their taste buds.
Dottie57
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by Dottie57 »

tenkuky wrote: Sat Jan 15, 2022 4:47 pm
AllMostThere wrote: Sat Jan 15, 2022 4:40 pm DW & I both love a good Late Harvest Reisling. Something about a cool night kissed grape that makes the wine smooth, flavorful and sweet. In my uneducated wine opinion, the best we have found are the various wineries in the Traverse City area. Most can be had for < $20/bottle. :thumbsup
Columbia Crest/Chateau Ste. Michelle (WA state) have wonderful variety of Rieslings (from Late Harvest to Dry) at price points < $10 and widely available in stores. Check them out.
I’ve also enjoyed Chateau Ste. Michelle Sauvignon Blanc
Cruise
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by Cruise »

Highly recommend "Hill of Grace." Once you try this wine, you won't want to consume anything else. :)
Youndo
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by Youndo »

In true BH spirit, my friends and I make most of the wine we drink. Being in California, high quality grapes are usually affordable and plentiful. We make runs to Paso Robles and Sonoma, purchasing about two tons each year from growers we’ve known for years which makes about 4 barrels of finished juice. The crush, press, and bottling steps are great exercise taboot. If I run out of my yearly allocation of 10 cases, I usually look for high QPR options, especially good vintages from Bordeaux satellite appellations like Fronsac, Cotes de Castillion etc.
sean.mcgrath
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by sean.mcgrath »

oysterboy wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 5:01 pm
At your age of 57, I think you have plenty of time to buy wonderful wines and store them for 15 years and longer for great enjoyment. I'm 17 years older than you and enjoying wine as much as ever.
You are right, I am over-dramatizing. You have been very blessed, of course, with your health and I only hope that we will continue to have a similar blessing into our 70s.

Nonetheless, I am haunted by this image from CellarTracker. I have had a few thirty year plus Bordeaux wines from my cellar and do agree that they get better and better. Buying significant en primeur with the goal of thirty years' storage is starting to feel optimistic!

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unclescrooge
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by unclescrooge »

Youndo wrote: Thu Jan 20, 2022 12:12 am In true BH spirit, my friends and I make most of the wine we drink. Being in California, high quality grapes are usually affordable and plentiful. We make runs to Paso Robles and Sonoma, purchasing about two tons each year from growers we’ve known for years which makes about 4 barrels of finished juice. The crush, press, and bottling steps are great exercise taboot. If I run out of my yearly allocation of 10 cases, I usually look for high QPR options, especially good vintages from Bordeaux satellite appellations like Fronsac, Cotes de Castillion etc.
How much does a ton of grape go for?
Do you buy from vineyards, or just small farmers?
rage_phish
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by rage_phish »

A set of zalto glasses was a nice gift I gave my wife. They really are nice to drink from
GG1273
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by GG1273 »

Had a nice red blend at a friend's house last night

Chappellet 2014 - Mountain Cuvee
44% cab
36% merlot
9% petit verdot
7% malbec
4% cabernet franc
dekecarver
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by dekecarver »

02nz wrote: Sat Jan 15, 2022 7:35 pm
dekecarver wrote: Sat Jan 15, 2022 7:26 pm I went to the local Total Beverage ...
Do you mean Total Wine & More? By far my favorite chain wine retailer. It's so much better than BevMo.
Yes
LifeIsGood
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by LifeIsGood »

Interesting comments about people getting older and their concerns about not living long enough to enjoy wines that require aging. A couple of years ago I called Ridge Vineyards to cancel my Monte Bello subscription. The nice lady on the phone asked why I was cancelling to which I replied "Because I probably won't live long enough to enjoy this wine when it's drinkable". She laughed and said she has heard that reason quite often.
I found the other comment about different styles of wine appealing to people as they age. Just like my hearing, I've found my taste buds have diminished acuity as I have gotten older (age 74). Too bad they don't have hearings aids for taste buds!
oysterboy
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by oysterboy »

Yes, the taste buds diminish, but not so much yet that I can't relish a good bottle. I hope you still have a cache of older Ridge MB, as do I, thankfully. A '92 from magnum recently was stunningly fine. Paul Draper was my favorite CA winemaker.
frequentT
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by frequentT »

Enjoyed this thread very much.

I have enjoyed the world of wine for 30+ years. I keep ~10 cases at a local storage facility. I do use cellar tracker, but not so faithfully. Pre-covid, the cellar would have tastings with wine makers from all over. These were fun and very social. Wine enthusiasts are a lovable group. We just had a December tasting with a bunch of local distributors. It was a break out experience, enjoyed by all, just like olden times.........

Here is an insight for you: if you like to travel, try to include wine growing regions. There you will find all good things. Temperate climate, productive farmers>farm to table, good restaurants, other wine lovers to meet and taste with, wine makers, cellar masters, places for picnics etc. You have so much opportunity in Oregon, but the rest of the wine world is there for you to visit.

