Wonderfully delicious aromas with great fruitiness. The palette showed a nicely smoothed out feel with no aspect of the wine overriding the other. Well balanced tannins, a nice dry finish, the deep fruity flavors of this style of wine, which is one of my favorites. For me I was getting some strawberry and a subtle hint of pepper. I am sorry this was my last bottle of this wine.
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In hindsight, probably needed to open this a year or two prior. Nonetheless, still has that CDP quality of red cherry, strawberry, tobacco, earth, and tar notes to it, albeit the fruit it muted at best right now. Decent finish...don't wait if you still have some.
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Not really great. I enjoyed these when young. Not sure whether this bottle had some flaw or was over the hill or just didn't age well. Lots of iodine and earth, DW detected some cherry tobacco, short finish.
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Nose: raisin, citrus rind, earth and cedar box Palate: great acidity and soft tannic structure with dark baked fruit and orange spice notes. Really integrated and well balanced
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Very much a dark fruit profile at this point with some olivy kind of flavors that reminds me more of a northern rhone wine. Soft minerality. Smooth with a lengthy finish.
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In hindsight, I wish I had been disciplined enought to hold this another 3-5 years, given this was only 7 months after the last bottle. Pretty wine, clear ruby. Very silky. Slow to open, more of an evolving opening process and should probably be decanted a good while before serving. I still think of it as coy, a reserved shy CdP that ultimately shows a rustic, classic, character. Seems to have years left, and my guess is it is awakening a bit and in 2013-2018 it will be at its best.
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Clear ruby red. Dusty, moss, spice, woodsy nose that opens rather slowly. Not a fruit driven wine, but a rustic spicey offering. Coy, not a powerful CDP. Decant.
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Lots of earth, wood, spice and red fruits on both the nose and the palate, acidity stands up well to food, some tannins remain to kick off the moderate finish. This is throwing off lots of sediment now, and has really matured in the last few years.
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Interesting step in the evolution of this wine. Tonight the taste is dominated by a more stewed kind of fruit flavor. Dark fruits again with a little oak and some spiciness. It has some earthiness and minerality that, if I tasted it blind, would probably lead me to believe I'm drinking a northern rhone wine. Smooth on the palate. Long finish with dark fruits but bringing in hints of cold tea. Very good.
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not great. a bit blabby without a strong backbone. Good fruit and has bit of tobacco and darker fruit with a hint of spicebox but a bit one-dimensional.
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In the glass this was a ruby red with a light rim at the edge of the glass. Scents of raisins, prunes, and other dried fruits lingered in the nose. In the mouth this medium weight wine offers flavors of dried red fruits, tobacco, and cedar. This is not what I look for in a Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
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Nose of dark fruit and spice with a little oak. On the palate, cherry liquer, spice, and again, a little oak. Very smooth with rich mouthfeel. Long finish that, although it doesn't taste like port, reminds me of port.
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"Anniversary" Weekend at Rob & Lisa's; 5/29/2009-6/1/2009 (Scott's Valley, CA): This wine showed pretty big raisin, plum, and prune aromatics with some underlying white pepper and anise as it opened up over two evenings. The taste follows the nose with some sharp acid and chewy tannins at the pop. This softened by night two, but it really only allowed the alcohol to then show through. I am thinking this is passed its prime. The nose and flavors just seemed flabby and overripe without ever developing into much more than that.
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Not quite clear, but dark ruby in the glass. No sediment in the bottle though.
Very interesting watching this change dramatically over about 90 minutes. Upon opening this was really awful, a total iodine bomb and I thought it was a bad bottle. After a little bit, it mellowed out and started to have a subtle nose of fruit with a lot of pepper and acidity on the palate. After about an hour it had developed into something quite tasty, yet quite different than it was a year ago. On the nose subtle yet distinctively sweet red berry fruit with some pepper and other spice. Very smooth on the palate, subtle red fruit resolves into a reminder of cherry, pepper, and leather and maybe a little tobacco(?). Bracing acidity. Medium-longish finish.
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Opened an hour before dinner, drank with dinner and after the kids went to bed. This wine has finally opened up for me. Plum, dark cherry and spice with that candy thing that everyone talks about, and a dose of iodine as well. Big flavors, but acidity, alcohol and tannins all balance nicely. Tannins turn to mocha on a reasonably long finish.
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Black cherry, raspberry and spice on the nose, medium bodied in the mouth with a tannic finish that turns to mocha. The tannins are sweet and will likely integrate further over the next few years.
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Clear dark ruby in the glass. Strong nose of dark berry, spice, and a little vanilla. On the palate, very smooth, dark berry fruit with a little bit of candied character to it, maybe leaning towards hints of port. Mouth-filling with a long finish. Maybe a tad hot, and showing a little roughness on the tannins on the finish. Still, very, very nice.
