The Desert Wine Guy - Welch's Sparkling Grape Juice And It's Relation To Wine

                                                           
After reading the final draft of this article I came to the conclusion that I needed to start off with what I guess you could call...a small disclaimer. If it seems like I am advertising for Welch's Corporation, I am not. Growing up in New York my family drank Welch's Grape Juice. To be honest, I never even knew there was another name for a grape juice. Today my kids drink it and they happen to be made in bottles that a have similar appearance to wine bottles. This whole idea started when I was sitting at the dinner table one night and stared at the bottle and started to wonder about the grape juice inside (weird I know). Are there real grapes that are used and are they grown like wine grapes? That is when I decided to learn about it myself and write an article. To make things even better, in this day and age to get anything that is simply and pure and is what it says it is is rare. Welch's claims it is 100% grape juice with no added Sugar, color or flavor. I actually think that they deserve credit for producing a healthy product. To make things even greater the grapes are grown in America. To finish this chapter off let me say that I have no connection, nor do I know anyone who works for or has any connection to Welch's Grape Juice. I am not getting any sort of payment or compensation for writing this article nor does the Welch's corporation even know that I am writing this article. I will be sending them a copy of this article however.  Having said all this it is time to get to the main part of this article.

                                                                                               
 While the adults are sitting around this year at the Thanksgiving dinner table drinking some wine or other Alcoholic drink, what are the kids drinking? While some will say water, juice or even soda mine will be drinking what The Desert Wine Guys kids have come to call "kids wine". What exactly is kids wine? Kids wine is actually Welch's Sparkling Grape Juice in what for all intents and purposes is in bottles that are shaped like wine bottles. My children love the feeling of drinking out of a bottle just like me. My children even drink out of real wine glasses and they feel like they are drinking wine like an adult. They do know that their kids wine does not have Alcohol and that's what makes it "kids wine" but they otherwise believe they are drinking wine like The Desert Wine Guy. While they call it "kids wine" it is really only carbonated grape juice and they love it. My children get it poured the same way that wine is supposed to be poured so they learn about wine etiquette and feel like they are a part of the entire Vineyard process. They learn and tell me about the different parts of the wine bottle and glass. They learn the names of these parts as well as how to hold the wine glass and how to place a finger in the "Punt" of the bottle when pouring even though these bottles do not have a "punt". They also know the correct method a waiter should use when pouring wine for customers. In short they learn about wine and the things that go with it. Being that my children drink the stuff and the bottle does say it is 100% real grape juice and being that I write about grapes and what is grape juice but juice from the grapes, the same as wine this is perfect. Well sit back for a few minutes while I tell you all about Welch's Grape Juice.

Young Concord Grape Vine

                       
   Welch's Grape juice comes from the Concord (Niagara for the white juice) grape which was developed in the mid 19th century by Ephraim Wales Bull who lived in Concord, Massachusetts. The story goes that Mr. Bull (Ephraim) was looking for a varietal that was was able to withstand the colder climate of the Northeast. Ephraim used the Vitis Labrusca (Fox) grape which happened to be native to the area. The Concord grape is actually one of the species of the "fox" varietal of grape. Ephraim planted 22,000 seedlings of the Fox grape and after six years he selected a single vine and named it after his home town...you guessed it, Concord. Here are a couple of interesting things about this grape and about the grape juice. This particular grape has what is called a "slip skin" which allows the skin of the grape berries to easily slip off when squeezed, instead of crushing the pulp. The other interesting item is that since it is a real grape and it is a red grape it also contains Polyphenols which, like Red wine grapes also comes from the skin. This is the same Polyhenois that is in real wine that helps our hearts. Welch's Grape juice itself actually started out as Sacramental wine and was first used by Dr. (Dentist) Thomas Branwell Welch who was also a Methodist Minister (as well as a prohibitionist) in Vineland (yes for real) New Jersey. Dr. Welch wanted to come up with a way that grape juice would not become Alcohol so he used pasteurization which killed the yeast. Believe it or not this idea didn't go over to well and some even called it a "heresy". With all the backlash the  died....at least for a while. Along comes Dr. Welch's son, Charles who was also a prohibitionist and Doctor (a Dentist as well) who started advertising the grape juice. In 1893 the juice even appeared at the Worlds Fair in Chicago and people were able to drink samples. In 1896 Welch's Fruit Juice Company became so big they had to move and move they did, to New York. The grape juice also was now being accepted in churches all over. The grape juice became so popular that in 1913 the Secretary Of State Jennings Bryan hosted a dinner for the British Ambassador actually served Welch's grape juice instead of wine. That year Alcohol was also banned from Navy ships. Today the company is said to make a half a billion dollars a year and moved to Concord Massachusetts where they grow cuttings from the original Concord vine.  Let me now discuss some more of what I see are the positives of Welch's Grape Juice.
   My younger children are getting older and more and more involved in what their Dad does concerning the garden and Vineyards.  Last year they helped me dig holes for the vines and put in the guide sticks the young vines grew up on to ensure the trunk was straight. They know where the Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyard is and where the Sauvignon Blanc Vineyard is. They know which one makes a red wine and which one makes a white wine. They are now learning about Dormancy since the vines are just now starting to shut down. They will soon learn how to take cuttings of a grapevine and the process involved in that. This coming year they will learn about Lateral growing of the Laterals. They will very soon be learning about Pruning of the vines. The greatest thing is they love the whole aspect of  wine growing. When it comes to the wine making itself, they will eventually be involved with that as well. Being in the garden has helped them stay healthy also. They LOVE Green Peppers and Tomatoes and vegetables in general. Non G.M.O, no pesticides, just fresh food. They get to be outdoors and in the Sun away from the T.V. (Idiot Box). When we are done for the day we head into the pool and cool off and spend time with more Family, Their Mother and older Sister.  Later in the year we get to look at Two beautiful Vineyards and pick Fruits and Vegetables while in the pool. There is no better family time.