Every time I visit a winery, I try to buy at least one bottle to support the wine maker. Only rarely do I not find something I could buy.

Through the BHs, I found https://us.nakedwines.com/

I have been a member of their club for little over a year. Their wines are very approachable, and value priced. Good for every day dining and entertaining friends and family. Fortunately, my neighbor is a wine drinker, and we share a case order when we need to re-stock. He orders 7 bottles, I usually order 5. Check them out.
safari
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by safari »

Since the pandemic started, my wife and I have been spending around $1,000 a month on wine, so it's an expensive hobby. When buying wine, I found that I trust user ratings on Vivino much more than the scores given by professional reviewers. Cellar Tracker is also very good, but it often doesn't have any ratings for more obscure wines from boutique wineries. Below is the list of places I get my wine from.

- Wine Clubs. We're currently members at three wineries. Used to be more, but we cancelled a bunch of them and only left the ones we really like and whose wines are not available anywhere else, except directly from the winery.

- Vivino. They partner with many wine retailers and often have great discounts. They offer a huge variety of wines that can be ordered through Vivino, which is super convenient. They offer free shipping (with minimum order requirement) and often have additional coupon discounts.

- Last Bottle. They only sell one wine at a time and always at a great price. Some wines sell out within minutes. The owners are well connected in the wine industry and often get great deals from wineries, which they pass on to the consumers.

- Wine Access. They offer extremely well curated selection and often have some unique wines that are not available elsewhere.

- Underground Cellar. It's a very unique concept of buying wine and extremely addictive, as it has elements of gambling. They sell wine in collections (e.g. Bold California Reds, Australian Wines, French Pinots, Summer Rose, etc.), and they show you what wines are included in each collection and what the odds are of getting each of those bottles. Some collections had bottles valued over $3,000 (Screaming Eagle), which would of course have very long odds of getting, like 0.03%, but it's like playing the lottery. You cannot choose the exact wine, only the number of bottles (you can buy as few as 1 bottle from a collection). The price of each bottle usually equals to the lowest price of wine in the collection, so you're pretty much guaranteed to get upgraded to a more expensive wine. I've gotten wines worth $100+ several times for $20-$30. They often run promotions and send out codes for additional discounts, like $120 off when purchasing 12+ bottles, etc. Their referral bonuses are super generous, too. When you refer someone, that person gets $50 credit and can use it without any minimum order requirement, and then the referrer also gets $50. Another unique thing about them is that they store the wine you buy from them for free in their "Cloud Cellar" and you can choose what wine you want shipped to you and when. Shipping in 12-bottle increments is free, but even paid shipping is not that expensive.

Where do you buy your wines from?
WhyNotUs
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by WhyNotUs »

khangaroo wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 8:31 am I’ve only started to get into wines when I met my wife several years ago but we’re lucky enough to live in Portland, OR and surrounded by world-class wineries. We’ve become wine club members at 2 places and I feel like I’m starting to taste some of the wine descriptions or maybe I’m just going crazy lol
You are pretty much set. One could spend the rest of their life learning wines within 100 miles of your home and be fine, if you like pinot and other similar reds. I would make plans for the pinot noir festival in McMinnville in July and you will have a chance to sample the world of pinots.

Happened to be there one time when the Eyrie lot was being distributed and met some nice folks that allowed us to join a sampling. I did swallow :-)
It is also a really fun place to bike.
I own the next hot stock- VTSAX
sean.mcgrath
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by sean.mcgrath »

safari wrote: Mon Jan 24, 2022 7:31 pm
Where do you buy your wines from?
I've got it made. At the start of the pandemic I agreed with my eco-friendly son to stop buying wines and beef sourced from other continents. After some searching, I now cycle through a roster of very good shops, one each in France, Spain, Italy, Germany and Austria. My cellar has never had it so good. :-)
rage_phish
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by rage_phish »

Seems like the right thread for this…

Any recommendations for under counter wine fridges that won’t break the bank?

We are aging wines for years in it. It’s honestly more for looks and general storage (and keeps the 2 year old away from the bottles better than a simple rack!)
Reamus294
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by Reamus294 »

We have the little GE profile wine fridge and bought it when it was much cheaper than it is now. It is relatively quiet, but still noticeable and next to our living room. We tried one before that and it was way too loud even though it is advertised as quiet. If it is going in a kitchen, you may not have to worry about sound as much since your other fridge may drown anything out.

