California Sommelier Sessions: Cakebread Cellars + St. Francis + Sequoia Grove

I received this tasting kit recently containing samples of three delightful wines from California. These three wines were featured in the latest California Sommelier Sessions virtual tasting series with representatives from each winery joining the tasting last week.

Joining us for this virtual tasting were Stephanie Jacobsen of Cakebread Cellars, Kate Madigan of St. Francis, and Molly Hill of Sequoia Grove. All three women have been with their respective companies for many, many years, working their way up to become winemakers. Today, Stephanie, Kate, and Molly are some of California's top winemakers and represent the new generation of female winemakers making an impact in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys of California.

Moderating and leading the discussion during the one hour tasting was sommelier and wine writer Sara d'Amato. The tasting was quite fascinating and very informative as each woman talked about where their wine was grown and how each of the unique terroirs across Napa and Sonoma Valley influences the expression of these grape varietals and the resulting wines.

All three wines were delicious, with the Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon notably outstanding! Each wine is available through their Agent - Charton Hobbs, with the Chardonnay also coming to LCBO VINTAGES next weekend.

Tasting Notes:

CAKEBREAD CELLARS CHARDONNAY 2019 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#709717) (XD) - $69.95
Cakebread's first wine back in 1973 and fine-tuning ever since. This 100% Chardonnay from the Carneros appellation was barrel fermented and aged on yeast lees for 8 months in French oak barrels, 30% new. The fragrant nose has pretty aromas of lemon meringue and sweet vanillin oak spice, with a hint of bubblegum. The medium-full bodied palate is creamy with lovely ripe apple, pear, lemon citrus, and spicy flavours nuanced with butter and sweet oak vanillin, all in a very nicely balanced and elegant profile. It has fresh, balanced acidity, along with a taut texture on the mid-to-back palate. Leesy mineral notes linger on the long and clean aftertaste. Score: 92 pts

ST. FRANCIS OLD VINE ZINFANDEL 2018 - Sonoma County, California, USA (#539155) (XD) - $29.95
A blend of 87% Zinfandel and 13% Petite Sirah from vines 50 to more than 100 years old that was aged for 16 months in French oak (25% new) in mostly medium-toast levels. The medium-high intensity nose offers sweet, ripe red and black fruits and sweet baking spices. The full-bodied palate is slightly warming (15.2% abv) with woody notes surrounding a core of dark fruit, blackberry, dark cherry, oak spice flavours with a hint of cinnamon. Acids are fresh and bright, while the firm tannins seem a bit tight and grippy at the moment. Dry overall with very good length on the finish. Score: 89 pts

SEQUOIA GROVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#60020) (XD) - $69.95
Known for their Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 1% Syrah, 1% Malbec, and 1% Petit Verdot. The highly aromatic nose delivers very attractive aromas of sweet, ripe black cherry, red berry, blackberry, currant, and cassis liqueur accented with gentle oak spices. The full-bodied, structured palate is rich and ripe with lovely aroma replays of black cherry, blackberry, currant, cassis, and woody notes supported by fresh and juicy acidity. Youthful tannins are chalky, yet approachable. Woody, earthy, and cocoa notes linger on the finish, with excellent length. Highly pleasurable now, this should continue to evolve nicely until at least the end of the decade. Score: 93 pts

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El Esteco 1946 Old Vines Malbec 2019 (Argentina) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely, organic, old vines Malbec from the Calchaquí Valley in northwestern Argentina. New to the LCBO, this red wine arrived on shelves across Ontario last weekend as part of the October 16 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Founded in 1892, El Esteco is one of the first institutions in Argentina to master the art of viticulture and winemaking. They are located in the Calchaquí Valleys in northwestern Argentina, a natural landscape carved by the sun, mountains, and vineyards. With nearly 1,000 acres of vineyards at an ideal altitude of more than 1,700 metres (5,500 feet) above sea level, abundant sunshine and perfect temperature range, the environment is perfect for the creation of high-end wines.

Within the Valleys, El Esteco has a presence in famous Cafayate, as well as the little-known and unique sub-region of Chañar Punco. Cafayate is the heart of Calchaquí Valleys, a region that was seemingly unsuitable for grape-growing, but is an isolated stretch of desert with unique features that make it ideal to grow the highest vineyards in the world. In addition to plenty of sunshine and a high diurnal temperature range between night and day, it is the desert climate with its poor soils that makes this small region unique. The resulting wines are distinctive and elegant with great concentration of colour, deep aromas, and well-defined flavours.

