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Guerrilla Adel’s
Vineyard Zinfandel 2008
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Having begun as a broker of fine
small-production artisan wines, Wine
Guerrilla brings together a vision of a
reasonably priced premium wine with a
passion for California’s native grape,
Zinfandel, knowledge of the Sonoma
region and existing relationships with
many of the county’s best-known growers.
The result is something special. Wine
Guerrilla operates on a singular
mission: Finding the very best Zinfandel
grapes, and crafting wines worthy of the
grape’s unique characteristics. The 2008
Wine Guerrilla Adel’s Vineyard just
screams, drink me! ...raspberry, cherry,
wild berries, plum, white pepper, black
pepper, sage, mocha... it's all in
there! There’s a wonderful balance here
- interesting and luscious! Only 210
cases produced. |
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Price $37 |
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Tofanelli Zinfandel,
Napa Valley 2007
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Leaping out of the glass with notes of
black cherry, candied apple, raspberry
jam, orange zest and cola nut, rounded
out with hints of cedar, black tea and
cigar box, this Zin coats the palate
gently with supple, brambly fruit
concentration. Sophisticated, layered
and well-balanced, the wine’s natural
acidity marries perfectly with the fine
oak tannins that lend weight and length
to the mouth feel. Pairs nicely with
well-ripened hard cheeses such as French
Cantal. |
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Price $39 |
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Gamba Old Vine
Zinfandel 2007
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The sublime 2007 vintage produced an
enticing expression of Gamba Old Vine “Gamba
Estate Vineyard”. This must-have
Zinfandel reveals an attractive,
broodingly dark, yet brilliant crimson
color in the glass. Compelling aromas of
raspberry jam, toasted oak, and allspice
engages the senses, and draws you in
closer for the main event. Lavish layers
of bright, complex, and concentrated
fruit unleash a siege of flavors
combining boysenberry cobbler, oatmeal,
blueberry and pomegranate, all
gracefully fanning out on the palate.
Well structured, huge yet restrained,
polished and satisfying, the wine offers
a pleasing, refined spicy oak character
on the lingering finish. This treasured
Zinfandel was tended with care for 14
months, and aged in new American oak
cooperage to round out the rich fruit
flavors, contributing a striking
balance, and complexity to this
remarkably enjoyable wine. Gold Medal –
Orange County Fair, 92 Points –
California Grapevine. |
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Price $45 |
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Elyse Howell
Mountain Zinfandel 2006
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The 2006 Elyse Howell Mountain Zinfandel
is dark ruby colored, with intriguing
aromas of dried sage, white pepper,
black fruits and wild brush; scents we
find so true to the terroir of Howell
Mountain. On the palate, deep flavors of
plums, raspberry, persimmon, cola, earth
and hints of cream and spice lead to a
seamless mouthfeel and long, pleasing
finish. This wine is lavishly textured
with great fruit purity, soft tannins
and a complexity that is so distinctive
to this appellation. Pair with lamb,
cassoulet or peppered steak. Drinking
beautifully now, but if you can manage
to put some aside, it will age nicely
for the next 7 – 10 years. |
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Price $37 |
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Adelaida
Zinfandel, Paso Robles 2006
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The 2006 Adelaida Zinfandel, Paso Robles
is just an exciting wine! On the south
side of Peachy Canyon Road, just across
from their HMR Pinot Noir block, lies a
tantalizing natural amphitheatre of
vines known as Bailey Vineyard. Planted
to Heritage Zinfandel clones in the
perilously steep outer “wings” of the
semi-circular vineyard, Bailey’s owners
are advocates of organic viticulture.
Dry farmed and head pruned, the yields
are low, developing tiny grapes that
resemble small blueberries. While the
vineyard is still youthful (8th leaf)
the quality of fruit is exceptional
(owing to the difficult site and natural
vineyard practices). Older vine,
westside Shelley Vineyard (40 years old)
provided an enhancing 13% to add wisdom
to the blend. Bold and briary, the young
wine blooms in the bowl with a few
clockwise swirls to reveal bright
raspberry aromatics and the classic
cracked white pepper spice. Further
vinous contemplation gives one a sense
of cedar and cocoa powder in its liquid
embrace. If the excitement lasts for
more than four hours, seek medical
advice.
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Price $24 |
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Elyse Morisoli
Zinfandel 2007
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The 2007 Morisoli Zinfandel is always a
favorite of the house and this year is
no different. The old vines, volcanic
soil, Rutherford Bench terroir and field
blend always create a truly distinctive
Zinfandel. Dark ruby colored, it has
inviting aromas of wild berries, mocha,
dried herbs and hints of bacon and
strawberry preserves. On the palate,
flavors of raspberries, blackberries,
cola, plum compote and toffee lead to a
pleasingly lush texture. This wine shows
layers of gorgeous fruit with a deep,
underlying complexity that is so
characteristic of this vineyard.