I’d suggest a single zone to keep things easier (less parts to break) and don’t have a limit on reds vs whites. Many of the little fridges out there don’t fit the bigger bottles without removing a shelf or something so keep that in mind when they show bottle counts.
rage_phish
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by rage_phish »

Yeah I’m thinking single zone. We drink far more reds. And have a garage fridge for whites

We currently have a very old handle down eurocave (that’s on its last legs). But it’s not the under counter size. And with a kitchen remodel in the works right now, wife wants to add an undercounted model
Wings5
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by Wings5 »

The Vivino app + Trader Joe’s is a good combination. Plenty of inexpensive but good wines.
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desiderium
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by desiderium »

Living in the Northwest, I gravitate to Oregon wines. The spare Pinots from Willamette valley region fit my taste. It has been my pleasure to explore the different Terroirs, sometimes on the same plots as volcanic formations have pushed through sedimentary soils, as well as the effects of seasonal differences in weather. I also favor Chardonnays from that area almost as much as from Burgundy. In Washington, Walla Walla is a special place, with some really fine Cabernets. Both of these areas are low-key enough that one can wander about, appreciate the land and talk with some of the winemakers.
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khangaroo
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by khangaroo »

The wife and I went to one of our favorite Italian places tonight (Casa Italia in SE Portland) and due to this thread I decided to try something beyond my usual Oregon Pinot Noir and tried a 2019 Gaetano D’Aquino Chianti and also asked the waitress for a good pairing and she suggested the Lasagna al Forno. The meal was absolutely exquisite!!

So thank you to all the posters so far! I’ve learned so much about wine and all the great things that surround it from this thread.
Dyloot
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by Dyloot »

GG1273 wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 9:48 am
Dyloot wrote: Sat Jan 15, 2022 11:56 am
GG1273 wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 4:07 pm I'm in NJ so might not get a lot of the smaller run batches from CA, OR or WA here

A few we've liked
Reds
Hartford Court Russian River Pinot Noir
Hartford Court Lands Edge Pinot Noir
Hess Collection Lion Tamer Red Blend
Stags Leap Petite Sirah (a personal favorite)
Georgrafico La Pevera Toscana
El Enemigo Malbec
Alto Moncayo Garnacha

Whites
For us, CA Sauvignon Blancs are too sweet
Here are 2 drier ones from Sancerre
Both are excellent
Lauverjat Karine Sancerre Blanc
Gérard Boulay Sancerre à Chavignol Blanc
I live in Sonoma County (about 20 minutes from Hartford Court) and once worked for Hartford's parent company. That brand is a gem.

I know numerous winemakers who grab it at our local markets whenever they go to a social gathering. It's a very safe purchase for less than $50.

If you're ever out visiting us you should drop in. They have tasting rooms (I believe) in both downtown Healdsburg and at the winery itself outside of Forestville.

A friend of my wife's moved to Sacramento area after college. Normally, they'd come east to see her parents but her parents relocated to FL. So, we'll probably head west late spring and stop by Hartford Court. I was at a larger store this morning and saw that they have a Zin too so picked up a bottle to try. Thanks for the recommendation!

https://www.vivino.com/US-NJ/en/hartfor ... nav-search

Lauverjat Karine also has a Pouilly-Fumé (2019 in the store) which was also quite good
I'm a huge fan of Zin, although I rarely mention it in forums such as this because the grape tends not to be very popular.

My favorite Zin from Hartford Court is this one:

https://www.hartfordwines.com/vineyard/ ... e-vineyard

If you're a fan of Zin, check out the Dry Creek Valley appellation (next to Healdsburg) when you visit. My favorite is Dutcher Crossing (especially the Maple Zin):

https://www.dutchercrossingwinery.com/
EnjoyIt
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by EnjoyIt »

dbr wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 12:43 pm So my naive question is how does a wine shopper have assurance that he has avoided a bad wine to buy? Avoiding a bad choice is far more important than assuring that one has scored 120 instead of 118 (on some imaginary scale that tops out at 120). Hopefully we are not going to say just be sure to spend more than x$ a bottle.

Its already ok that people have different tastes in wine by variety, etc., but we assume we already know what that is.

An example is that I don't like champagne at all. I once bought a pricey bottle of what anyone would say was a very high quality champagne just to figure it out and sure enough I didn't like it at all, not even close. It didn't seem different from any other hack champagne that people serve. When people feature champagne at an event I just don't drink at all or choose ginger ale.

Also, by way of comparison I definitely have sensitivity and preference among single malts, so the idea does compute. Wine is all the same to me, within a variety with an occasional exception that somehow seems really good. It is also true all the single malt I would ever buy is not cheap. My wife, of course, would not in a million years even sniff a whiskey.
I too am a single malt fan. Particularly prefer the highlands on most days followed by an Islay when the right mood comes along.

I have done many many blind taste tests from $40-$200 bottles and have come to the conclusion that price and even age is not what is important. I have tried highly rated 21 year single malts and preferred 12 year bottles.

I have compared same bottling company but different age and have found that a cheaper younger single malt may actually taste better.

My point is. Drink what you enjoy. Who cares how some person you don’t know rated something. The only person you need to please is yourself.

