Providing a Unique & Affordable Selection of High Quality Red Wines and White Wines for Your Enjoyment. Also featured: Rosé, Port, Icewine, Champagne and Sparkling Wine for Special Occasions. Cheers!
Happy New Year! Here are my top wine picks from the January 7, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES Release, the first release of the year which is always the "Smart Buys" release that focuses mostly on wallet-friendly wines. It's also a small release with 75 wines and fully three-quarters of the wines are coloured red. All of the wines should be in stores across Ontario by this Saturday.
From the feature on Smart Buys, there are twenty-one wines listed and four are included among my top wine picks. We start with one of the few white wines in this release - a white wine from Lazio that is a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 40% Sauvignon Blanc, and 20% Trebbiano Giallo, and a medium sweet Riesling from Germany. Red wines that are smart buys include an unoaked red from Portugal that is a field blend of 27 grapes, as well as a Syrah from Chile, and the Rosso di Montalcino that is crafted with 100% Sangiovese.
Red wines from the rest of the release are mostly single varietal wines. Blends include the wine from California which consists of 42% Grenache, 31% Cinsault, 24% Syrah, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Counoise, and the Carmenère from Maipo that is actually a blend of 91% Carmenere, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Mourvedre, while the Chianti Classico is also a blend of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot, and 5% Colorino. The Petite Sirah is also a blend that consists of small amounts of Syrah, Grenache, and other Rhône varieties. Single varietal wines include the Gran Selezione Chianti Classico which is made with Sangiovese, while the Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano is crafted with Sangiovese Grosso, locally known as Prugnolo Gentile. Lastly, the wine from Beaujolais is made with Gamay, while the Barolo is made with Nebbiolo, and the Calabrian wine is made with Gaglioppo.
The rest of my recommendations of consist of just four wines - a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, a rosé from Provence that is crafted with 70% Grenache and 30% Cinsault, and a Champagne that is made with 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay. Lastly, there is a lovely, sweet Icewine from Niagara that is made with Riesling.
May you drink even better in 2023! Cheers!
Red Wine:
LUA CHEIA OLD VINES RED 2020 - Vegan, DOC Douro, Portugal (#266882) (XD) - $15.95
VIÑA PEDROSA AVES DEL SUR RESERVA SYRAH 2018 - DO Valle del Loncomilla, Valle del Maule, Chile (#27196) (XD) - $16.95
VIÑA DEL PEDREGAL KIDIA RESERVE CARMENÈRE 2018 - Sustainable, Single Vineyard, DO Valle Pencahue, Valle de Loncomilla, Valle del Maule, Chile (#24766) (XD) - $18.95 90 pts wine review
Back in , I had a great opportunity to taste the latest wines by Tenuta San Guido - makers of the iconic Sassicaia Super Tuscan wine from Bolgheri - and after the structured tasting enjoyed a fine lunch at Stratus Restaurant in downtown Toronto.
The story of Tenuta San Guido begins with Mario Incisa della Rocchetta. The Marchesi Incisa della Rocchetta are among the protagonists of Italian history, from the early Middle Ages to the emergence of the Baroque age, and beyond. Mario was born into a Piedmontese family in 1899 and studied agriculture in Pisa and immediately cultivated a strong inclination for agronomy. By the 1920s, his dream was to find perfection in agriculture and respect for the land.
In 1930, Mario married Clarice della Gherardesca, a descendant of one of the oldest families in Tuscany, and moved to Maremma, Tuscany. In addition to a common passion for wine, Mario and Clarice also had a passion for thoroughbred horses - a family passion that continues to this day with an on-site stable and training centre. Countess Clarice was also the heiress to 2,500 hectares in the Bolgheri area: Tenuta San Guido.