Dr. Welch

    I am going to get on my soap box now so please indulge me. I believe that having children accustomed to things removes the mystery or awe about those things and at the same time teaches them respect for those things as well. Teach and show them the good and the bad about these things. By the way the same thing applies to Firearms as well. Teaching them about some of the things that they will be exposed to when they get older and you are not there is  your responsibility as a parent. When they are around Beer or Wine and you are not there it will be no big deal because they are already around it normally anyway. When they get older I see nothing wrong with them having ONE SIP of wine or Beer. Teach them respect for Alcohol in general. Teach them that Alcohol is not something you want them to drink AT ALL when they are out with friends. While you are at it teach them why also. We were all kids at one time and hopefully still know how kids think. You as a parent show them WHY they shouldn't drink at a young age. To be honest I would be perfectly happy if my kids never drank Alcohol. There is really nothing that Alcohol (wine in this case) can give you that eating the actual grapes themselves can't give you, and in larger quantities.

Concord Grapes

                                              



                                                                                                                    The Desert Wine Guy

The Desert Wine Guy - 2011 St. Clement Cabernet Sauvignon

 

                                                           

2011 St. Clement Cabernet Sauvignon

    One of my greatest memories pertaining to my first trip to the Napa Valley was visiting the St. Clement (http://stclement.com/the-st-clement-story) Winery. I can remember like it was yesterday driving down Highway 29 and seeing the St. Clement Winery on the left hand side and thinking what a cute little cottage on that hill, I have to check it out on my way back. On the way back from bunny hopping the Winery's of interest along Highway 29 and ending up in Calistoga where there was (at the time) a small Coffee shop that roasted it's own beans. I had a nice lunch and a few Iced Lattes and headed the opposite way on 29. I had to keep my promise to myself of course and on the way back I just had to stop there. As everyone else does when visiting the St. Clement Winery, I parked down below the hill and took the long walk up to the Cottage. That walk was more that worth it. What a beautiful little place, the view of the Napa Valley was incredible especially while sipping on a glass of wine on their patio swing that overlooks the entire valley. When I tasted the wine I knew immediately it was one of those "different" wines that stood out from a lot of the other Napa Valley wines I had tasted on my trip but just didn't seem to be something I liked. After all these years that wine and property still stand out in my mind. When I see the wines from St Clement in the stores (which isn't too often) I flashback to the porch swing and the great wine. The Cabernet Sauvignon I bought on that day taught me and showed me the power of how great a Napa Cab can truly be. The "Cottage" as I called it is actually the St. Clement house and was built in 1878. The original owner was a man named Fritz Rosenbaum who manufactured and imported mirrors & glass. The property originally only made Riesling and Zinfandel in a cellar that is located underneath the house. The name St. Clement was given to it in 1976 when a local Ophthalmologist, William Casey bought the house and built a 10,000 case Winery there. The name St. Clement is actually a tribute to Caseys ancestors and what a tribute it is. St. Clement is now owned by Beringer and the property is still beautiful. How did this particular wine compare to the wine I tasted? Well we will see as you read on. The wine in question here is the 2011 St. Clement Cabernet Sauvignon. Anyone familiar with the weather in the Napa Valley in 2011 knows that it was kind of goofy and not the typical weather the Napa Valley is use to. Did the rough weather in 2011 negativity effect the crop and therefore effect the wine? Let's find out. As I have already said, 2011 was actually a rough year weather wise for the Napa Valley as a whole. One of the biggest issues was that it was a cooler year than usual which meant lower grape yield which also meant the need for thinning due to irregular berry development. This also delayed wine development by as much as several weeks. This particular Cabernet was aged in forty two percent new French Oak barrels for nineteen months. There was also two percent Merlot and two percent Petit Verdot added for structure just before the wine was put in the bottle. I love a wine that starts off with deep, rich, powerful aromas. This happens to be one of those wines. Let's see just how the St. Clement winery managed to do with it's Cabernet Sauvignon vines.

St. Clement House Porch Swing

                                                           
    Before we get into the pour, a word of warning here. To discuss the pour of this wine leaves us with not much to actually discuss. With all the beauty of the St. clement House and the property as a whole it's kind of ironic that such a wonderful place and such (as it turns out) a wonderful wine would have such a simple appearance on the pour. Here is a wine once again where looks are deceiving. This wine does indeed have a very simply, deep Cherry Red pour. That's it, plain and simple. Do yourself a favor and read on please.
   On the nose there was Blackberry with a slight hint of Cocoa. There was a deep clove spice that was almost hidden but still detectable if you took the time and swirled the wine long enough. You could almost sense that this was going to be a special wine. There is a sense of earthiness in the bouquet that has the cocoa almost floating in the air. I thought I also sensed some Cranberry in here also. All in all the bouquet is really nice and promises a wonderful experience.
   Let's now move onto our favorite part, the actual tasting of the wine. To open up this section I want to say that this wine has so many different flavors or notes that I tasted on my Palette.  This to say the least is a complex, full bodied wine indeed. There is a nice rich Blackberry opening when the wine first touches enters your mouth and touches your tongue. This Blackberry is so smooth that it's almost comes across like an appetizer you would have before a great steak, it makes you long for what comes next which is the main course, in this case is the 2011 St. Clement Cabernet Sauvignon. Next up on the Palette is a solid, deep, Plum that offers up memories of going to an Orchard and picking a ripe Plum off of the tree that is at it's peak of perfection. Some wines, even some $40 wines would be content and end here and be happy to have achieved that level of desirability, not this wine however. I guess you could say "well you should expect more from a 40$ wine" and you would be correct however it does not always work that way as I am sure you already know. Let's talk about another note that you will detect early in the development of the wine, that note is that of clove spice. What starts off as a brief low key note now quickly comes to the surface and combined with all the other notes in this wine is awesome. Now a wine that combines all this into one wine is incredible sounding in itself and so far it is rather impressive and I am totally enjoying myself up here in the 80's Loft. I am torn here. On one hand I am wishing I had invited a friend over to share this wine with. On the other hand i'm glad I didn't because then I would have to actually share this treasure so maybe I did the right thing by going it alone. One question I will throw at you is what is a Cabernet Sauvignon without Oak? Well don't fret there Oakey Cabernet fans because there is actually an incredible smoky oak to this wine that is simply wonderful. I wish all the Cabernets I tasted had this level of beautiful oak in them. To top it off there is an unusual note of dried Cranberry here. The dried cranberry blends so well with the clove note and add an almost rustic earthiness to the wine. If you think this wine is done you need to hold on a minute because here comes the taste of a light Cocoa to the mix. Yes, all of these different notes are truly in this wine and each is represented to it's fullest extent. O.K I have to take a break here because I am getting tempted to buy another bottle (or two) which I will and place one in my cellar for the future. What else is this wine missing? Did you say "but Desert Wine Guy are there any Tannins to this wine?" You want Tannins also? Yes, You have Tannins. You actually have nice, smooth, deep Tannins that help glide the wine over your tongue. There is just enough to coat your tongue but not enough to paste onto your tongue which is a taste we have all experienced and some do not like. In short there is just the right amount of Tannins to mesh with the other notes this wine has to offer. Sitting in my reviewers chair (my recliner) I thought about how the flavor of this wine was so easy to drink and that you knew without doubt that in your hands you held a prime example of why Cabernet Sauvignon is indeed the king of red, you know you are holding and drinking a Cabernet Sauvignon at it's finest. The Clove added just that bit of Spice that I like in my Cabernet and I think helps set a cheap Cabernet apart from a good one. In short the wine is the perfect package and shows the full promise of what a great Cabernet Sauvignon should be. As we near the closing of this review I wanted to add something else. While this wine is indeed full bodied at the same time it is not what I would call a heavy Cabernet. While not for the weak of heart or timid, this wine is flavorful and bright and if you are a true Cabernet lover you will truly be in Heaven. As I have just said, although not for the faint of heart, this wine also has the ability to be a favorite for fans who like a deep Merlot as well. Lovers of both varietals of wine are presented the best of both worlds here. Where does the Cocoa fit in you ask? The Cocoa comes out but strangely only at times however each time it does it seems it is a welcome surprise and comes at a time when you seem to have forgotten it is there in the first place. The wine ends in your mouth with the Blackberry/Oak notes and those irresistible Tannins. To try to be a little more specific concerning the line between a Merlot and a Cabernet if I were to draw a graph with 6 being where the Cabernet Sauvignon style comes in, I would rate this wine at the 8 to 8.5 point of that graph. Definitely what is meant by the phrase "full bodied".
   I'm going to be straight forward here. I must confess that I went into this review actually expecting a lot from this wine and it without a doubt delivered. Like I said in the opening of this article I have always had a place in my heart for this particular Vineyard. This is one of those Vineyards/Winery's (along with a few others) that helped plant and cultivate the very early seeds of The Desert Wine Guy, pre Desert Wine Guy. As any good, honest writer or reviewer should do however, I have always been able to avoid letting a bias effect my reviews. I am glad I was able to give this wine such a great review. On the other hand if it was warranted I would have just as easily given it a bad review. Thankfully that was not the case.