The same goes for wine. We have a family friend who is a well renowned chef in France who has stated on several occasion the same thing. It’s not about the price. Drink what you like. He also poked fun at the Americans saying that few people in France drink expensive wines. Those are generally sold to the Americans.

This is just my opinion and what I heard one chef say. I am not stating anything as fact.
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mkc
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by mkc »

Dyloot wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 12:18 pm
GG1273 wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 9:48 am
A friend of my wife's moved to Sacramento area after college. Normally, they'd come east to see her parents but her parents relocated to FL. So, we'll probably head west late spring and stop by Hartford Court. I was at a larger store this morning and saw that they have a Zin too so picked up a bottle to try. Thanks for the recommendation!

https://www.vivino.com/US-NJ/en/hartfor ... nav-search

Lauverjat Karine also has a Pouilly-Fumé (2019 in the store) which was also quite good
I'm a huge fan of Zin, although I rarely mention it in forums such as this because the grape tends not to be very popular.

My favorite Zin from Hartford Court is this one:

https://www.hartfordwines.com/vineyard/ ... e-vineyard

If you're a fan of Zin, check out the Dry Creek Valley appellation (next to Healdsburg) when you visit. My favorite is Dutcher Crossing (especially the Maple Zin):

https://www.dutchercrossingwinery.com/
We are also huge Zin fans. Biale "black chicken", Ridge, and of course the legendary Turley zins (which are essentially mailing list-only, except for the Juvenile).
Dyloot
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by Dyloot »

mkc wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 12:57 pm
Dyloot wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 12:18 pm
GG1273 wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 9:48 am
A friend of my wife's moved to Sacramento area after college. Normally, they'd come east to see her parents but her parents relocated to FL. So, we'll probably head west late spring and stop by Hartford Court. I was at a larger store this morning and saw that they have a Zin too so picked up a bottle to try. Thanks for the recommendation!

https://www.vivino.com/US-NJ/en/hartfor ... nav-search

Lauverjat Karine also has a Pouilly-Fumé (2019 in the store) which was also quite good
I'm a huge fan of Zin, although I rarely mention it in forums such as this because the grape tends not to be very popular.

My favorite Zin from Hartford Court is this one:

https://www.hartfordwines.com/vineyard/ ... e-vineyard

If you're a fan of Zin, check out the Dry Creek Valley appellation (next to Healdsburg) when you visit. My favorite is Dutcher Crossing (especially the Maple Zin):

https://www.dutchercrossingwinery.com/
We are also huge Zin fans. Biale "black chicken", Ridge, and of course the legendary Turley zins (which are essentially mailing list-only, except for the Juvenile).
Nice! Napa is so much fun.

The weather out here is amazing right now, too--feels like spring. It makes me want to jump in the car and spend the day wine tasting. Instead, it's youth soccer! Hah.
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heartwood
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by heartwood »

Always been a fan of the Wagner family wines, e.g., Caymus. I believe Chuck Wagner started Caymus. His son, Joe Wagner, has his own vineyard, with bottles generally at a lower price point.

Recently I've noticed them not including specific years for vintage information. An 1858 Red Blend bottle from Joe Wagner only says "Lot No 2". I've seen similar on some Caymus offerings which talk about "Voyage" rather than year. https://www.wagnerfamilyofwine.com/wine ... -schooner/

I've enjoyed them all, but is this a trend? How do you use a vintage chart with them if there's no year? Are they in fact blends of multi years?

I'll also second the several recommends for the Vivino app. https://www.vivino.com/app

My phone is in my hand whenever I shop for wine. I trust the apps crowd reviews more than I trust some known reviewers. In fact I've learned, for my taste, to avoid anything recommended by James Suckling.

Vivino also lets you take a snap of a restaurant wine list and gives you the ratings right there. Open the app, click the camera link, look to the left for the list icon, take a picture and submit. And the app is free!
rage_phish
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by rage_phish »

Wife and I are heading to Calistoga and st Helena for a weekend

We have dinner plans at Press & Solbar

Any winery $ tasting room recommendations?

Other restaurant recs?
ClaycordJCA
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by ClaycordJCA »

tenkuky wrote: Tue Jan 18, 2022 7:16 pm
Dottie57 wrote: Tue Jan 18, 2022 7:02 pm
NYCaviator wrote: Sat Jan 15, 2022 10:00 am
calmaniac wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 1:02 pm I'd love to drink red wine more regularly, but since I only would be drinking a glass a day, I hesitate opening bottles since the wine goes bad before I finish the bottle.