This red wine comes from El Esteco's Old Vines range of wines that pay homage to the life and history of some of their 50+ year-old vineyards which live in perfect harmony with the terroir of Cafayate, in the province of Salta, with minimum human intervention and yield exceptional wines. The Malbec grapes for this wine are from the Las Mercedes estate, home to 370 pergola-trained Malbec vines whose origins can be traced back to more than 65 years ago. Once the grapes reach optimum ripeness levels in the vineyards, the grapes are manually harvested in the early hours of the morning and brought to the vineyard and sorted, then placed into ovoid 3,000 L vats for fermentation. Upon completion of fermentation, the wine is unfiltered and aged in bottle for 6 to 8 months prior to release. Let's see how this Old Vines Malbec is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

EL ESTECO 1946 OLD VINES MALBEC 2019 - Valles Calchaquíes, Argentina (#19391) (XD) - $24.95
Raised entirely in concrete eggs, this lovely Malbec has a medium-high intensity nose that offers distinctive earthy, savoury, spicy, and stony mineral aromas accented by dark berry, blackberry, and dried spice notes. The medium-full bodied, chewy palate is tangy and slightly plummy with dark berry, blackberry, stony mineral, dried spice, and white pepper flavours which are supported by juicy acidity and ripe, fine-grained, and slightly chalky tannins. Fine mineral and savoury notes with a hint of plum linger on the finish, with very good length. Recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

Other lovely wines from El Esteco are available through their Agent - Dandurand.

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Torbreck Cuvée Juveniles 2019 (Barossa) - Wine Review

After enjoying the lovely 2017 Torbreck Old Vines Grenache / Shiraz / Mourvèdre a couple of months ago, tonight's wine review is another lovely wine made with the same varietals from the same producer. It arrived at the LCBO over the weekend as part of the October 16th LCBO VINTAGES Release and is featured as part of the theme in that Release on wines from Australia.

Founded in 1994 by David Powell, Torbreck Vintners was named after a forest in Scotland where David worked as a lumberjack. He was inspired to create is own label after working at a number of Barossa wineries. With the share-farm vineyard concept, David was able to obtain fruit from Barossa'a best vineyards to craft highly-acclaimed wines using the classic Rhône varieties Shiraz (Syrah), Grenache and Mataró (Mourvèdre). Today, Torbreck Vintners is owned by Proprietor Peter Kight and they work with multi-generational winegrowers who have great knowledge of the terroir and work their vineyards with minimal intervention.

Cuvée Juveniles was created as a "Côtes du Rhône" inspired bistro wine from the classic Barossa varieties Grenache, Mataro, and Shiraz from mostly old, unirrigated vineyards. These varieties are the cornerstone of the Barossa Valley, and when combined together are often referred to as GSM blends. This particular red wine is a blend of old vines 72% Grenache, 23% Mataro, and 5% Shiraz from multiple vineyards ranging from 40 to 150 year old vines. It was fermented and aged completely in stainless steel tanks, including a completely natural malolactic fermentation, prior to bottling.

The 2019 growing season was defined by a continuously warm to hot summer with no effective rainfall, wind and hail at flowering, and followed with three major frosts - resulting in an earlier and much smaller harvest than average. These tough conditions produced smaller clusters of intensely dark berries with thick, fleshy skins which contrasted against brown, mature stalks. Although 2019 was another year of reduced yields, it did produce wines of very high quality with impressive concentration of colour, tannins, and aromas. Let's see how this 2019 GSM from Barossa is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

TORBRECK CUVÉE JUVENILES 2019 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#723940) (XD) - $29.95
Screw cap. This unoaked blend of old vines 72% Grenache, 23% Mataro, and 5% Shiraz has fresh, open, intense, and complex aromas of lovely red berry, notes of raspberry, strawberry, cherry, and pomegranate joined by spices, white pepper, and subtle meaty notes. The medium to medium-full bodied palate is fruit-forward with lovely red berry, raspberry, cherry, and pomegranate replays on the flavour profile with spices and meaty notes adding a pleasant savoury component. Exceptionally well-balanced with fresh acidity, smooth, supple, and dusty-textured tannins. Savoury, earthy, even some mineral lingers on the long, clean finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

Other lovely wines from Torbreck are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Lealtanza Gran Reserva 2011 (Rioja) - Wine Review

After enjoying the lovely 2015 Lealtanza Reserva back in April, we go up a notch with this Gran Reserva from the same producer that arrived at the LCBO earlier this month as part of the October 2nd LCBO VINTAGES Release.

This Rioja Gran Reserva is made by Bodegas Altanza, a producer whose story begins in 1998 and is a synonym of quality and dedicated exclusively to top Reserva wines. Altanaza's goal since the beginning has been to offer the best quality wines that combine tradition with modernity, at a sensible price.