    Lets go ahead at this time and wrap this up. For those readers who tend to keep to the more heavier Merlot or like medium bodied Cabernets I say go ahead take the plunge here. Step out there, open your world up and expand your tastes. This is that great wine that may do all that. Let's discuss price now. When I first saw this wine on the shelf I said "$40, do I really want to spend that kind of money on this wine"? Well I decided to go ahead and take the plunge myself, as I suggest you also do. I say YES, you really do need to spend that kind of money. While I was in the store those memories came back of that first trip, that first series of wine tasting experiences and that was all that was needed for me, I bought the wine. You might not have that memory, maybe you have never sat on that porch swing, maybe you have never taken the walk up the hill to the St. Clement house. None of this matters, my recommendation is for you to buy the wine, enjoy the wine and go a few days without Starbucks to make up for the extra money you spent :) If you are searching for a wine to impress your guests for the holidays than look no further. If you are looking to impress yourself then also....look no further. This is the benchmark for Cabernet Sauvignon. This is what I am using to compare all other Cabernet's to. Buy a couple of bottles and put one away, the other open at Thanksgiving or some other special holiday. I would say this wine could last another 5-7 years if kept at the proper temperature.

   On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I am giving it 94 points.


                                                                                                                   The Desert Wine Guy



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The Desert Wine Guy - A Day In The Life Of The Desert WIne Guy

Sauvignon Blanc W/Cordons

   Now that the growing season is coming to an end shortly in most of the country I thought I would take this time to discuss a little bit of reminiscing I did yesterday while sitting in my pool looking at my Vineyards. The day started out like any other Las Vegas Summer day and that is near or at 92 degrees with a high expected to be in the low 100's. Mrs. Desert wine Gal had decided to take the kids out to the pool and wondered if I was going to come along. I looked outside and saw my vines need attention and figured why not, I mean I had some work to do anyway on the Vineyards and vegetables and a nice dip in the pool afterwards would be nice and refreshing. I put on my "Desert Wine Guy" outfit (don't ask) and headed out to grab some ties, pruners, trash bag and lots of water. It had been a few days since I had been out to the Vineyards and it was apparent that the vines loved the heat because they sure had taken off. I had plenty of Canes to choose from to make Cordons from on a couple of vines that didn't have any useable Canes a few days ago. The rest of the Canes that would not become Cordons would be turned into cuttings which would replace the vines I planted that never survived the trip from the grower in the Spring. To be honest it was nice to get back to the Vineyards. The sun felt great on my arms and face and while I am not a big lover of the sun especially when I am working outside  today was different, today I welcomed the sun. I loved seeing the vines and my other plants and how they just soaked up the sun and the heat it put off. Where the belief came from that wine grapes don't like the heat is beyond me, these varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon & Sauvignon Blanc) love the heat and the hotter it gets the faster they grow. By the way my vines are all Organic and do not have any special chemicals added to make them to withstand the heat.
    I decided to start off in Mirror Image Vineyard which strictly is Sauvignon Blanc territory. Mirror Image Vineyard is grown in a different way then Angel Vineyard. The Mirror Image Vineyard is trellised along the back and side wall of my yard. This is where my old Cabernet Sauvignon vines grew last year before they were pulled up. Upon coming to my first vine I noticed some old damage that the dreaded Grape Leaf Skeltonizer managed to do before I killed them finally. That was a short lived battle that I won. I flashed back to the Spring time when I was in fear of the battle that lay ahead with those pests. I happened to find a natural bug killer named Captain Jacks that is all natural and did the job naturally. I also saw some small Canes coming out of the Buds on the Trunk of that particular vine. I thought I had cut these buds well enough to ensure they wouldn't come back but I guess I didn't do that job well enough. I ended up cutting them off but, like I said left some large Canes for future cuttings. I re-examined my Cordons on that particular vine and saw that I needed to do some more tying of them onto the fruiting wire due to the Cordons growing so much since the last time I saw them. I also took a quick glance at the pool and was glad it was waiting for me since the day was heating up fast. I cleaned up around the base of the Trunk of the vine and then  moved on to the next vine. On the Next vine the same things were happening only this time I left all the Canes coming from the Trunk since they were all pretty long and appeared healthy. I was also finally able to form my Cordon on the left side (only) of this one vine. This was pretty exciting and I pointed it out to Mrs. Desert Wine Gal who looked at me like I was crazy. The next vine was rather interesting. This vine appeared to be dead all summer long but when I looked at it this time I noticed that there were two buds that were breaking. It is the end of August and places like the Napa valley have already gone into Verasion and this vine finally decided it is time to wake up WOW, are you kidding? It's a little too late now but it might grow enough to ensure one less cutting having to be done this Winter. While going from vine to vine in Mirror Image Vineyard that is pretty much the issues what I ran into. There were a couple of vines that I had cut back considerably earlier in the summer because I wasn't happy with what I was seeing growing and they still weren't developed enough to form Cordons although they did appear to be very healthy now. That is O.k though because there is always next year. I would rather have vines that are healthy and will produce fruit in the future then have a undeveloped or improperly developing plant that is sickly in appearance which would mean no fruit or little to no quality fruit. I also want to mention that while going from vine to vine I came across my Banana Peppers and Basil plants and they were doing great as well. So after some cleaning and a little bit of pruning I was happy with what I saw. O.k so Mirror Image Vineyard is done.
   You might think it was time to take quick a dip into the pool right about now. Not so fast there wine fans. It is time for a break though. I sat down for a few minutes while drinking some water and just watched my beautiful family in the pool. How blessed I truly am. I have a beautiful wife (Mrs. Desert Wine Guy) and three beautiful, wonderful children all of which my Vineyards are named after. I have a beautiful house that is furnished wonderfully and a job that I have been working at for the past 22 years with retirement coming in less than 3 years. It is nice when we take the time to stop and truly appreciate all that God has blessed us with. Watching everyone relax in the pool I realized that break time was to be short lived. Time to finish the maintenance of the Vineyard up and get my reward...a