Any suggestions for how to keep wine fresh for 3-4 days? I've haven't had much luck with Vacu-vin, etc. Anyone use nitrogen devices?
There are some pretty good higher-end wines in boxes now. (I hesitate to call them boxed wines because they aren't the normal gross stuff you'd find in boxes a few years ago). Boxed wine is great when you want to have a glass every once in a while; it doesn't go bad like bottled wine does after a day.
What are the higher end box wines?
From Wine Spectator (2019)...
https://www.winespectator.com/articles/ ... -and-boxes
A couple of months ago I stumbled across an article about “Really Good Boxed Wine.” They were sold out of their first release (Pinot Noir, I believe), but I received an on-line add for their 2019 Cabernet from a vineyard in Paso Robles. I was curious and placed an order so I could try it. I received the wine a week later via UPS and had a glass yesterday with dinner. The wine was quite good and there is definite varietal character. It is a good option for a daily glass of wine for me since DW’s migraines preclude her from partaking. I don’t have to worry about having to finish a bottle in a night or two before it goes bad - the box is supposed to last 6 weeks after opening.
ClaycordJCA
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by ClaycordJCA »

unclescrooge wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 8:28 pm I've become a huge fan of central California wines. So much so, we bought a vacation house in Paso Robles recently.
You probably know this, but there is a Facebook group for “Paso Robles Wine Fanatics.” Enjoy your vacation home!
rage_phish
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by rage_phish »

I loved our trip to Paso. Great wines
LifeIsGood
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by LifeIsGood »

Like you, I take most critics with a grain of salt. My "favorite" is Antonio Galloni . I've seen him rate $11 bottles of wines a 99 ! To each his/her own. I think Wine Spectator tends to be the hardest grader. Generally their scores come in at least a couple of points below everyone else.


heartwood wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 1:45 pm Always been a fan of the Wagner family wines, e.g., Caymus. I believe Chuck Wagner started Caymus. His son, Joe Wagner, has his own vineyard, with bottles generally at a lower price point.

Recently I've noticed them not including specific years for vintage information. An 1858 Red Blend bottle from Joe Wagner only says "Lot No 2". I've seen similar on some Caymus offerings which talk about "Voyage" rather than year. https://www.wagnerfamilyofwine.com/wine ... -schooner/

I've enjoyed them all, but is this a trend? How do you use a vintage chart with them if there's no year? Are they in fact blends of multi years?

I'll also second the several recommends for the Vivino app. https://www.vivino.com/app

My phone is in my hand whenever I shop for wine. I trust the apps crowd reviews more than I trust some known reviewers. In fact I've learned, for my taste, to avoid anything recommended by James Suckling.

Vivino also lets you take a snap of a restaurant wine list and gives you the ratings right there. Open the app, click the camera link, look to the left for the list icon, take a picture and submit. And the app is free!
GG1273
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by GG1273 »

Cruise wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 2:45 am Highly recommend Sojourn Winery. Once you buy from them (online), you will get on their list for new releases. There is no required purchases, staff are great to deal with, and their Pinot noirs are truly amazing.
Thanks for mentioning Sojourn! Store near me has the Russian River and the Rodgers Creek bottles - picked up one of each to try.

https://www.vivino.com/US-NJ/en/sojourn ... nav-search
https://www.vivino.com/US-NJ/en/sojourn ... nav-search
safari
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by safari »

mkc wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 12:57 pm
Dyloot wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 12:18 pm
GG1273 wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 9:48 am
A friend of my wife's moved to Sacramento area after college. Normally, they'd come east to see her parents but her parents relocated to FL. So, we'll probably head west late spring and stop by Hartford Court. I was at a larger store this morning and saw that they have a Zin too so picked up a bottle to try. Thanks for the recommendation!

https://www.vivino.com/US-NJ/en/hartfor ... nav-search

Lauverjat Karine also has a Pouilly-Fumé (2019 in the store) which was also quite good
I'm a huge fan of Zin, although I rarely mention it in forums such as this because the grape tends not to be very popular.

My favorite Zin from Hartford Court is this one:

https://www.hartfordwines.com/vineyard/ ... e-vineyard

If you're a fan of Zin, check out the Dry Creek Valley appellation (next to Healdsburg) when you visit. My favorite is Dutcher Crossing (especially the Maple Zin):

https://www.dutchercrossingwinery.com/
We are also huge Zin fans. Biale "black chicken", Ridge, and of course the legendary Turley zins (which are essentially mailing list-only, except for the Juvenile).
We are not big zin drinkers, but we love Turley zins. We've been members of their mailing list for a number of years, and have yet to open a bottle of Turley that we didn't like. In fact, I just ordered two cases from the latest allocation a couple weeks ago. Their Petite Sirahs are also really good, as well as Cabernet Sauvignons (these are pretty are), and even the white wines, which not many people know Turley even makes, since they are mostly associated with zins. A few years ago we stayed for a few nights at the Turley's Old Vine House in Paso Robles, which is located in Pesenti vineyard, and it was an awesome experience.
Cruise
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by Cruise »