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Clear, medium ruby appearance. Clean nose with medium berry fruit and oak. Dry. Medium acidity. Nice, firm tannins. Medium-to-full bodied. Dark berries, a touch of spice, soft vanilla on the palate. Nice long finish. Outstaning. Will probably cellar well for at least 5 more years, perhaps longer. Wonderful with our braised rabit with mustard sauce and braised ox tail. 14.5% alco, cork (D7.5, F 5.5; WW, Eliz)
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Clear ruby color. Cherry, sweet tobaco, underbrush and orange peal aromas. Concentrated taste of red cherries with good fruity sweetness, turning to manure and animal tones on the midpalate, before ending with pepper and other spices. The tannins are clearly present yet nicely integrated.
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Light body, light fruit w/some earthy notes. Light acidity and decent tannins...decent food wine, but needs to open a bit. Maybe wait a couple more years before I crack my next one.j
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Great, spicy nose, color is red but doesn't have much depth. Medium body, intense Cherry aroma, bit tannic and well structured acidity. Finishes with a prolonged slight bitter aftertaste. Would benefit from aging for another 2-5 years, but doesn't have enough body to age much longer in my opinion.
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I was very disappointed in this bottle, although it was potentially flawed. In fact, I only give it an 82 because others seemed to like it ok. Very little fruit, no hint of pepper that often comes with CDPs.
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Quite balanced... bought for 27 dollars a bottle from wine library and this seems to be drinking very well. it's not too far in any one direction right now... not too big, too tannic, to light, to acidic... just classic *young* CdP flavors.
Will cork and try again tomorrow... I expect a decrease in body... I also have two more bottles... I'll decant one for a few hours before tasting to see how this wine stands up to air.
tbc..
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Very good. Dark color. Medium nose of fruit, spice and anise. Full-bodied, lush on the palate. Typical concentration for the vintage, but better-balanced than most. After about 1 hour, the nose opened up considerably. and everyone fought over the 'forgotten glass' left in the kitchen. We all savored it... Will be getting more of this if I can find it.
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Color is cherry -cinnamon. Plum edges. Nose - is green -- twigs. Kind of water-like on the palate. A bit of green - slight bitterness. Thin - but not overly horrible. Ok -- for a twig- infused autumn wne.
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Anita: Nice ripe rich fruit, dark berries; hint understated blackberry puree; full young t’s; liked by many b/c very forward and big. Hint vanilla-oak, but well integrated flavors. W/Korean BBQ ribs. J&L, Val, Bri &Tess.
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Nice purple color; very primary grapey nose; a bit tough textured but deep fruit and significant tannins. Kind of like tasting a young Port that you're pretty sure (hope!) will integrate with time. I'll probably buy more but wouldn't dare touch for the next one for a year!
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9/12/2019 - vfccpa123 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Wonderfully delicious aromas with great fruitiness. The palette showed a nicely smoothed out feel with no aspect of the wine overriding the other. Well balanced tannins, a nice dry finish, the deep fruity flavors of this style of wine, which is one of my favorites. For me I was getting some strawberry and a subtle hint of pepper. I am sorry this was my last bottle of this wine.
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1/3/2019 - VINNICK wrote: 90 Points
Deep rich fruity, typical Grenache notes. The wine has a big bold structure with deep fruit flavors. Took about 30 minutes to open up. Must decant.
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8/31/2017 - shellylowen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Needed decanting for two hours, then had great flavor, tannins and finish.
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11/11/2016 - brianofthevine wrote: 89 Points
In hindsight, probably needed to open this a year or two prior. Nonetheless, still has that CDP quality of red cherry, strawberry, tobacco, earth, and tar notes to it, albeit the fruit it muted at best right now. Decent finish...don't wait if you still have some.
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5/1/2016 - joet626 wrote: 87 Points
OK. Was a little brown in color. Muted fruit. May have waited too long to drink this
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1/29/2016 - brianakrin wrote: 91 Points
very good, rich, complex , tertiary, Drink
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10/30/2015 - Jump29 wrote: flawed
Corked
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9/9/2014 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Nice, but still think these were better young. Cherry tobacco, a little tar, some hints of iodine. Medium length finish.
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2/6/2013 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Not really great. I enjoyed these when young. Not sure whether this bottle had some flaw or was over the hill or just didn't age well. Lots of iodine and earth, DW detected some cherry tobacco, short finish.