Grape Leaf Skeltonizer Damage

nice cool dip in the pool.
    Moving over to Angel Vineyard (Cabernet Sauvignon) now. Angel Vineyard is set up like a traditional vineyard is. I have 8 foot wooden poles that are driven 2 feet into the ground with guide wire strung from pole to pole along with a drip system tied along a guide wire at the bottom of each pole. This Vineyard also differs in that there are no vegetable plants planted in between the vines it is simply Cabernet Sauvignon vines. These vines are growing very well also. The same cleaning up of small Canes was done and the forming of Cordons was also performed. There was the same issues in this Vineyard as there was with Mirror Image Vineyard and that is that there were also some vines I had to cut back earlier in the year due to the fact that I was unhappy with how some of them were growing. While they are doing much better now there are a couple that are still to small to form Cordons. The most I could do with those is to ensure the Canes that will eventually become Cordons grow straight up along the trunk so that when it is time they will simply be bent onto the fruiting wire. There were also some vines where I was able to finally form cordons. The problem of some vines did not surviving from the Nursery also exists in this Vineyard as well but that will be addressed when the vines go dormant as with Mirror Image Vineyard. The Grape Leaf Skeltonizer struck here also but I was more alert with time and there doesn't appear to be any damage done to these leaves.
                                                                        

Cabernet Sauvignon Vines

   So we are at the end of this article and it was inspired by working in the Vineyard the other day (Aug 8, 2014) and observing  just how far my Vineyards and vision have come in the past few months. I remember last winter deciding to  rip out my overgrown Cabernet Sauvignon vines and I re- designing in my mind my current vineyards. I remember getting with my guy to do the labor and listening to their input on certain things. I had a vision in my mind as to how I wanted my Vineyards to look and I was aiming to duplicate it in real life and I would say I was successful. I am happy with the progress of the Vineyards for the most part. I always look forward to "next year" and this year is no different. I always have things I want to improve or see improved upon. I always have goals for the next year. The crazy thing is that once the growing year starts there are things that cannot be changed until the next growing year so again it is a wait. While I enjoy the vines being active and fruiting, I also in the back of my mind hope for the next year to improve on what I already have. I guess that is good, that is what drives someone to do something they like. Well I have enjoyed giving you folks a little bit of a breakdown about my time in the Vineyards. I want to always be the type of person who is never to busy to answer questions or appear to be some guy that is above it all, I am not. When I sat down to write an article this was not the direction I intended to go in but I quickly became inspired to write this way, I don't know why. I hope you have enjoyed this article as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

Angel Vineyard

                                                                           


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                                                                                                                The Desert Wine Guy