GG1273 wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 7:34 am
Cruise wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 2:45 am Highly recommend Sojourn Winery. Once you buy from them (online), you will get on their list for new releases. There is no required purchases, staff are great to deal with, and their Pinot noirs are truly amazing.
Thanks for mentioning Sojourn! Store near me has the Russian River and the Rodgers Creek bottles - picked up one of each to try.

https://www.vivino.com/US-NJ/en/sojourn ... nav-search
https://www.vivino.com/US-NJ/en/sojourn ... nav-search
You are welcome! Hope you enjoy. Do report back.
VinoVita
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by VinoVita »

rage_phish

Brasswood is a favorite of ours in St. Helena.
Don’t miss the fresh Mozzarella…you have to ask for it. My absolute favorite is the sage infused pappardelle noodles with short rib ragu.
Enjoy!
rage_phish
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by rage_phish »

Thanks!
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CyclingDuo
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by CyclingDuo »

khangaroo wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 8:31 am I’ve been lurking/posting for a few years and haven’t seen too many wine threads pop up so I figured I would start one where we could chat about some favorite varietals, wines, products (I just got some Riedel glasses for my birthday), wineries we should check out if we are in the area, and just random things wine-related.

I’ve only started to get into wines when I met my wife several years ago but we’re lucky enough to live in Portland, OR and surrounded by world-class wineries. We’ve become wine club members at 2 places and I feel like I’m starting to taste some of the wine descriptions or maybe I’m just going crazy lol

Please comment on your favorite wines and if you have any recommendations on anything wine-related. One thing I’ve been thinking about is getting a decanter but not really sure if it’s worth it, would love some insight.
Riedel does indeed make great wine glasses! We tend to break things with a stem in our household, so have opted for lower cost glasses these days (prefer stemless to keep breakage at bay). Thumbs up on a decanter. We have a few and highly recommend using one.

We have plenty of favorite wines, but most have an association with them from having visited the area, ridden our bikes through the area - or in some instances, actually lived there so the smells and tastes evoke strong memories and association. Paso Robles, Napa Valley, Loire Valley, Tuscany, Austria, Willamette Valley in Oregon, etc... .

Some of my particular favorites include:

Austria - Riesling and Grüner Veltliner from the Dachau Region (Domäne Wachau and Pichler vineyards) and Eiswein from the border of Austria and the border of Hungary (both sides of the border). It's an excellent dessert wine.

Italy - Chianti Classico from a vineyard 4km outside of Gaiole, Italy: https://www.riecine.it/

Napa & Paso Robles - if it's red, I'll drink it!

Oregon - If it's a Pinot from the Willamette Valley, I'll drink it!

We cut back on all of our wine subscriptions and club memberships a few years ago after taking a look at some of our lifestyle creep, so most wines are now purchased via our local shops. Don't mind drinking price conscious wines ranging from Bogle to Joel Gott, but life is too short to drink bad wine so we try to avoid those if at all possible. Proposed change in our state's taxation of imported wines may open up our palate in the future. 8-)

CyclingDuo
"Save like a pessimist, invest like an optimist." - Morgan Housel | "Pick a bushel, save a peck!" - Grandpa
Reamus294
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by Reamus294 »

Dyloot wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 12:18 pm
If you're a fan of Zin, check out the Dry Creek Valley appellation (next to Healdsburg) when you visit.
That just made me think of some Talty Zin that we’ve had and always consider a treat. They only make Zin and are quite good at it.
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by sean.mcgrath »

CyclingDuo wrote: Tue Feb 15, 2022 8:58 am
Italy - Chianti Classico from a vineyard 4km outside of Gaiole, Italy: https://www.riecine.it/
I can't believe you mentioned this! I still have one lone bottle from 1996, and a number from '97-98. I also have the shirt. 8-)

We visited and spent a great morning with Sean. It helped that we both had the same name, German language wives, and were raising our children tri-lingual.

I haven't tried any since he left. How do you judge quality pre and post?
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CyclingDuo
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by CyclingDuo »

sean.mcgrath wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 1:00 pm
CyclingDuo wrote: Tue Feb 15, 2022 8:58 am
Italy - Chianti Classico from a vineyard 4km outside of Gaiole, Italy: https://www.riecine.it/
I can't believe you mentioned this! I still have one lone bottle from 1996, and a number from '97-98. I also have the shirt. 8-)

We visited and spent a great morning with Sean. It helped that we both had the same name, German language wives, and were raising our children tri-lingual.

I haven't tried any since he left. How do you judge quality pre and post?
We were on our bikes doing a week’s ride through Tuscany and stopped at a restaurant in Gaiole for lunch. I asked the waiter for a nice glass of Chianti and that is what he served me. I didn’t even know the label at the time, but at the end of the week we were at a wine shop in a neighboring town to have some local wines sent home for us. I told the guy at the wine shop/exporter I had a really nice glass at a little restaurant in Gaiole, but had no idea what it was. He called the restaurant to find out what the owner had served the two “Americans on bikes” earlier in the week and the owner remembered us and told him. Needless to say, we have had a couple of cases sent to us since then. We go to a restaurant in NYC that has it on their wine list as well whenever we are in town. It remains one of the best Chiantis out there in my opinion.