Bodegas Altanza is located in Fuenmayor, Rioja Alta, and the estate spans 300 hectares, with 200 hectares of land planted with vineyards. They craft all of their red wines with 100% Tempranillo and fermented using natural yeasts. Being a modern winery, they have stainless steel tanks of several sizes, all of which are equipped with temperature-controlled jackets and surveyed by a control panel - this allows for customization of each wine during fermentation and tank ageing process. Bodegas Altanza also has their own lab and wine-storage facilities. The wines are aged primarily in French oak barrels, as well as a few large 22,000 L vats.

I recall enjoying the 2010 Gran Reserva back in November 2019, let's see how this latest vintage is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LEALTANZA GRAN RESERVA 2011 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#453548) (XD) - $32.95
100% Tempranillo that was aged for 24 months in equal parts French and American oak barrels, followed by another three months in 22,000 L French oak vats. The medium-high intensity nose offers lovely aromas of sandalwood, coconut, wood spice, and sweet red cherry with subtle wet earth notes. The spicy, medium+ bodied palate has flavours of sweet spice, red cherry, cinnamon, clove, along with some raspberry and strawberry nuances. Some maturing dried cherry and floral notes appear with time in the glass. Slightly tangy on the mid-palate with juicy, well-balanced acidity and fine, dusty textured tannins that have a subtle chalky grip. Savoury, wet earth and cocoa notes linger on the aftertaste, with very good length. A recommended buy, best enjoyed over the next 3-5 years. Score: 90+ pts

Other lovely wines from Bodegas Altanza are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.

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Donatien Bahuaud Les Grands Mortiers Vouvray 2019 (Loire) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a delicious off-dry Vouvray from Loire that returned to LCBO VINTAGES a couple of weeks ago as part of the October 2nd LCBO VINTAGES Release, with plenty of bottles still available for purchase across Ontario.

Donatien Bahuaud was born in the region of Nantes and came from a family of clog makers, coopers and vine-growers. As a young boy, he wandered through the local vineyards and enjoyed watching barrel-laden boats travel up the Loire River, and eventually decided to become a winemaker. In 1929, he founded Maison Donatien Bahuaud and travelled throughout the vineyard with his wines in oak vats loaded on a cart. With careful cultivation of the vineyard and observation of the region's terroirs, Donatien was able to craft exceptional wines with subtle and refined flavours. He contributed to the recognition of Muscadet up until the creation of the AOC in 1936 and was recognized as a master in the art of wine maturing by his peers.

According to the values of Donatien Bahuaud - winemaking on its own is not enough to create unique wines. The aromas of each wine evolve naturally over time thanks to the mastering of the three types of ageing in vat, oak, and bottle. The maturing of a wine is a crucial and natural procedure that allows the wine's aromas to evolve and complete its tasting structure. Donatien Bahuaud's journey leaves behind a remarkable legacy to the brand, marked by values of excellence and quality.

This white wine is from their "Expression de Loire" range of wines - a collection of Appellation specific wines that reflect the richness and diversity of terroirs of the Loire Valley. The wines in this range are crafted to be expressive and highly typical of the appellation, while also expressing the winemaker's talent.

The grapes for this Vouvray were carefully selected and harvested from vineyards planted on limestone and chalky soils - a combination of exceptional terroir and temperate climate from the Loire which helps produce diverse styles of Chenin Blanc ranging from dry to sweet, and also sparkling wines. This Vouvray is crafted to be medium-dry in sweetness (i.e. subtly sweet) with some mineral notes. Let's see how this Vouvray from Loire is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

DONATIEN BAHUAUD LES GRANDS MORTIERS VOUVRAY 2019 - AP, Loire, France (#140889) (M) - $21.95
100% Chenin Blanc, the delicate nose has honeyed aromas of elderflower and pear with a hint of minerality. The crunchy, off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) palate has good weight and a spicy flavour profile with pear, apple, and honey notes with some citrus and minerals on the back palate. Acids are pleasantly fresh and bright, while leesy mineral notes linger on the dry finish, with very good length. Recommended buy. Score: 88+ pts

Other delicious wines from Donatien Bahuaud can be ordered through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.

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October 16, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Australia

The October 16 LCBO VINTAGES Release is a big one leading up to the holidays with wines from Australia as the main theme, while the mini-theme features wines for pairing with comfort food. All of these wines, plus those from the main release should be on shelves across Ontario by Saturday.