The Desert Wine Guy - Golden Gate Vinters Merlot

Golden Gate Vinters Merlot

    This review will be an unusual one for me. For one thing this is going to be a relatively short article for The Desert Wine Guy. I really enjoy educating you guys on wine and usually try to spend some time giving some background on the Vineyard or Winery itself. This time though there really isn't anything to educate you on, sorry. This is a very straight forward, cheaply made wine. There is not even a year on the bottle by the way so I can't even tell you that information. I guess the saying "it is what it is" is appropriate here. With that being said here we go.
   The other day I was walking out of my kitchen and I happened to notice (for the millionth time) that in one of the wine racks there was a wine named "Golden Gate Vinters Merlot". I don't know why but I always seem to notice this wine quite often. I remember buying the wine and it was around $4. I bought it a few years ago, long before I transformed into The Desert Wine Guy :) I actually bought the wine to help fill up some wine racks that were half full. Well anyway I got tired of looking at it and decided that I was going to do something about it. I was going to finally get rid of this cheap wine. Let's see now, how do I get rid of a wine? I finally came up with a great answer, I was now forced (yeah OK) to drink it. Soooo now your thinking "a $4 wine Desert Wine Guy, really"? Yeah I know, I know but dumping out wine is usually never a good thing and not a habit I want to get into. I opened it and brought it upstairs to the 80's Loft, poured a glass and sat down for the review. How did it go? Read on below to find out.
   Let's begin with the pour. There isn't much to talk about here. The wine displayed a very slight reddish tint and was watery, very watery in appearance in the glass. That is the way it rested in the glass as well. That is the extent of the pour.
   The Bouquet was a little bit more complex then the pour and from it you could think you were
about to taste a decent wine. When the glass was brought to my nose I detected some Cassis along with some Black Cherry which seemed very nice and to be honest, not different from some other wines that I have reviewed and liked. Following on the heels of these two aromas was a medium Blackberry aroma. OK, not to bad for a $4 wine, things were looking up here.
   How did it taste Desert Wine Guy, how did it taste? Well here is where there were some issues. The wine has a very, bright overpowering, Cherry sweetness. The taste was almost like Cherry Pie. There was some Oak with Black Cherry thrown in for good measure almost to try and save the wine. You can forget about any form of Tannins because they didn't exist. To my surprise the wine did open up after about 45 minutes and to my further surprise the wine almost wanted to want to taste good but the sweetness was simply to much to overcome. While I did taste the other notes they were overshadowed by that overbearing sweetness. In the end I have to say that I would like to taste this wine without that sweetness because I think it had potential to be a decent wine. The sugar level must be threw the roof here and unfortunately that ruins any potential this wine MIGHT have had.
   In conclusion here, The wine is almost barely drinkable and while I did finish it this it is not a wine The Desert Wine Guy would bring to a get together where there are people who would look at me and think "he should know better, I'm surprised at him" or for that matter even give as a gift to anybody who knows anything about wine. I guess it would be acceptable to the Wine Cooler crowd or if you had friends who were not wine drinkers and were having a Summer pool party and wanted something sweet and refreshing but that is it (I would rather have the Wine Cooler, myself). As I said already, I would like to drink this wine without the over the top sugary taste I think then it could be a decent wine. The bottom line here is this. For $4 it is at least set at the correct price point. If you find yourself in the aforementioned situations with friends then go for it. On the other hand If you are looking for a wine to impress or to enjoy for yourself, looks elsewhere.

   On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I give it 80 points.

                                                                                                                   The Desert Wine Guy

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The Desert Wine Guy - 2004 Echo Canyon Estate Syrah

                                                 

2004 Passion Cellars Estate Syrah

   If you are a regular reader to my blog you will remember that my travel partner (my oldest Daughter) and I had taken a 5 hour trip a couple of months ago to a little out of the way place named Jerome which is located in Arizona. Here is the link to the article I did on the city and the wineries (http://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-desert-wine-guy-wineries-of-jerome.html) located there.  We recently went back and I ended up purchasing 5 wines that I felt stood out from the many I tasted. Today's wine, the 2004 Echo Canyon Estate Syrah is one of those wines. To say that this wine "stood out" or is "good" is an understatement because the wine did much more than "stood out" and was better than a simple "good", as a matter of fact this is great wine and deserves much more attention than it is getting. The trip itself, by the way is worth the drive and the time it took to get there and Passion Cellars (http://passioncellars.com/) is one place you must stop at.  When you get there say hello to Cody and tell him The Desert Wine Guy sent you, I think you will enjoy talking to him.  Passion Cellars also happens to be the only place to get our review wine. Before drinking this wine I suggest you give it about two hours + to open up because if you don't you will taste a very Tart Cherry and that is pretty much all. Do yourself as well as your guests a favor and wait the two hours + and the wine will open to a treasure chest of flavors. Now, sit back and get ready for the review of a simply outstanding wine.
  Let's begin at at the top, Let's first discuss the "pour" of this wine. Before we go any further here is a word of caution.  Do not be fooled because when you first start reading this review you will be thinking that I am describing a poorly made wine because this is what you almost surely will be thinking unless you continue to read on, so please do read on. If you are fooled do don't feel bad, I would have the same thoughts if I was not the one writing this article.  The color on the pour of this Estate Syrah appears a two tone. When you pour the wine, the wine leaves the bottle and it actually appears watery in some aspects and is extremely light in color in the middle. The edges of the pour are a medium blackberry in color but in the middle of the pour it appears a lot lighter and seems almost as if it were diluted. This medium/light (mostly light) issue also persists as the wine rests in the glass. When I first saw these particular worrisome characteristics I thought that I was going to be in for a very quick review and was already thinking about which wine I wanted to open next once I poured this bottle down the drain, which I thought would be very shortly. There is however, a saying about appearances that I am sure you have heard before and it goes like this "appearances can be deceiving". This wine is a perfect example that the saying is accurate. In this case appearances indeed were deceiving as you will see once you move onto the next section of the review.
   The Bouquet of the wine when put to the nose is where I first started thinking that I might have been wrong about this wine. The bouquet is full of so many different aromas, it is actually as a matter of fact a smorgasbord of different aromas. To start with the wine opens to a Dark Cassis that is followed up quickly by a medium Oak, a nice deep Dark Cassis and Oak, I am now starting to really think that maybe the wine might be slightly better than bad but surely never more than just simply an "O.K" wine which is of course, an upgrade from what I had originally thought. Right about now I'm looking at awarding an 84 on The Desert Wine Guy point scale. Hold on a minute i thought, what is this I am detecting on the nose? Is this a Medium Pepper? Yes it is, that is exactly what my nose is being hit with. Then I started beginning to think "nah it's still a weak wine with a pour like that". I continued this part of the tasting and noticed that the wine wasn't done opening up because Cocoa was also now coming through. All this in the Bouquet I thought. What a powerful and surprising development. It is like a Buffet not to the eyes but to the nose. I was beginning to now have the first thoughts that this wine was going to exceed the simple "OK" that I was going to originally elevate it to. I was now at the point where I couldn't wait to taste this wine and find out what, if anything it had up it's sleeve and if it could indeed elevate itself even further?