Never drank it back in the days of your vintage, so can only speak to 2016 and later. Top notch wine in my opinion.

CyclingDuo
"Save like a pessimist, invest like an optimist." - Morgan Housel | "Pick a bushel, save a peck!" - Grandpa
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Artful Dodger
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by Artful Dodger »

Nice thread. Reminds me of my posts years ago to the Wine Spectator and Wine Berserkers forums.

I've dialed back my upper limit and most purchases are in the $20 to $65 range, with a few above and a few more below. My largest producers are Bedrock in Sonoma and Patricia Green from Oregon. Bedrock is helmed by Morgan Twain Peterson, son of Joel Peterson who was at Ravenswood and an early advocate of California zinfandel. Bedrock produces a number of single vineyard zins, several mixed field blends from old (think 100+) vineyards, as well as some excellent Syrah bottlings and a mix of whites and other reds. Patricia Green is out of Willamette Valley and produces a bunch of single vineyard Pinots.

I buy a lot from two local wine merchants; mostly European - lower cost Bordeaux, Corbieres, Rhones, Burgundy, and a mix of Italian.

I have a single malt Scotch habit as well. :wink:
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by sean.mcgrath »

CyclingDuo wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 2:59 pm
sean.mcgrath wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 1:00 pm
CyclingDuo wrote: Tue Feb 15, 2022 8:58 am
Italy - Chianti Classico from a vineyard 4km outside of Gaiole, Italy: https://www.riecine.it/

Never drank it back in the days of your vintage, so can only speak to 2016 and later. Top notch wine in my opinion.

CyclingDuo
Well thanks for reviving a memory. We also really enjoyed the wine -- I'll have to get some of the newer vintages now.
oysterboy
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by oysterboy »

Artful Dodger wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 3:33 pm Nice thread. Reminds me of my posts years ago to the Wine Spectator and Wine Berserkers forums.

I've dialed back my upper limit and most purchases are in the $20 to $65 range, with a few above and a few more below. My largest producers are Bedrock in Sonoma and Patricia Green from Oregon. Bedrock is helmed by Morgan Twain Peterson, son of Joel Peterson who was at Ravenswood and an early advocate of California zinfandel. Bedrock produces a number of single vineyard zins, several mixed field blends from old (think 100+) vineyards, as well as some excellent Syrah bottlings and a mix of whites and other reds. Patricia Green is out of Willamette Valley and produces a bunch of single vineyard Pinots.

I buy a lot from two local wine merchants; mostly European - lower cost Bordeaux, Corbieres, Rhones, Burgundy, and a mix of Italian.

I have a single malt Scotch habit as well. :wink:
Yes, this has been a fun thread to follow. I, too, was a frequent participant in some of the early wine blogs, the main one being on Prodigy where Robert Parker and Eric Levine (founder of Cellar Tracker) were regulars, among several other very knowledgeable enthusiasts from whom I learned a lot.

Regarding the Zins, I also am a fan of Bedrock's wines, particularly the Heritage. Very good value wines, as were the Ravenswoods. Ridge, though, remains my favorite.

I accumulated my collection much as I have my retirement fund (I'm 74), buying ("saving") high-end wines years ago, when I had a nice income, for aging into my retirement. Wherever I moved (not often), I installed a temperature controlled room for a cellar (not as expensive as one might think). I now buy few expensive bottles, but have an excellent wine merchant in Asheville, NC, who has introduced me to many new wonderful wines for daily drinking. A good wine merchant is critical to drinking well, IMO, even if they charge a few dollars more; far fewer mistakes and several delightful surprises.

I'm now at an age, and with an ample collection of very fine wines, that, almost weekly, I drink a wine that I would have considered a special occasion wine years ago. Most of these wines were purchased for around $25-35 (some for more, but very few for over $75) from the late '80s through 2007, and they are a source of great pleasure to me now. I have seldom sold wines, even those that increased dramatically in value. I bought them to drink and while I'm interested in their current auction value, which I occasionally view on CT, I don't let that inhibit my drinking them. I recently shared a '90 Chave Hermitage from the Northern Rhone with some good friends who are very enthusiastic about wines, but became so about the time they retired and are still on a learning curve; they all "got it" and had a memorable dinner. I bought the Chave for $67 in 1992, an expensive bottle for me then. I saw that it recently sold for $1,900 at auction. It certainly is not worth anywhere near $1,900 to me, but my reference point is $67 and I have a great time sharing great wine with dear friends who can appreciate its quality.

