Beautiful garnet colour. Green pepper and mushroom on the nose. Red fruit and brambles with hint of cinnamon . Fine tannins, nice acidity and great length. Delicious.
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Another 2013 that is in a very good spot. Popped and splash decanted and had a glass immediately. Continued to evolve over the evening, but very nice out of the gate. Tannins are smooth and well integrated, nice nose of red fruits, mushroom and leather. Drink over next 5+
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Popped this tonight to grab a taste (having as one of my Xmas Eve bottles). It is really nice at the moment. A rush of red fruits...raspberries and cherries. There is a strong spice element, too. Refreshing acidity and medium tannins, but well integrated. Finishes fairly long and with a forest floor note.
It still has some life ahead of it...but why wait? Drink now - 2028. 91 points.
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This is drinking really well right now. Starting to brick at the edges but still full of red fruit and spice. Developing some tertiary complexity. I’m not sure if this will age much longer. Went very well with steak.
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2/3, good cork. Decanted 1/2 hr. Pale/medium garnet. Aromatic nose showing red cherry, strawberry, florals, light creamy edge. Medium bodied, elegant with soft tannins, red fruit, florals, touch of spice, fresh acidity, expands and lengthens nicely on the finish. Understated, elegant, classic, lovely.
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N: bright cherry, with layers of herbs, raspberries. T: A classical brunello with influence of large oak casks: one thing that strikes me is delicious balsamiche character with beautiful acidity, which can age gracefully. Elegant.
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La Cave D’Argent on 1/30/20 and Paul D on 6/24/20 nailed the tasting note on this wine for me. Kerin O’Keefe’s review with WE is also spot on. The nose on this is outstanding – just beautiful (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, violets, some spice, some well-integrated oak (vanilla) is noticeable). The wine is medium bodied, nice soft tannins, high delicious acidity. Very strong fruit. Fresh. A nice oak to the wine, not over the top. Long finish. This is outstanding.
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1/3, good cork, decanted 1/2 hr. Medium garnet core, pale garnet rim. Fragrant, floral nose, spicy red cherry also. Medium bodied, red cherries with a lightly creamy edge, notably soft tannins, touch of savour, fresh acidity, good length harmonious finish with a note of leather and just a touch of grip at the end. Elegant, lovely and certainly drinking.
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Decanted, though I'm not sure for how LONG before I tasted it
“Sourced from hillside vyds @ 270-320 m elev with vines ave 25 yrs of age; Intense pruning, production limited to very few bunches/plant (50ql/ha), harvested by hand with selection of grapes on selection table; Soft pressing of grapes, temp-controlled fermentation (30°C) & maceration (15 days), racking 2x/yr, slow continuous flow bottling in sterilized conditions; Aged 4 yrs, 3 of which are in 50-100hl Slavonian oak barrels, ff’d by 8 mos of bottle aging; 13.50% ABV & 5.30 g/L T.A.”
P: LM, poss Med, body; Rndish entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which, ultimately, pretty much resolves by the LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/swtness to the surprisingly unoffensive, dusty tannins. For now with food (*&* a decant), + should be good to go for its 10th, QUITE possibly longer. Nicely done! My EXC-/EXC, arguably the higher for its approachability? 94 pts WA, 93+ Vinous (D’Agata), 93 ea Wine & Spirits, Falstaff Magazine, and WE (5/1/18) @ $58, 92 ea WS & winealign.com (3/18/19), 91 Suckling, 91 (Brook) & 86 (Morris) of Decanter, + 16.5 & 14.5/20 Jancis Robinson! [This vendor's $41.95 is $3 < wine-searcher's lowest.]
Note: Also tasted on 1/18 & 2/1/20.
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“Sourced from hillside vyds @ 270-320 m elev with vines ave 25 yrs of age; Intense pruning, production limited to very few bunches/plant (50ql/ha), harvested by hand with selection of grapes on selection table; Soft pressing of grapes, temp-controlled fermentation (30°C) & maceration (15 days), racking 2x/yr, slow continuous flow bottling in sterilized conditions; Aged 4 yrs, 3 of which are in 50-100hl Slavonian oak barrels, ff’d by 8 mos of bottle aging; 13.50% ABV & 5.30 g/L T.A.”