Echo Canyon

    In the mouth the wine starts off with a bright, tart Cherry mixed with Cranberry. When you initially taste the Tart Cherry flavor it will seem out of place until the Cranberry and Carmel hit you, which is almost immediately.  The Carmel actually tones down the Cherry just enough but not before you notice it is there.  The wine will remain like that until it opens up but no worries it is nothing that time will not more than take care of. Once we allow it the time it deserves to open we will see that there is so much more here. When given the time to develop, the first thing we start to notice is the nice taste of a smooth Carmel appears. The flavor of the wonderful Black Current spice also appears to give the hint that this wine is about to do something great. I think that while a red might normally have Black Current that being mixed with the Cherry and Cranberry does something nice. These flavors of course are just the beginning as you will soon see because if you think the wine is done you are way wrong. In addition are notes of Dark Pepper and some earthy notes thrown in for good measure. Adding the pepper into the mix is a nice twist and in the end you end up with the result we have which is an excellent Syrah. To end the power packed flavors there is the ever so slight (but still there) hint of Tobacco to set this wine over the top. Tannins? You want Tannins also? This is a wine I was going to dump out, what do you want from it, everything? Yes, there are Tannins here also. Like most of the other things I tasted in this wine the Tannins are present and only just to the extent that they make a difference and carry the wine forward even further on the point scale. On top of this there is a Jammy sort of taste that I found very strangely appealing here yet fits quite well. So we have everything sensed in the Bouquet and more, also tasted on the palate. Talk about a great wine huh? There is also a slight bit of acidity as well that you will detect in the mouth but have no fear it is not out of place here and definitely not to the extent of being overpowering or overdone in any way. The peppery tones in here are actually what I think helps set this wine off and in combination with everything else, sets this wine over the top in my book. Just when you think the wine has offered you all that it has to offer here comes the slight but definitely noticeable touch of Dark Cocoa which combines in the mix. You now know what this wine is all about and that is greatness.
   All right now lets sum all this up. What started off looking like a terrible wine ended up being an excellent wine. There are so many different flavors that amazingly compliment each other for you to enjoy here. Do allow a couple of hours to Decant though if you really want to appreciate this wine. I recommend that this red be very SLIGHTLY chilled before being served with the ribs  Lamb stew or even a spicy Fajitas you must have to go with it. One other note here. The wine is slightly high in the Alcohol content at 14.8% and believe it or not a did get a slight "buzz" towards the end of the bottle which never usually happens. This wine is put together so beautifully, it is simply a delight to drink. Be forewarned however, the wine is also NOT for the faint of heart, this is definitely a Syrah in every sense of the word.

   On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I give it  93 points


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The Desert WIne Guy - The Art Of Proper Wine Service

Initial Wine Bottle Presentation

    
With the coming of the holidays and invitations to friends or families, party's or dinner events I thought this would be a good time to review or maybe even in some cases, educate you,  my readers on the subject of wine service etiquette.  Today we are going to discuss wine service etiquette and what is entailed when we are either pouring wine for someone or having wine poured for us at any upper class restaurant or fancy party. Even if it is just for your knowledge I think it is a process that all serious wine lovers should be familiar with. With that in mind lets move into the article.
   The whole process of proper wine service actually begins with the ordering of the wine and moves along into the serving of the wine by a Waiter or yourself. The proper presentation of the wine initiates with the bottle being brought to you by the waiter or the host of the event and goes all the way thru the Dinner and doesn't end until the bottle, or bottles of wine are finally empty. Aside from proper presentation of the wine bottle itself, wine  etiquette also entails the proper pouring amounts of the wine in the glassware. With all this in mind lets enter the world of wine service etiquette. Throughout this article I would like you to place yourself in the Waiters position when it is appropriate. Let's begin with the "presentation" aspect of the wine bottle and follow thru to "the pour" and then to "your responsibility's" as the Dinner host or the person at the table who has taken the responsibility of ordering the wine. The presentation of the wine bottle is when your guests get their first opportunity to see the wine you have chosen to share with them and as such it also holds with it the power of showing your knowledge of wine. It is also your opportunity for your knowledge to shine in your attempt to impress the guest at your table with your proficiency in choosing a good wine.  The presentation itself is the equivalent of first seeing the food a restaurant has prepared for you. It is sort of like ordering a Filet Mignon. You have had Filet Mignon before but the way the restaurant presents (presentation) it is going to assist and play an important function in determining exactly how your experience with the restaurant and the food is going to be, it is a starting point. If you compare the presentation of the bottle as well as the wine to the presentation of the food on your plate delivered by the Waiter then you can get a little better understanding of the importance of the presentation. Lets now go step by step and break down the entire presentation process.
                                    

Corkscrew / Foil Cutter Combo

                                            
   The Presentation: - The term "presentation is defined as "the proffering or giving of something to someone, especially as part of a formal ceremony". It is the Waiters, or hosts job to do the wine presentation. The person ordering the wine is the person the Waiter presents the wine to. If the Lady ordered the wine then the wine is presented to the Lady.  The same applies if the Gentleman orders. By the way it is considered insulting if the lady orders the wine and it is presented to the Gentleman. The bottle should be wrapped in a clean, white linen napkin in order to ensure the wine is not warmed by the Waiters hand. The Waiter should also have brought a separate, clean, White, linen to ensure no drips pour down the side thereby dirtying the bottle or label. Along with this Linen he should of course have a Corkscrew as well as a Foil Knife in order to open the bottle of wine. Now what? O.k, so you have decided that a 2009 Peju Cabernet Sauvignon fits the bill for your particular dinner situation. Your first responsibility to your party or guests, which is to pick an appropriate wine for your party has just been finished.  The waiter has his next responsibility (with the first being getting the order correct) he must ensure that all glassware brought to the table is clean and polished and ready to actually be presented. This by the way should have been done BEFORE leaving the bar or Kitchen area by the Waiter, not after the glassware has been presented at the table. The Waiter should also ensure that the bottle of wine he took out of the rack is the actual wine you ordered. Once again this is BEFORE the bottle arrives at your table. Your second job is now coming into play here. You, yourself should also ensure that the proper glasses are provided for your guests. If you are having a Red wine then there should be Red wine glasses. If it is a Champagne being poured there should be Champagne glasses on the table. If the glasses are inappropriate then it is up to you to say something to the Waiter.  Now, here comes your third job. You must now also ensure that the bottle that is presented to the table is the wine you ordered. You must now ensure that the bottle including the label is clean and free from stains and not soiled. That means that when the wine is shown to you it should be shown with the label facing you, which is the Waiters way of saying "I did my part, now it's your turn, please double check".  If after your inspection the Waiter has brought the wrong wine you should send it back. If the wine is correct but the bottle is dirty or soiled you should also send it back as well. A soiled or dirty bottle might indicate that the wine was not cellard properly and that the wine could be spoiled. Would you want to drink from a water bottle or soda can that looks as if it was laying around the bottom of an old cooler? How about if you were paying a hefty price for it? In this situation you are the Ambassador between you and your guests. We want to treat and ensure the wine we serve and for which we pay for has been treated with care and respect, it is after all, food is it not?  It is also my contention that when we feed people at our homes we are performing for them the same function as the restaurant and the Waiter. The other item you must notice is if the wine presented is indeed the 2009 Peju Cabernet Sauvignon? You ordered a specific wine for a reason, right? O.K the glassware appears clean and the wine is the appropriate wine and the condition of the bottle is satisfactory.  If you and the Waiter have performed your jobs correctly the Waiter may now begin the pour.