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3/12/2012 - shk5157 wrote: 90 Points
Soft old world fruit
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1/19/2012 - unrelenting wrote: 92 Points
peak drinking. green olives and a lot of barn yard on the nose. light bodied palate, nice midpalate, long, long finish
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12/31/2011 - joet626 wrote: flawed
bad bottle. Musty smell and color was brown. Drank at Andorra.
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10/16/2011 - Tudz Drkl wrote: 90 Points
Nose: raisin, citrus rind, earth and cedar box
Palate: great acidity and soft tannic structure with dark baked fruit and orange spice notes. Really integrated and well balanced
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8/7/2011 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Very much a dark fruit profile at this point with some olivy kind of flavors that reminds me more of a northern rhone wine. Soft minerality. Smooth with a lengthy finish.
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7/28/2011 - smphelps wrote: 89 Points
In hindsight, I wish I had been disciplined enought to hold this another 3-5 years, given this was only 7 months after the last bottle. Pretty wine, clear ruby. Very silky. Slow to open, more of an evolving opening process and should probably be decanted a good while before serving. I still think of it as coy, a reserved shy CdP that ultimately shows a rustic, classic, character. Seems to have years left, and my guess is it is awakening a bit and in 2013-2018 it will be at its best.
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12/21/2010 - smphelps wrote: 89 Points
Clear ruby red. Dusty, moss, spice, woodsy nose that opens rather slowly. Not a fruit driven wine, but a rustic spicey offering. Coy, not a powerful CDP. Decant.
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12/4/2010 - Cahill wrote: 90 Points
Lots of earth, wood, spice and red fruits on both the nose and the palate, acidity stands up well to food, some tannins remain to kick off the moderate finish. This is throwing off lots of sediment now, and has really matured in the last few years.
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11/16/2010 - winejnky wrote: 88 Points
Bright + smoth, strawberry fruit, somewhat light for CdP but very nice; classic garigue, leather, spice box; heavy dregs in this bottle.
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3/27/2010 - jks1088 wrote: 90 Points
Still has a few years left
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3/11/2010 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Interesting step in the evolution of this wine. Tonight the taste is dominated by a more stewed kind of fruit flavor. Dark fruits again with a little oak and some spiciness. It has some earthiness and minerality that, if I tasted it blind, would probably lead me to believe I'm drinking a northern rhone wine. Smooth on the palate. Long finish with dark fruits but bringing in hints of cold tea. Very good.
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12/6/2009 - Maverick wrote: 85 Points
not great. a bit blabby without a strong backbone. Good fruit and has bit of tobacco and darker fruit with a hint of spicebox but a bit one-dimensional.
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10/18/2009 - Kirk Grant wrote: 84 Points
In the glass this was a ruby red with a light rim at the edge of the glass. Scents of raisins, prunes, and other dried fruits lingered in the nose. In the mouth this medium weight wine offers flavors of dried red fruits, tobacco, and cedar. This is not what I look for in a Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
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6/14/2009 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Drinking beautifully tonight.
Nose of dark fruit and spice with a little oak. On the palate, cherry liquer, spice, and again, a little oak. Very smooth with rich mouthfeel. Long finish that, although it doesn't taste like port, reminds me of port.
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5/30/2009 - jhannah27 wrote: 85 Points
"Anniversary" Weekend at Rob & Lisa's; 5/29/2009-6/1/2009 (Scott's Valley, CA): This wine showed pretty big raisin, plum, and prune aromatics with some underlying white pepper and anise as it opened up over two evenings. The taste follows the nose with some sharp acid and chewy tannins at the pop. This softened by night two, but it really only allowed the alcohol to then show through. I am thinking this is passed its prime. The nose and flavors just seemed flabby and overripe without ever developing into much more than that.
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2/17/2009 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Not quite clear, but dark ruby in the glass. No sediment in the bottle though.
Very interesting watching this change dramatically over about 90 minutes. Upon opening this was really awful, a total iodine bomb and I thought it was a bad bottle. After a little bit, it mellowed out and started to have a subtle nose of fruit with a lot of pepper and acidity on the palate. After about an hour it had developed into something quite tasty, yet quite different than it was a year ago. On the nose subtle yet distinctively sweet red berry fruit with some pepper and other spice. Very smooth on the palate, subtle red fruit resolves into a reminder of cherry, pepper, and leather and maybe a little tobacco(?). Bracing acidity. Medium-longish finish.
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12/6/2008 - Cahill wrote: 91 Points
Opened an hour before dinner, drank with dinner and after the kids went to bed. This wine has finally opened up for me. Plum, dark cherry and spice with that candy thing that everyone talks about, and a dose of iodine as well. Big flavors, but acidity, alcohol and tannins all balance nicely. Tannins turn to mocha on a reasonably long finish.