Mario Incisa immediately realized Tenuta San Guido as one of the most extraordinary biotypes of Mediterranean Europe and began experimenting with some French grape varieties, concluding that Cabernet had the bouquet he was seeking. Recalling a time in the 1920s when Mario Incisa tasted a wine belonging to the Dukes Salviati di Migliarino, grown on the hill of San Giuliano, near Pisa, he asked Salviatis for some plants of their vines and planted the first Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard on the hills that gently descended towards the sea, below the fortress of Castiglioncello. He also noticed the similarity between this land in Bolgheri and the Graves area in Bordeaux, due to the mainly gravelly soil which is very favourable to the production of great red wines. In order to grow excellent quality fruit, he pruned drastically to obtain low-yields, and then introduced barrique for the ageing of fine wines, following the example of French producers.
Although no one considered Bolgheri an area suited for the cultivation of Cabernet Sauvignon before the 1940s, Tenuta San Guido benefits from a set of natural elements that favours this varietal. The soils are partially clayey and situated at an altitude between 100 and 400 meters above sea level, with west and southwest exposure, along with a strong presence of limestone areas rich in Alberese and Gabbro, as well as stones. The climate also has its own peculiarity with an amphitheatre of hills embracing the land that stretches from Bibbona to Castagneto, protecting the vineyards and olive groves from northeast winds, while in summer this corridor is cooled by winds generated between the valleys of the Cecina river. The energy and sunlight are reflected from the sea to the hills, which in turn retains the sea breeze and generates refreshing humidity. Situated within a range of 2,500 hectares, this area was found to have the ideal terroir for Sassicaia.
Sassicaia, the wine whose name is a toponym, was strictly a private product reserved for family and friends from 1945 to 1967. In 1971, the 1968 vintage was the first vintage available to the public and it received praise worthy of greatness and importance. In 1978, the 1972 Sassicaia was awarded first place at a Decanter magazine blind tasting among 33 Cabernet Sauvignons from around the world and moved towards becoming the iconic wine it is today. In order to recognize Mario's vision in creating a wine that gave Italian winemaking lustre and fame, Italy created the Bolgheri DOC appellation in 1983, and in 2013 the sub-appellation of DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia was created. Since Tenuta San Guido owns all of the land under the DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia appellation, Sassicaia is the only wine that is made in the appellation.
Today, Tenuta San Guido is led by Honorary President Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta. son of Mario. Nicolò joined his father in 1955 to help manage the family business. The Incisa family had a relationship with the Antinori family through Nicolò's mother, Clarice, who was from the Della Gherardesca family. It was through this relationship that Nicolò worked with the young oenologist Giacomo Tachis to develop the first red Bordeaux blend in the history of Bolgheri - it was the aforementioned 1968 Sassicaia. Nicolò was instrumental in turning Tenuta San Guido into a modern estate that combined family traditions with the expertise of independent managers.
The bond that exists between the family and company is now represented by Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta, daughter of Nicolò and brand manager responsible for external relations, and her five cousins and their children. The estate covers 2,500 hectares, of which 90 hectares are devoted to the vineyards and the winery. The approach in the vineyard is always measured against the needs of the land. Vineyard management requires a great deal of time and care and is influenced by the seasonality to determine if any interventions are required, while the concepts of sustainability, integration, and conservation are also important prerequisites prior to taking any action. Harvest is carried out manually, while in the winery, they strive to create wines with balance, pleasantness, elegance, freshness, sinuous tannins, and longevity.
In addition to Sassicaia, Tenuta San Guido also produces two other wines - Guidalberto and Le Difese. We had the opportunity to taste all three wines during the structured tasting which was led by Priscilla. After taking us through each of the fantastic wines, including some back vintages, we also had the opportunity to pair the wines with lunch. Reviews of all of the wines tasted are provided below, with the latest vintages available for purchase through the Agent - Sylvestre Wines & Spirits, or at the LCBO in the coming months.