I really do encourage those of you on this thread to set aside some funds for buying some special wines occasionally and storing them well. You will be rewarded with many very special moments. If I were still accumulating, I would be looking at Tuscany and Southern France for reds, and the Loire Valley for whites; there are some great values there for age-worthy wines.
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by MMiroir »

oysterboy wrote: Sat Feb 19, 2022 9:25 amI really do encourage those of you on this thread to set aside some funds for buying some special wines occasionally and storing them well. You will be rewarded with many very special moments. If I were still accumulating, I would be looking at Tuscany and Southern France for reds, and the Loire Valley for whites; there are some great values there for age-worthy wines.
Very good advice. I have loaded up on Bordeaux, CDP, Barolo and Brunello in the past few years with the idea of saving them for at least 10 years from the harvest date. Other areas can provide high quality wines. Circa 2010, I purchased six bottles of 2006 Tikal Patriota, an Argentinian Bonardo/Malbec blend that retails for under $20.00. Since the bottle was too large to fit into the wine rack, they were stored in a wooden wine box to the back of the cellar, and promptly forgotten about for more than a decade.

After discovering them when trying to move what I thought was an empty box, we opened one up with the expectation that it would have aged out. Instead, it turned out to be wonderfully delicious wine that evolved beautifully, and the good news is that we have five bottles left. Cheers!
oysterboy
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by oysterboy »

Yes, running across forgotten bottles that show very well after aging is found treasure. You seem to be collecting wisely. Keep it up; you'll be very glad you did.
GG1273
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by GG1273 »

Cruise wrote: Mon Feb 14, 2022 2:36 am
GG1273 wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 7:34 am
Cruise wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 2:45 am Highly recommend Sojourn Winery. Once you buy from them (online), you will get on their list for new releases. There is no required purchases, staff are great to deal with, and their Pinot noirs are truly amazing.
Thanks for mentioning Sojourn! Store near me has the Russian River and the Rodgers Creek bottles - picked up one of each to try.

https://www.vivino.com/US-NJ/en/sojourn ... nav-search
https://www.vivino.com/US-NJ/en/sojourn ... nav-search
You are welcome! Hope you enjoy. Do report back.
Had the Rodgers Creek one yesterday - we both loved it. I'll have to go get some more, probably today!
Cruise
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by Cruise »

GG1273 wrote: Sat Feb 26, 2022 10:28 am
Cruise wrote: Mon Feb 14, 2022 2:36 am
GG1273 wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 7:34 am
Cruise wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 2:45 am Highly recommend Sojourn Winery. Once you buy from them (online), you will get on their list for new releases. There is no required purchases, staff are great to deal with, and their Pinot noirs are truly amazing.
Thanks for mentioning Sojourn! Store near me has the Russian River and the Rodgers Creek bottles - picked up one of each to try.

https://www.vivino.com/US-NJ/en/sojourn ... nav-search
https://www.vivino.com/US-NJ/en/sojourn ... nav-search
You are welcome! Hope you enjoy. Do report back.
Had the Rodgers Creek one yesterday - we both loved it. I'll have to go get some more, probably today!
Glad you liked it. Do consider contacting the winery and getting on their release list.
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by LifeIsGood »

I'm a day late posting this but the last Saturday in February (yesterday) is "Open That Bottle" night. Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher used to write the wine column for the Wall Street Journal and started this tradition in 2000. They encountered many people who had either bought or were gifted a special (oftentimes expensive) bottle of wine that they were saving for a special occasion. For one reason or another that special occasion never materialized and if the bottle was improperly stored (sitting vertical or in a too warm environment) it went bad and ended up being thrown out. Open That Bottle Night provides the occasion to enjoy a special bottle of wine that you've beet sitting on. Did anyone pop one last night?
oysterboy wrote: Mon Feb 21, 2022 12:45 pm Yes, running across forgotten bottles that show very well after aging is found treasure. You seem to be collecting wisely. Keep it up; you'll be very glad you did.
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Re: Calling all BH wine enthusiasts!

Post by sean.mcgrath »

LifeIsGood wrote: Sun Feb 27, 2022 5:35 am I'm a day late posting this but the last Saturday in February (yesterday) is "Open That Bottle" night. Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher used to write the wine column for the Wall Street Journal and started this tradition in 2000. They encountered many people who had either bought or were gifted a special (oftentimes expensive) bottle of wine that they were saving for a special occasion. For one reason or another that special occasion never materialized and if the bottle was improperly stored (sitting vertical or in a too warm environment) it went bad and ended up being thrown out. Open That Bottle Night provides the occasion to enjoy a special bottle of wine that you've beet sitting on. Did anyone pop one last night?
I didn't, unfortunately forgot. A shame, as I was debating opening an older wine and then didn't. I only remembered this morning as I browsed the Cellar Tracker thread.
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