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3/22/2008 - Cahill wrote: 90 Points
Black cherry, raspberry and spice on the nose, medium bodied in the mouth with a tannic finish that turns to mocha. The tannins are sweet and will likely integrate further over the next few years.
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3/4/2008 - chitowncdpguy wrote: 91 Points
Clear dark ruby in the glass. Strong nose of dark berry, spice, and a little vanilla. On the palate, very smooth, dark berry fruit with a little bit of candied character to it, maybe leaning towards hints of port. Mouth-filling with a long finish. Maybe a tad hot, and showing a little roughness on the tannins on the finish. Still, very, very nice.
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3/3/2008 - nubbin wrote: 91 Points
Clear, medium ruby appearance. Clean nose with medium berry fruit and oak. Dry. Medium acidity. Nice, firm tannins. Medium-to-full bodied. Dark berries, a touch of spice, soft vanilla on the palate. Nice long finish. Outstaning. Will probably cellar well for at least 5 more years, perhaps longer. Wonderful with our braised rabit with mustard sauce and braised ox tail. 14.5% alco, cork (D7.5, F 5.5; WW, Eliz)
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11/12/2007 - pvd420 wrote: 91 Points
candied cherry, this really shows the grenache. nice with short ribs
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10/19/2007 - Maverick wrote: 91 Points
Good raisin and dark cherry. Nice depth almost chewy.
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8/31/2007 - Terkel wrote: 92 Points
Clear ruby color. Cherry, sweet tobaco, underbrush and orange peal aromas. Concentrated taste of red cherries with good fruity sweetness, turning to manure and animal tones on the midpalate, before ending with pepper and other spices. The tannins are clearly present yet nicely integrated.
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5/1/2007 - Tparodi wrote: 90 Points
Light body, light fruit w/some earthy notes. Light acidity and decent tannins...decent food wine, but needs to open a bit. Maybe wait a couple more years before I crack my next one.j
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2/27/2007 - OmerArtun wrote: 89 Points
Great, spicy nose, color is red but doesn't have much depth. Medium body, intense Cherry aroma, bit tannic and well structured acidity. Finishes with a prolonged slight bitter aftertaste. Would benefit from aging for another 2-5 years, but doesn't have enough body to age much longer in my opinion.
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1/20/2007 - Cahill wrote: 88 Points
Very spicy on the nose, fresh and racy, didn't show much fruit, but spice, roasted herb, and a finish of mocha and mineral.
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1/13/2007 - BuckeyeSmitty wrote: 82 Points
I was very disappointed in this bottle, although it was potentially flawed. In fact, I only give it an 82 because others seemed to like it ok. Very little fruit, no hint of pepper that often comes with CDPs.
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1/8/2007 - monty401 wrote: 88 Points
One night open, vacuvin'd, made this one taste bigger. Actually not a crazy right now... I'll let this sit for a while before trying again.
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1/7/2007 - monty401 wrote: 91 Points
Quite balanced... bought for 27 dollars a bottle from wine library and this seems to be drinking very well. it's not too far in any one direction right now... not too big, too tannic, to light, to acidic... just classic *young* CdP flavors.
Will cork and try again tomorrow... I expect a decrease in body... I also have two more bottles... I'll decant one for a few hours before tasting to see how this wine stands up to air.
tbc..
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11/25/2006 - blaine wrote: 92 Points
Very good. Dark color. Medium nose of fruit, spice and anise. Full-bodied, lush on the palate. Typical concentration for the vintage, but better-balanced than most. After about 1 hour, the nose opened up considerably. and everyone fought over the 'forgotten glass' left in the kitchen. We all savored it... Will be getting more of this if I can find it.
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11/23/2006 - A&C wrote: 86 Points
Color is cherry -cinnamon. Plum edges. Nose - is green -- twigs. Kind of water-like on the palate. A bit of green - slight bitterness. Thin - but not overly horrible. Ok -- for a twig- infused autumn wne.
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8/12/2006 - peternelson wrote: 89 Points
Anita: Nice ripe rich fruit, dark berries; hint understated blackberry puree; full young t’s; liked by many b/c very forward and big. Hint vanilla-oak, but well integrated flavors. W/Korean BBQ ribs. J&L, Val, Bri &Tess.
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3/17/2006 - Grinner wrote: 91 Points
Nice purple color; very primary grapey nose; a bit tough textured but deep fruit and significant tannins. Kind of like tasting a young Port that you're pretty sure (hope!) will integrate with time. I'll probably buy more but wouldn't dare touch for the next one for a year!
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2/11/2006 - peternelson wrote: 89 Points
Wine Exchange: Ripe berry, hint branches, smoke, cranberry; med. swt mth entry, soft, frty, big t’s fin, but short. Frty, modern style.
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