Tasting Notes:
TENUTA SAN GUIDO LE DIFESE 2020 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#147876) (XD) - $38.95 First produced in 2002 and traditionally more Cab Sauv than Sangiovese, this vintage is a blend of 55% Sangiovese and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the Sangiovese purchased from two estates. From a warm vintage that was good for early ripening varieties, this has a clean, ripe, medium-high to highly aromatic nose of dark cherry-berry, currant, and clove with hints of cassis, as well as elegant wood spice aromas. Some beautiful floral notes emerge with time in glass. On the medium to medium-full bodied palate it offers elegant, fine-grained, and gritty tannins that have some structure. Very nice aroma replays are nicely balanced on the palate. Clove, currant, and dark cherry replays linger on the long, succulent finish. Coming to LCBO VINTAGES May 2023. Score: 92 pts
TENUTA SAN GUIDO GUIDALBERTO 2020 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#72439) (XD) - $66.95 A 50/50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that is fresh, yet seems shy with crushed dark red berry, currant, and cassis aromas with savoury undertones. It’s medium-full bodied on the crunchy palate with tight tannins. Very nice aroma replays on the flavour profile are joined by licorice, and wild herbs. It has fresh acidity and excellent length on the long, balanced, finish. Still a bit young and should age nicely up to a decade from now. Coming to LCBO VINTAGES March 2023. Score: 93 pts
TENUTA SAN GUIDO GUIDALBERTO 2015 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#72439) (XD) Named after Guidalberto della Gherardesca, the ancestor who made the greatest contribution to the territory’s agricultural and viticultural history. This blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot has a lovely, perfumed, highly aromatic nose of currant, cassis, red & black fruits, with savoury, wet earth, forest floor undertones. It’s medium-full bodied with smooth, refined tannins that have some structure and is still a bit tight. Nicely balanced aroma replays with elegance on the palate. Balanced acids. Long, dark berry, currant, and earthy finish. Score: 93 pts
SASSICAIA 2019 - DOC Bolgheri-Sassicaia, Tuscany, Italy (#480533) (XD) - $249.95 A traditional blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. From a very regular, steady vintage, this has a medium-high to highly aromatic nose that offers a lovely perfume of red & black fruits, currant, cherry, wet earth, and forest floor, with touches of florality. It’s medium-full to full-bodied with lovely aroma replays plus spice notes and smooth, structured, and elegant tannins that are balanced with fresh acidity. Nicely balanced flavours throughout, tapering to a very long, currant, dark berry, and wet earth finish. Score: 96 pts
SASSICAIA 2018 - DOC Bolgheri-Sassicaia, Tuscany, Italy (#480533) (XD) 85/15 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. First made in 1968 and celebrating its 50th vintage, the perfumed, medium-high to highly aromatic nose offers fresh dark and red berry, currant, and cassis notes with touches of purple fruit and floral. On the medium-full to full-bodied palate it has fresh acidity and lovely aroma replays. Smooth, structured, and dusty textured tannins are very nicely balanced throughout. Attractive fruit and savoury earthy interplays on the finish, with excellent length. Very approachable now and will continue to age well into the late 2030s. Score: 96 pts
SASSICAIA 2010 - DOC Bolgheri-Sassicaia, Tuscany, Italy (#480533) (XD) Blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc from a fresher vintage and long harvest. Beautiful, highly aromatic, maturing nose of dried cherry, rose florals, and savoury wet earth. Wow! Lovely smooth, refined, finely textured tannins on the medium-full to full-bodied palate with lovely aroma replays plus some earthy mineral notes on the flavour profile. Juicy, well-balanced acids. Very nice, very long, earthy mineral finish. Will continue to drink well for another 10+ years. Score: 97 pts
For sparkling wine review, I opened this excellent sparkling rose wine from Niagara that is a VINTAGES Essentials product at the LCBO and is readily available throughout the year. You will want to get your hands on it today as it is currently on promotion at $3 off until .
Like the lovely 2020 13th Street Blanc de Blanc that I enjoyed last month, this bubbly is crafted by 13th Street Winery - Niagara's sparkling wine specialists. Established in 1998 in St. Catharines, Ontario, 13th Street was acquired in 2008 by the Mann and Whitty families - John & June Mann and Doug & Karen Whitty. Both families have deep roots in the Niagara community and started out as four amateur winemaker friends. As owner, partners, and friends, Doug and Karen Whitty and John and June Mann share a common love of wine, food, art, and a genuine heart for hospitality, and had a strong desire to create exceptional wines that reflect the unique terroir of Niagara.