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Price $40 |
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Amapola Creek Zinfandel 2006
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The Amapola Creek 2006 Zinfandel’s
unique character derives from four-plus
decades of winemaking expertise combined
with the mountain terroir of historic
Monte Rosso Vineyard and its famous red
soils. These 115-year-old vines yield a
mere one to one-and-a-half tons per
acre. Their distinctive fruit is
enhanced by the mineral-rich,
well-drained, decomposed volcanic ash
soils and by the cooling breezes of San
Pablo Bay. The gnarly old vines at Monte
Rosso Vineyard produced a wine with
incredible depth of fruit as befitting
its venerable origins. Such intense
fruit enabled famed winemaker, Dick
Arrrowood, to make a truly distinctive
Zinfandel. The wine was aged for 16
months in a combination of new and
seasoned French and American oak
barrels. This Zinfandel offers abundant,
concentrated aromas of pure ripe
blackberry and black raspberry fruit
laced with delightful varietal spice.
Bright, rich and very complex on the
palate, the wine shows lush wild berry
fruit, supple textures, well-integrated
oak toast and vanillin, with peppery
hints amid the ripe tannins on a very
long finish. Only 400 cases produced.
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Price $67 |
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Edmeades Zinfandel, Zeni Vineyard 2006
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The Edmeades Zeni Zinfandels are almost
always old-world style wines. The 2006
has a lot of earthiness and dark
brooding aromas that are not often found
in Zinfandel. Deep raspberries, cassis
and creamy oak embody an old-world
funkiness of smoked meats, cedar box and
forest. This is a powerhouse wine:
concentrated and intense — a dark,
brooding beast of a wine with layers of
funk. It should be reserved only for
wild nights when the moon is full. |
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Price $39 |
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Edmeades Zinfandel, Shamrock Vineyard 2007
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The Shamrock Vineyard is new to us and
Edmeades has once again made a wonderful
Zin from this vineyard. This wine has a
bit of a split personality. From the
young vines we get a healthy dose of
youthful angst – dark dense and
brooding, kinda like your 15-year-old
nephew. But on the flip side it shows a
mature, powerful body structure – wise
beyond its years. The combination is
intense. Look for an overload of wild
blueberries, dark chocolate and dried
cherries, with an underbelly of vanilla
bean, toast and spice. This is a true
mountain Zin. |
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Price $39 |
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Edmeades Ciapusci Zinfandel 2006
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Big, powerhouse with lots of old vine
fruit, and as in the past the POWER
comes through in the big berry flavors.
Smokey rich and brooding, kind of like
sitting in front of a roaring fire and
getting lost in the hypnotic flames |
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Price $44 |
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Lamborn "Serendipity" Zinfandel, Howell Mountain 2006
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The 2006 Lamborn "Serendipity" Zinfandel, Howell
Mountain - Driven by this lavish wine of deep purple hue is a nose heavy
with opulent Howell Mountain fruit, accented by a delicate spice and
vanilla character. Fruit layers of raspberry, black cherry, and plum
fuse with a more pronounced pepper/spice component on the palate,
resulting in a complex wine with a wonderful elegance. Exhibiting a
finer, more exquisite flavor profile than its predecessor, this wine is
well-structured throughout with good length on the finish. A classic
Lamborn Family zinfandel handcrafted by Heidi Barrett!
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Price $45 |
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J. Runquist "Z" Zinfandel, 2008
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Planted during prohibition, the gnarled, dry farmed vines grown on the
Massoni Ranch in Amador County provide the grapes for the J. Runquist
"Z" Zinfandel. Grapes from these vines are vinified using techniques
developed specifically for the Massoni Ranch fruit. The result is a
fully flavored yet elegantly styled wine with a smooth soft finish.
The 2006 vintage wine has a deep ruby color. The aromas are
Classic Zinfandel; briary raspberry and plum fruit with minerals and
dust. The oak, while present, is a bit more restrained than previous
vintages adding a subtle layer of vanilla to the red Zinfandel fruit.
The flavors feature sweet raspberries carried on a rich velvety texture.
Medium full bodied with good structure, the finish is lengthy.
The “Z” has been a consistent winner in our world!