The Pour -  The Waiter should now pour an ounce of wine into your (if you did the ordering) glass. If pouring Champagne it should be poured slowly down the side of the glass. You should now visually inspect the wine in your glass looking for any foreign objects or color that does not look correct. If everything appears well you should swirl the wine for the appropriate amount of time to release the Bouquet. You now should smell the wine. Once this is done it is now time to sip the wine and if the wine tastes like it should you will inform the Waiter that he may continue the pour. The correct process of pouring the wine is up for debate. One common method (the first we will mention) could actually have a big drawback, see if you can guess what that is. After your inspection the Waiter will  move to the Oldest Lady at the table and pour for her first. He will then follow up with the other  Ladies according to age. Then he will follow with the men at the table, also according to age and finish last with the person who ordered the wine. The other method, and the one I prefer goes like this. The Waiter simply goes clockwise around the table ending at the person who ordered the wine. The wine is poured with one hand on the Neck of the bottle and the other on the Base with the Thumb in the "Punt" of the bottle. The big dimple at the bottom of the bottle is called the Punt. When removing the foil there should only be two cuts of the foil made and all while the label is still facing the person who ordered the wine. The foil should be placed in the Waiters Apron or pocket, it should never be placed on the tablecloth as this is considered rude. The Waiter should ensure that each pour fills the glass no more than half way. If the wine is a White wine than the Waiter should ask if you want the wine left on the table. If you do then he should ensure that there is a Wine Bucket on the table filled with ice to maintain the temperature of the wine. A Red wine can simply be kept on the table.

Your Responsibility - This will basically be a review of what we have already covered but it is important and therefore should be repeated. Know the tastes of your guests. This can help in the decision you make in choosing the wine you do. If you want to go deep into wine culture or tradition you can even do the Red with meat, White with fish thing, although I, myself don't subscribe to that.  Is the correct glassware present and clean prior to the pour?  Is the bottle presented the wine you actually ordered? Is the wine free of foreign matter and is it the appropriate color? Does the Bouquet of the wine seem correct?  Does it taste correct? Is this what The 2009 Peju Cabernet Sauvignon should taste like?

Summary - The Waiter has a job he gets paid for. I believe that depending where you eat, ( is there a Sport Coat or Suit and Tie required? Is it a formal or informal dinner?) will determine whether you should, or should not expect a professional wine presentation. If you simply have some friends over for dinner there probably is no need to go through all this unless you want to impress them with your wine knowledge. If there is a business dinner you are headed to and the restaurant has prices that are out of this world I believe the proper wine presentation is something you SHOULD expect and demand. I also think that from the Waiters position all the way up to the restaurant Manager should be pulled on the carpet (so to speak) if he should treat your table and the wine presentation as if it doesn't matter. The Waiter is always the Ombudsman between the kitchen and you, the guest. Nothing should find it's way to your table without going through him, he is responsible for dirty or incorrect glassware. He is responsible for cold food that reaches your table. He is responsible to you if the wine is incorrect. Just as he is responsible for these things, you are responsible for the wine reaching your guests incorrectly, you are their Ombudsman.

Proper Service

                                                
    I hope everyone has enjoyed this article. For some reason it has been the hardest article I have written to date. I hope that you have the chance soon to either put what we have discussed into practice or watch it transpire in person. Wherever you go this holiday season I hope you enjoy yourself and are safe. Here is a big question that I will leave up to you to decide. When you have an invite to a function we all know (I hope) that you never show up empty handed. If the gift you bring is a bottle of wine, is the host obligated to open and share that wine while you are present? Leave me some comments with your feelings and tell me why you believe the way you do.


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The Desert Wine Guy - An Introduction To Idaho Wine

   Today I am pretty excited. Today I will post the first guest article on my blog. This article was written by Michelle who operates her own site entitled WineDineDIY (http://winedinediy.com/). I want to thank her for excepting my invitation to swap articles.  I hope both Michelle's readers and mine can appreciate and benefit from a different perspective or style of writing about wine. I hope you enjoy the article Michelle has written as well as her site.

An Introduction to Idaho Wine

When people’s thoughts turn to American wine regions, they usually think of Napa Valley and other California American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) such as Sonoma or Lodi.  Outside California, other sites like Walla Walla in Washington and the Finger Lakes AVA of New York make the list.

I'm guessing that unless you’re an Idaho resident or a total wine nerd you probably haven't heard of the Snake River Valley, which is Idaho's first and only AVA.  

As someone lucky enough to live (and drink!) in the great state of Idaho, I'm going to let you in on a little secret:  Idaho wine is kind of a big deal.

Why? Because the pieces that could motivate wine lovers enough to get the Gem State on the map are coming together right now.  First come the growers, then the winemakers, then the ever-growing customer base.  People start drinking, talking and writing. Awards and acclaim follow.  This IS happening and it's an exciting time!

So let's talk about Idaho for a minute.  The following is an excerpt from my blog post about terroir (http://winedinediy.com/defining-explaining-terroir/):  "It's in the Pacific Northwest, but it's not a coastal state. We experience four full seasons.  Weather in Idaho can be kind of weird, cloudy morning, sunny afternoon or vice versa.  We can have warm days and cool nights.  Summer months are H-O-T! Rain and snow levels tend to be moderate (mountains excluded).  Huge swaths of the state are maintained as arable land to support numerous farming operations, while other geographic areas have been clearly marked by a history of volcanic activity.  Lots of rivers and lakes can be found, as well as a vast flood plain."

In other words it's ideal for grape growing. 