In 2009, talented winemaker Jean-Pierre Colas, originally from Chablis, France, joined 13th Street and success soon followed. Jean-Pierre's winemaking philosophy is that great wines come from the best grapes grown in the best vineyards, with winemaking techniques only utilized to supplement and capture the very essence of the grapes' terroir and character. 13th Street's success has culminated with them being awarded the #1 Winery in Ontario and #2 in Canada at the 2022 National Wine Awards of Canada.
I most recently enjoyed the 13th Street Cuvée Rosé Brut in December 2020, and while that bottling was predominantly Pinot Noir, this particular edition is composed of 54% Chardonnay and 46% Pinot Noir. Since the wine is a majority of Chardonnay, the white grape provides structure and backbone, while the Pinot Noir provides fruit, power, and richness. Crafted in a dry style, this sparkling wine was fermented and aged in the traditional method, undergoing second fermentation in the final bottle, and was aged sur lattes (en tirage) for a minimum of 18 months during which the bubbles became smaller and more compact, while also developing a slight autolytic, or toast and bread character. After dosage mixed with reserve Pinot Noir was added, the wine was aged a further 3 months prior to release. Let's see how this delicious, locally-crafted pink bubbly is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
13TH STREET CUVÉE ROSÉ BRUT NV - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#147504) (XD) - $29.95 $26.95 until Pretty pink-orange colour, this blend of 54% Chardonnay and 46% Pinot Noir has a fragrant, medium-high intensity nose with attractive aromas of strawberry, red cherry, autolytic, watermelon, and peach with touches of toast and pastry. On the medium+ bodied palate it is clean and crisp, with fine mousse that delivers lightly honeyed, yet dry, flavours of strawberry, red cherry, raspberry, lemon, and peach. Fresh acidity is clean and crisp, with a succulent, slightly chalky mouthfeel on the mid-palate. Lovely red berry and strawberry flavours are joined by mineral notes on the long-lasting, dry finish. Always a delight and my favourite bottling so far. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts
Other lovely wines by 13th Street are available at the LCBO and direct through the winery in Niagara.
wine review is a lovely, high-altitude Malbec from Argentina. This new arrival landed at the LCBO recently as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release. (Although the VINTAGES magazine and LCBO website may list 2020, it's actually the 2021 vintage that arrived in stores.)
It is produced by El Esteco, a pioneering institution founded in 1892 that was one of the first in Argentina to master the art of viticulture and winemaking. They are situated in northwestern Argentina in the heart of the Calchaquí Valleys - a hidden treasure in the summit of the world and a gem in the world of winemaking. With nearly 1,000 acres of vineyards, El Esteco condenses all the spirit of the region in their fruit. El Esteco also stands at an ideal elevation of more than 1,700 metres (5,500 feet) above sea level and benefits from ever-present sunshine and a perfect diurnal temperature range, an environment that is perfect for the creation of fine wines. El Esteco is surrounded by vineyards and housed in a 100-year-old, iconic vallisto Spanish colonial-style building, while inside the winery they have the latest wine production technologies such as concrete containers, stainless steel tanks, and French and American oak barrels, all of which allow them to craft wines of diverse styles, aromas, and flavours.
This red wine is from their Blend de Extremos range of wines that aim to perfect the balance between two different expressions of the Calchaquí Valley - the Cafayate with its potent base and characteristics, and Chañar Punco, an exclusive region with highly valued vines that pours its virtues into its wines. Blend de Extremos wines are an adventure that merges the best of two extreme regions.
The Malbec in this wine comes from Finca La Maravilla in Cafayate, which situated at 1,700 metres above sea level, and Finca Chañar Punco which is situated even higher at 2,000 metres above sea level. In Cafayate, the broad temperature range is marked by warm days and cold nights, allowing for the development of ripe berries that condense all the best that the region has to offer. The desert climate and soils, which are poor in organic matter, help define the unique terroir in Cafayate, allowing El Esteco to produce distinct wines with great concentration of colour, deep aromas and well-defined flavours.