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Price $27 |
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Elyse Korte Ranch Zinfandel, 2007
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The 2007 Elyse Korte Ranch Zinfandel is bright ruby red
in color with aromas of citrus, lavender, dried raspberries, smoke and
roasted nuts. On the palate, this wine shows deep blackberry and black
cherry fruit flavors with notes of cola, coffee and mocha. This is a
rich Zinfandel, with some weight on the palate followed by a slightly
leather texture, good acidity, nice tannin structure and a long finish. Pair with beef stew, ribs, barbecue or smoked meats.
The 2007 Korte Ranch Zinfandel is drinking wonderfully now, but
if you can manage to hold some back it will age nicely for another 5 – 9
years.
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Price $37 |
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D-Cubed Cellars Howell Mountain Zinfandel, 2006
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Howell Mountain wines come
from above the fog. The region starts at 1,400 ft, but the two vineyards
D-Cubed uses are at about 1,800 ft and 2,400ft. This helps the wines
become intense and complex. Howell Mountain makes exciting and rich
wines that really stand apart from others and show the terroir from
which they are born. D-cubed
Cellars 2006 Howell Mountain Zinfandel has aromas of raspberry, wild
mushrooms, cedar and hints of orange peel. This Howell Mountain wine has
rich body and medium-full tannins that fill the mouth nicely. There are
wonderful flavors of raspberry, blackberry, porcini mushroom and cigar
box. The wine finishes long and rich with hints of wood and tobacco. 524
cases produced.
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Price $42 |
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Storybook Mountain Estate Zinfandel, 2007, Mayacamas Range, Napa
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Storybook Mountain’s
Estate Zinfandel 2007, Mayacamas Range, Napa is a
remarkable wine that never shuns ripeness but its clear and clever turn
towards claret-like construction together with perfect blackberry focus
and underlying richness bring it a level of sophistication that is too
little seen these days. Its blackberry fruit is joined by hints of milk
chocolate and toast, and its round early feel on the palate is followed
by deep flavors and youthful tightening towards the finish. Capable of
rewarding service now with lamb chops or a savory tri-tip, it will
improve over time and gain greater polish and sophistication.
Fantastic! 92 points, Wine
& Spirits Magazine. |
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Price $38 |
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Sausal Century Vine Zinfandel, 2007
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The Sausal 2007 Century Vine is their finest estate
Zinfandel, produced from dry farmed vines that are over 100 years old.
These vines, planted in 1877 along Sausal Creek still produce fruit that
embody the truest Zinfandel varietal characteristics. Old vines means
the fruit ripens differently and the end result is an intensely spicy
zin very unique! The wine then ages for 24 months in French oak barrels.
This Zinfandel is elegant and complex, and will pair well with juicy
steak, wild game or marinated pork. Sausal Century Vines Zin has
wonderful aromas of boysenberry, raspberry, sweet cherry, cinnamon and
black pepper. In the mouth, the wine has soft, chocolaty tannins and
ripe, concentrated fruit with notes of boysenberry jam, plum and pepper.
The Century Vines Zinfandel will cellar well for at least eight years.
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Price $40 |
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Carol Shelton Karma Zinfandel, 2005
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Carol Shelton’s 2005 Karma Zinfandel is so named
because of an arrangement between her and the Rues who own the vineyard
on Wood Road – she also makes their delicious wine!
We love to just drink this Zin for its lush juicy fruit and the
layers of interesting spice and earthy richness. Full of freshly-ground
black pepper aromas and some nice cedary-spicy oak components, it has a
rich creamy mouthfeel despite its firm tannic backbone. This vintage
shows a touch of gaminess that we find quite reminiscent of a nice Cotes
du Rhone. That wild note is beautifully compatible with game meats,
especially duck, or actually with any grilled meats. We also had a nice
paring which surprised us—Alaskan halibut with a porcini mushroom sauce.
670 cases produced.
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Price $37 |
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Dashe Cellars Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, 2007
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The Dashe Cellars Dry Creek Valley 2007 Zinfandel
was particularly showy from the start, with its purple-black color,
perfumed aromas of violets and lavender, and rich flavors of black
raspberry, chocolate, and clove spice.
On the palate, you’ll enjoy black raspberry, cassis, chocolate,
clove spice, thick and velvety texture on the mid-palate, long
persistent finish of blackberry and black raspberry fruit, sweet
chocolate and spice. This wine
just bowled us over with its intensely aromatic nose, its round, lush
mouthfeel, and its array of complex flavors.
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Price $28 |
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Saucelito Canyon Zinfandel, 2007 Estate Reserve
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The Saucelito Canyon 2007 Zinfandel Estate
Reserve is a limited bottling barrel selection Zinfandel from Saucelito
Canyon Vineyard. A darker, brooding Zinfandel, the fruit on the nose is
deep and intense blackberry, blueberry, dried cranberry and cassis.