We begin with the main theme which sizes up wines from Australia. With thirteen wines included as part of this theme and seven among my top wine picks, this is a very good showing of Australian wines. Although there are straight Shiraz wines among my picks, there is a lovely blend of Shiraz and Barbera, while the wine from Barossa Valley consists of 72% Grenache, 23% Mataro (Mourvèdre), and 5% Shiraz. Single varietal red wines include a Petit Verdot from McLaren Vale, and a Cabernet Sauvignon from Clare Valley. Among my three white wine picks from Australia, there is a Semillon, a Chardonnay, and a dry Riesling from Eden Valley.

The mini-theme looks at wine pairings with fall comfort foods, and of the dozen wines featured, two are included among my wine recommendations and both are white wines. First up is a traditional blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon from Graves in Bordeaux, while the second wine is a sweet Riesling from Mosel in Germany. According to the magazine, both of these wines would pair well with Cassoulet.

From my red wine picks, there is a stellar list of wines with Italy leading the way. At the top of the list is the iconic Sassicaia that is once again a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc, while the Oreno Super Tuscan consists of 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Petit Verdot. Staying in Tuscany, the Gran Selezione Chianti Classico is a blend of 80% Sangiovese 80% and the rest native varietals Abrusco, Pugnitello, Malvasia Nera, Ciliegiolo, and Mazzese, while the Riserva Chianti Classico consists of 95% Sangiovese, 3% Canaiolo, and 2% Colorino. The last two wines from Italy are a Brunello di Montalcino which is made with Sangiovese, and a Barolo that is made with Nebbiolo. From Rhône, the Costières-de-Nîmes is composed of 60% Syrah, 40% Grenache, while the Gigondas flips these two varietals and is a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. Lastly, there are a pair of delightful Malbec wines from Argentina.

Among my white wine picks from the rest of the Release, the only blend is a Rhône-inspired wine from British Columbia that consists of 51% Roussanne, 36% Viognier, and 13% Marsanne. Notable single varietal wines include an Avesso from Portugal, a Falanghina from Basilicata, and a Grüner Veltliner from Austria. Last, but not least, the Chablis is made with 100% Chardonnay.

For celebratory occasions, the Bollinger Champagne is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, and 15% Pinot Meunier, while the Billecart-Salmon Vintage Champagne consists of 40% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay, and 27% Pinot Meunier. At the lower end of the price scale, the Crémant de Bourgogne consists of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CHÂTEAU FONT BARRIÈLE LES VIGNES D'HÉLOÏSE 2019 - AP Costières-de-Nîmes, Rhône, France (#21545) (XD) - $17.95
• KILIKANOON KILLERMAN'S RUN CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2017 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#675223) (XD) - $19.95
  
• JULIEN SCHAAL WALKER BAY SYRAH 2020 - WO Walker Bay, South Africa (#21110) (XD) - $19.95
• KAIKEN ULTRA MALBEC 2018 - Vegan, Mendoza, Argentina (#50849) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• LONGVIEW VISTA SHIRAZ/BARBERA 2019 - Adelaide Hills, South Australia (#21065) (XD) - $19.95

• EL ESTECO 1946 OLD VINES MALBEC 2019 - Valles Calchaquíes, Argentina (#19391) (XD) - $24.95  90 pts  wine review
  
• FAMILLE PERRIN LA GILLE GIGONDAS 2019 - AC, Rhône, France (#906073) (XD) - $29.95
• PIRRAMIMMA PETIT VERDOT 2017 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#986752) (XD) - $29.95  90 pts  wine review
• TORBRECK CUVÉE JUVENILES 2019 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#723940) (XD) - $29.95  91 pts  wine review
• DIEVOLE NOVECENTO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2016 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#213926) (XD) - $33.95

 

• SAN FELICE IL GRIGIO GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2016 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#403477) (XD) - $48.95
• COL D'ORCIA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2016 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#306852) (XD) - $54.95
• ORENO 2018 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#735597) (XD) - $89.95
• RÉVA RAVERA BAROLO 2015 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#21848) (XD) - $99.95  VOE  93+ pts  wine review
• SASSICAIA 2018 - DOC Bolgheri-Sassicaia, Tuscany, Italy (#480533) (XD) - $249.95
  

White Wine:

• RABL LÖSS GRÜNER VELTLINER 2019 - Langenlois, DAC Kamptal, Austria (#295709) (XD) - $15.95  88+ pts  wine review
• FLAT ROCK UNPLUGGED UNOAKED CHARDONNAY 2020 - Sustainable, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#68015) (XD) - $17.95
• COVELA EDIÇÃO NACIONAL AVESSO 2019 - DOC Vinho Verde, Portugal (#524868) (XD) - $18.95
• PATERNOSTER VULCANICO FALANGHINA 2019 - IGT Basilicata, Italy (#19691) (XD) - $18.95
• SONS OF EDEN FREYA RIESLING 2019 - Eden Valley, South Australia (#12652) (XD) - $19.95
• PAULETT WINES WATERVALE SEMILLON 2019 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#19907) (XD) - $22.95
• MICHEL LYNCH RÉSERVE GRAVES 2019 - AC, Bordeaux, France (#20901) (XD) - $22.95  89 pts  wine review
• WAKEFIELD JARAMAN CHARDONNAY 2018 - Clare Valley/Margaret River, Australia (#18921) (XD) - $24.95  89 pts  wine review
  
• BISCHÖFLICHE WEINGÜTER TRIER SCHARZHOFBERGER RIESLING KABINETT 2019 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#670752) (S) - $29.95
• LE VIEUX PIN AVA 2018 - BC VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#19917) (XD) - $43.95  FE
• CHANSON PÈRE & FILS MONTMAINS CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2018 - AC, Burgundy, France (#485318) (XD) - $45.95
  

Sparkling Wine:

• LABOURÉ-GONTARD BRUT CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE - Traditional method, AP, Burgundy, France (#401018) (D) - $21.95
• JUVÉ Y CAMPS PINOT NOIR BRUT ROSÉ CAVA - Traditional method, DO, Spain (#385088) (D) - $24.95  90 pts  wine review
  
• BOLLINGER SPECIAL CUVÉE BRUT CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#384529) (D) - $91.95
• BILLECART-SALMON EXTRA BRUT CHAMPAGNE 2009 - AC, Champagne, France (#21546) (XD) - $126.95  FE
  

Dessert Wine:

• DISZNÓKÓ LATE HARVEST TOKAJI FURMINT 2017 - Tokaji, Hungary (#20680) (S) (500 mL) - $26.95

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Axel Pauly Generations Mosel Riesling 2019 (Germany) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely, vegan-friendly, off-dry Riesling from Mosel that arrived at the LCBO as a VINTAGES Online Exclusive in the October 2nd LCBO VINTAGES Release and can be purchased online only at LCBO.com.

Axel Pauly is the third generation of the family to work the vines on the very steep slopes of Mosel. Passed along from his grandfather to his father, Axel started managing the cellar in 2004, and then took over the entire family estate in 2009. In 2011, the family suffered a stroke of fate and the winery burned to the ground. When the estate was rebuilt over the next several years, a wine cellar was added, and in 2014 it was voted one of the 50 most beautiful by the German Wine Institute.

Today, Axel Pauly is considered to be one of the rising stars of the Mosel and is an active member of the next Next Generation of young German winemakers. Practicing artisanal viticulture and winemaking, Axel cultivates his wines on approximately 9 hectares of vines, most of which are planted to Riesling. The vineyards all face south or southwest and consist exclusively of different layers of slate rock. The wines of Axel Pauly are characterized by clarity, a crystalline characteristic, length and great minerality.

Although 2019 was a demanding vintage for winegrowers in the Mosel with frost in spring, drought, heat and sunburn in summer, and rain in autumn, along with reduced yields, winegrowers were generally very satisfied with the quality of the grapes and the resulting wines. This grapes for this 2019 Riesling were grown on blue and grey slate soils in a cool climate, hand-picked, macerated for 10 hours, and underwent spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel tanks using natural yeast. The wine was matured on fine lees for 4-5 months and spent some time in bottle prior to release.

Interesting fact about the label - if you turn the bottle the left and on its side, you will see the profiles of the three winemaking generations of the Pauly family. Also combined in this image is an overhead view of the Mosel River.

Let's see how this fine off-dry Riesling is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

AXEL PAULY GENERATIONS MOSEL RIESLING 2019 - Vegan, Qualitätswein, Germany (#21033) (M) - $22.95
Screw cap. 100% Riesling grown on blue and grey slate soils, the medium-high intensity nose offers lovely aromas of apricot, peach, citrus, and melon with a subtle slatey mineral character and a whiff of petrol. It has fine, crisp, lively acidity that balances the sweet, ripe fruit with delicious off-dry flavours of apricot, peach, honeyed citrus, and slatey minerals with very good fruit concentration. Subtly spicy, zesty, and chalky textured on the mid-palate. Finishes dry with slatey minerals and a pleasantly chalky texture on the long, clean, and juicy finish. Score: 90+ pts

There is another fine Riesling by Axel Pauly available at the LCBO, while others can be ordered through their Agent - DBINO David Beauroy Selections.

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