Chañar Punco is a a hidden treasure at the top of the world. A unique sub-region surrounded by the Quilmes Mountains, Chañar Punco is located in the southwest of the Calchaquí Valley and has poor, rocky, and calcareous soils combined with the scarce heat load and radiation in the months prior to harvest, thus allowing the grapes to slowly develop its maximum expression. The vineyards in Chañar Punco run north-south, allowing moderate winds from the north to improve the microclimate of the canopy, while distilled water is pumped deep from the soil, along with drip irrigation to hydrate the vines. Let's see how this Malbec from Calchaquí Valleys is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
EL ESTECO BLEND DE EXTREMOS MALBEC 2021 - Valles Calchaquíes, Argentina (#24863) (XD) - $18.95 Screw cap. This unoaked Malbec from Cafayate and Chañar Punco has a funky, reductive nose off the top, revealing dark berry, plum, black and blueberry and subtle white pepper spice aromas. It's medium+ bodied with spicy flavours of dark berry, blackberry, blueberry, and dried herb, with some mineral notes, all backed by fresh, balanced acidity and smooth, refined tannins that have a subtle chalky grip. Minerally with subtle spice and dried herb notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts
Other lovely wines by El Esteco can be ordered through their Agent - Dandurand.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! sparkling wine review is a delicious bubbly that I purchased a couple of weeks ago in preparation for holiday gatherings. This Prosecco made its debut in LCBO VINTAGES a couple of years ago and has quickly become a customer favourite with its unique, eye-catching, and sparkling packaging.
Tasting Note:
BRILLA! EXTRA DRY PROSECCO - DOC, Italy (#13836) (D) - $19.95 Crafted with 100% Glera, the medium intensity nose offers fresh aromas of lemon, peach, and apricot with touches of floral. It's medium+ bodied with crisp acidity and fine mousse, with just off-dry flavours of lemon, floral, peach, and ripe apple with touches of honeysuckle. It has a pleasing, crisp mouthfeel that lingers through to faintly mineral finish, with good length. Solid A for packaging, while the juice inside is highly quaffable and widely appealing. Score: 87 pts
wine review is a lovely white wine from New Zealand that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release.
It is produced by Esk Valley Wines, a brand that was created in the 1970s, but whose story begins in the 1930s as Glenvale Winery and a specialist in fortified wines. In 1986, the historic winery in Hawkes Bay was purchased from the Bird family by George Fistonich, owner of Villa Maria. Esk Valley quickly developed a reputation for its innovative and quality wines, breaking boundaries by introducing new grape varieties and wine styles to Hawkes Bay.
Today, Esk Valley Wines are crafted by winemaker Gordon Russell, one of New Zealand's most recognized winemaking identities. Born in New Plymouth, New Zealand, he developed an appreciation for wine while in England and Europe and when he returned to NZ, he joined Villa Maria in Auckland in 1987 and was appointed Winemaker of Esk Valley Wines in 1993. Gordon strives to make wines that tell the story of the vineyard, and with his many years of experience he has learned that paying attention to detail in the vineyard results in the winemaking process becoming a simple, hands-off affair. Gordon is passionate about using concrete fermenting tanks, and continues to use them even after Esk Valley moved its production in 2018 to the new facility in Gimblett Gravels.
Although Esk Valley Wines is based in Hawkes Bay, they do craft wines using fruit from other wine regions in New Zealand, such as this white wine from Marlborough. Labelled as a regional blend, this 100% Sauvignon Blanc is crafted with fruit from stony vineyard sites, with 72% coming from the cooler Awatere Valley and 28% from the Wairau Valley. The Wairau Valley fruit provides structure and tropical fruit notes, while the Awatere Vineyard offers acidity and pungent notes of nettle, pea pods, and gooseberry. All of the vineyards are carefully managed and crop thinned in the pursuit of quality fruit. To craft this wine, individual vineyard parcels were harvested and transported to the winery for immediate pressing to capture the freshness of the fruit. It was fermented at cool temperatures using selected yeast strains and then left on its lees to gain richness and complexity prior being blended and bottled in November 2020.