Recently Idaho held its 5th annual Idaho Wine Competition, held by Great Northwest Wine (http://www.greatnorthwestwine.com/) at Ste. Chapelle Winery in the heart of the Snake River Valley (to see a complete list of winners please see this article (http://www.greatnorthwestwine.com/2014/09/23/malbec-tops-5th-annual-idaho-wine-competition/).

I'd like to share a few of my favorites that claimed top awards. 

                                              
 

Huston Vineyards 2012 Malbec

Winner Best Red and Best in Show.  Huston Vineyards 2012 Malbec is 14.3% alcohol.  Fruit, spice, and earth revealed on the nose.  These transfer nicely on the palate with subtle tannins and a spicy mouthfeel.  Lingers on the tongue well after the swallow with a solid finish.  

Coiled Wines 2013 Dry Riesling

Winner Best White Wine. Coiled 2012 is 13.1% alcohol by volume and has less than 1% residual sugars, making it dry by definition.  It has floral fruity scents, particularly melon and citrus.  That fruitiness translates to the flavor which is wonderfully tangy with just a bit of acidic bite.  The strong finish clinches my A rating. Retails at $17.00.

 Sawtooth Estate Winery 2013 Classic Fly Series Cinsault Rose'

Winner Best Rosé.  Sawtooth Cinsault Rose' is 13.30% alcohol by volume, 95% Cinsault and 5% Muscat Blanc.  This is a dry delightful Rosé with a sweet strawberry-peach smell and vague floral notes.  Though it has definite fruit flavors, it is quite dry with a crisp mouthfeel and smooth finish.  Retails at $15.00.

I hope this inspires you to look for a little bit of Idaho in your next bottle of wine!

                                                          

Michelle Leonardson lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband Nick and giant dog, Lindsay.  She blogs about her favorite interests: wine, food, and do-it-yourself projects.  Connect with Michelle:

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The Desert Wine Guy - The Wineries Of Jerome Arizona

Passion Cellars

                                                                                                        
    Today's article is going to be about some small Wineries located in a small, tiny, kind of creepy, but yet nice town named Jerome Arizona. Jerome is located in the Black Hills of Yavapai County in Arizona. It is a 5 hour drive from Las Vegas and is 100 miles North of Phoenix. There will actually be a surprise ending to this review so read on. The town is actually built on the side of a Mountain and is 5,000 above sea level. It was built in the late 19th Century and when you arrive you will verify that this is accurate right away because it doesn't appear that anything has changed since then.....at all. There are actually three levels to the town and everything is within walking distance. There also seems to be this macabre fascination with The Day Of The Dead....all year long. Every shop you go into has Day Of The Dead memorabilia and from what I understand during Halloween the town explodes with activity. I guess that my daughter (A.K.A Angel Vineyard) and I are the last people to know about this town because when we arrived the town was very busy with plenty of Tourists walking around and shopping. One resident I talked to told me that the town was an "artsy town" and is well know for its artists and being "free spirited". On to the Wineries now.
   From what I saw there are actually 4 Wineries located in Jerome, this was a pleasant surprise because I had only heard of one being there. We visited all four wineries and they were all fairly  nice inside  and up to date. None of the Wineries grow any grapes in Jerome so don't expect to see any Vineyards. Two of the wineries are actually next door to one another and all are within walking distance from one another. All the wineries however seemed to be way overpriced and the wine for the most part was really nothing to speak of. I did however find a nice 2012 Black Hills Zinfandel at Passion Cellars http://passioncellars.com/ that I purchased for $27 . There was also a Winery located right next to Passion Winery. I actually don't recall the name of it (sorry by this time I was tired) but if you find Passion Winery you cant miss this one, as I said it's right next door. When we walked in I noticed there were wines lined up on the counter all of the 2004 vintage and when I talked to the person behind the counter who, by the way is also helping in Passion Winery he informed me that hey had just taken over for the owner who had owned the winery for a long time but injured himself and is selling off his wines. I tasted some of their wine and I decide to purchase the 2004 Echo Canyon Estate Syrah. This wine was one of only two wines that struck me as something more that ordinary and so I had to buy a bottle. The people working there also seemed to be the friendliest and more open to talk then the other two wineries. The other winery there that my daughter and I went to was Cellar 433. This places prices were crazy with wines starting in the high $20 range and topping out at $52, yes that's right $52 for a wine with grapes grown strictly in Arizona. The wine was nothing special and certainly not worth $52. To make matters even worse I believe there was a $12 tasting charge that was NOT given back if wine was bought and the glass was NOT yours to keep.  The other Winery was nice inside buy again they must have thought they were selling Gold or something because once again the prices were out of this world high.

Passion Cellars

   In finishing this article I wanted to say that I am in no way saying that Arizona can't grow great wine grapes or make great wines for that matter. What I am saying is that Arizona is not Napa or another area that is well known for it's wine and to charge from the high $20 up to $52 dollars for a wine, along with that kind of tasting fee and on top of that be stingy and not give a tourist a memento like a cheap glass is to me, crazy. By the way to be fair all the wineries in Jerome have what I think are high tasting fees and no free glass nor do the tasting fees go toward a purchase. I think this is without question out of line. Bottom line here is the drive is way to long for wine that for the most part is not that good along with prices that are way to high. Now for the surprise ending that I promised you. I definitely recommend that you visit the town and when you are there hit up Passion Cellars and the winery next door but hurry because when the wine they have is gone at the winery next to Passions it is gone and you must have the 2004 Estate Syrah. My Daughter and I had lunch at Bobby D’s Bar-B-Q Pit http://jeromechamber.com/businesses/bobby-ds-bar-b-q-pit/ and the service and food was AWESOME. We also had some Espresso drinks at The Flatiron http://jeromechamber.com/businesses/the-flatiron/ where the service was VERY friendly, the Espresso very good and the ladies were very pretty might I add. I recommend that you also visit this town for the experience there are some museums and some nice shops and the few people we talked to seemed to be friendly. The drive itself was long yes, but from Vegas it was surprisingly green with areas of lush rolling hills and there are small towns along the way to stop. The temperature actually averaged in the low to mid 80s and  was nice. O.k, here is the warning. The town is big on The Day Of The Dead and the town and goes nuts for Halloween, I think ill leave before night fall thank you. Just kidding, it is a nice place to spend the day.

Cellar 311

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