Cherry cola and sarsaparilla spice leads to vanilla crème, rose petals,
and a dusty minerality. The palate is lush and full with a round black
fruit entry, flavorful fruit, blackberry jam and spice midpalate,
leathery finish and chewy tannin linger. A big yet balanced Zinfandel,
this wine has the fruit to keep its aromas lively coupled with the
natural acidity necessary for age-ability but seldom found in Zinfandel.
This Zinfandel is exceptionally food-friendly and will shine when paired
with seared short ribs; roasted garlic smashed potatoes, and toasted
pistachio peppered salmon. 284 cases produced.
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Price $38 |
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Loxton Zinfandel, 2007 Hillside Vineyards
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This 100% Zinfandel is from three different vineyards here in Sonoma
County. 50% is from a beautiful vineyard on Limerick Lane in Russian
River, 27% from the Gopfrich vineyard in Dry Creek and 23% from the
Stonetree vineyard in the Mayacamas mountains. This wine has continued
to improve since release late last year and is also a great wine for
summer BBQ. Good balance of fruit and alcohol, with a strong cherry
fruit character. 512 cases produced.
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Price $28 |
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Storrs Rusty Ridge Zinfandel, 2005
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This proprietary cuvee hails from a series of old vine
vineyards located on the eastern edge of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Head-trained and dry-farmed all, these vineyards yield very minimally
allowing for intensely flavored fruit that produce wines of amazing
concentration and varietal identity. Each vineyard which comes to the
blend and adds something - one brambly fruit, the other backbone and
spice, the other depth and concentration.
Together these vineyards create a wine that will remind all of us
why winemakers engage the four-wheel drive, and then hike through the
worst poison oak to uncover these gems that have nearly been forgotten
to the outside world. Deep ruby in color with a just a touch of purple invites you into
aromas of ripe brambleberries, raspberry, loganberry and boysenberry,
with accents of black pepper and vanilla.
On the mouth, you’ll find a full-bodied wine, with a very supple
palate. You'll again encounter the rich brambleberry notes especially
boysenberry complemented by soft vanilla owing to long-term aging in
small oak cooperage.
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Price $28 |
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C G DiArie "Southern Exposure" Zinfandel, 2005
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Most of you are familiar with C G DiArie wines.
The man, who we call Captain Crunch, because of his many years in
food science, has put his experience and expertise into creating
fantastic wines. The “Southern
Exposure” designation for their wines denotes that they feel the wine
has very special qualities. The 2005 Southern Exposure Zinfandel was
made from grapes from the Original Grand Pere Vineyard.
The 2005 “Southern Exposure” Di Arie Zinfandel is a complex and
elegant wine. On the nose it has a rich fruity character of dark berries
combined with spicy notes and hints of black and white pepper. On the
palate the dark berry flavors quickly crescendo to layers of black
cherry, plum and cassis. Some of the flavors characteristic to Zinfandel
as white and black pepper and brier are combined with black current
(cassis) and plum which give the wine a hint of sweetness. The finish
has a spicy character with the cardamom background making this wine very
exotic. This well balanced wine with its unusually long finish fills
your mouth without being tannic. The 2005 “Southern Exposure” Zinfandel
has the elegance which compares to a well made Pinot Noir. 1203 cases made.
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Price $41 |
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Armida Poizin 2008
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As she stands in the clearing, the cold wind dances
through the trees, swirling her golden mane over her diaphanous, silken
black gown. The full moon melts into the paleness of her skin. As she
stirs the cauldron of Zinfandel she chants an other worldly incantation.
From vials as old as the echoes of time she adds minute pinches of her
ancestry. Her slender fingers rub together as the grains fall, releasing
their magic as they touch the fermenting must. On her face is the look
of both good and evil, of love and hate, of life and sex and all that
stirs you. What is this unearthly potion? It is Poizin, the wine to die
for. Not quite deadly, this delightful Poizin is blended to be soft,
supple, and ready to enjoy NOW. The grapes come from Dry Creek Valley.
Adorned with a skull and crossbones, pair this bottle up with Armida’s
2008 Antidote Pinot Gris (see our Other Whites page) and you’ll have a
great gift idea! Bright fruit flavors are carried on a bed of soft
tannins. Oooh, spooky.
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Price $26 |
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REDS 2008, by Laurel Glen
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The 2008 REDS is delicious, spicy, and rich
with zinfandel providing dark raspberry fruit, carignane adding an
exotic tang of white pepper, while the petite syrah tones down the
tendency of zinfandel to become too jammy and pulls the whole blend
together with its deep color and black pepper flavors. Enjoy, as always,
with Mediterranean cuisine, and bistro, burgers, and barbeque!
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Price $14 |
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