The growing season in 2020 was a winemaker's dream harvest as good sized crops were ripened under clear, blue skies. The days were warm and dry, while the nights were cool enough for the vines to rest and retaining acidity in the fruit, thus bringing freshness to the wines. Let's see how this 2020 Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
ESK VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#12638) (XD) - $21.95 Screw cap. The fragrant nose has classic NZ Sauvignon Blanc aromas of gooseberry and nettle, plus lemon/lime citrus and touches of tropical fruit with mineral undertones. There is good weight on the medium-full bodied, dry palate with delicious gooseberry, nettle, and tart lemon/lime citrus replays, plus grapefruit on the flavour profile. Nicely balanced throughout with crisp and vibrant acidity. Leesy mineral notes come to the fore on the creamy, long, and succulent finish. Recommended buy! Score: 90 pts
Since there is very limited availability of other fine wines by Esk Valley at the LCBO, you're best bet to order them through their Agent - Univins & Spiritueux.
After enjoying the 2016 Lungarotti IlBio Rosso a couple of years ago, organic red wine review is the latest vintage of this IGT wine from Umbria that arrived at the LCBO over the weekend as part the LCBO VINTAGES Release.
Founded in the early 1960s by Giorgio Lungarotti when he brought together the farms of a few families, Cantine Lungarotti soon became a major force in the comune of Torgiano, where it is based, as well as throughout Umbria, opening up new opportunities with wine as the centrepiece. Although the establishment Cantine Lungarotti is fairly recent, the Lungarotti family history goes back to the 1700s when they were farmers in the Middle Tiber Valley. It was during this time that family began to realize the potential of the Umbrian land to produce wine and oil. The mid-1990s marked the beginning of the replanting of vineyards according to new agronomic techniques with an eyes towards ecological conscience. In 2010, Lungarotti began the organic cultivation of 20 hectares of vines at the Montefalco Estate and in 2017 they launched their first organic wine - the 2015 IlBio Rosso.
Depicted on the label of this organic red wine is the land registry map of the Lungarotti Azienda Agraria's Montefalco Estate, which is located along provincial road SP 445 that connects Montefalco with the sanctuary of Madonna della Stella. In the past, land registry maps used to list the principal elements of each farm such as number of inhabitants and workers, crops, and yields. In a similar fashion, Lungarotti has listed the main characteristics of both the vineyard where they grow grapes, as well as of the wine itself.
Not listed on the label are the grapes used to craft this red wine. Although the back label mentions that it is produced using the "King" of the varietals of Montefalco, Italian wine law states that the varietal can only be indicated on the label when it is a local DOCG wine. In Montefalco, a DOCG wine is very structured and complex. However, because Lungarotti wanted to craft a more pleasant and appealing wine, it was vinified at lower temperatures and limited its extraction, resulting in a wine that is classified as an IGT. This organic red wine is, in fact, crafted with 100% Sagrantino, that was grown at 350 metres above sea level on medium mixture soils with light skeleton and well-draining sub-soils at average depth. The vineyards are exposed to the south and southwest. It was fermented in stainless steel and then aged for 10 months in 30 hectolitre casks, followed by further refinement in bottle for 6 months. Let's see how this latest Sagrantino from Umbria is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
LUNGAROTTI ILBIO ROSSO 2020 - IGT Umbria, Italy (#16573) (XD) - $26.95 Crafted with Sagrantino, this organic wine has a medium+ intensity nose offering a pleasing mix of red cherry, wet earth, and and sweet baking spice aromas with touches of dried floral, cinnamon, currant, and sweet tobacco. It's medium+ bodied with structured, gritty, chalky, and drying tannins along with fresh acidity. Flavours of red and dark cherries, savoury wet earth, and tobacco. There's some warmth on the mid-palate, while savoury woodsmoke notes linger on the finish, with good length. Enjoy with salty protein. Score: 88+ pts
Other lovely wines by Lungarotti can be found not only at the LCBO, but also through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.
Wednesday, January 4, 2023
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