N: Closed; Vanilla/cherries with notes of earth, poss some spice?
P: LM body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker with fairly seamlessly morphs into a LONG, *poss* very, VERY slightly puckerish finish with HINTS of swtness to the dusty tannins. Approachable now with food (at least for acidophiles), NEEDS through '21, I'm guessing, then drinking through '25? My EXC-/EXC; 94 pts WA, 93+ Vinous (D’Agata), 93 ea Wine & Spirits and WE (5/1/18) @ $58, 92 ea WS & winealign.com (3/18/19), 91 Suckling, 91 (Brook) & 86 (Morris) of Decanter, + 16.5 & 14.5/20 Jancis Robinson! [This vendor's $41.95 is $3 < wine-searcher's lowest.]
Note: 1st tasted on 1/18/20, when it didn’t show quite as well as today.
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There is a lot to like about this medium red/garnet offering from La Gerla. Beautifully aromatic, it flaunts scents of lavender, chamomile, vanilla and rosemary, backed up with plenty of dried cherry and cranberry fruit. Medium-bodied, freshly acidic, softly oaked and with fully integrated alcohol (listed as 13.5%), it delivers flavors mirroring the nose and stays dense on the mid-palate. The tannins give this wine a nice backbone but they are silky-textured and unobtrusive. Closing with a lengthy, earth-laden finish, this is an impressive Brunello at a very attractive price. Enjoy it throughout the decade. Drink now-2030.
Winebar [1 Rosé, 3 Whites, 8 Reds, & 6 *shared* bottles] from 01/17/20 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): “Sourced from hillside vyds @ 270-320 m elev with vines ave 25 yrs of age; Intense pruning, production limited to very few bunches/plant (50ql/ha), harvested by hand with selection of grapes on selection table; Soft pressing of grapes, temp-controlled fermentation (30°C) & maceration (15 days), racking 2x/yr, slow continuous flow bottling in sterilized conditions; Aged 4 yrs, 3 of which are in 50-100hl Slavonian oak barrels, ff’d by 8 mos of bottle aging; 13.50% ABV & 5.30 g/L T.A.”
N: VANILLA atop cherries with notes of spice? Intensity lurking?
P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by a surprising low amount (for this AOC & vintage) of astringent pucker which does, however, persist into & through the LONG, very, VERY slightly puckerish finish with a very, VERY slight bitterness & HINTS of swtness to the firming, very, VERY fine tannins. LESS voluptuous than other '13s I recollect having tasted from this DOCG™, & likely best for acidophiles. NEEDS through '21, then drinking into '25? My VG+/EXC-; 94 pts WA, 93+ Vinous (D’Agata), 93 ea Wine & Spirits and WE (5/1/18) @ $58, 92 ea WS & winealign.com (3/18/19), 91 Suckling, 91 (Brook) & 86 (Morris) of Decanter, + 16.5 & 14.5/20 Jancis Robinson! [This vendor's $41.95 is $3 < wine-searcher's lowest.]
™Reminds me of a Chianti-like take on Brunello, particularly when one factors in the "feel" of the acidity.
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Lighter bodied than I anticipated. A bit tannic and a bit acidic still, until it opened up with time in the decanter. Can't wait to try this once it has aged a bit and mellowed. Good drinking now but glad I got some to keep!
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Mid red, perhaps just a hint of brown. Gentle, unassertive but pure nose of red cherry, spice and a hint of undergrowth. Quite youthful in the mouth- lots of bright red fruits and good acidity. Finishes long and smooth with restrained fuzzy tannins. No rush to drink, but looks pretty smart right now.
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The 2013 La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino begins with inviting aromas of red fruits forest floor, spices, floral, leather and hints of balsam all taking shape. This medium-bodied red possesses a gorgeous velvety texture with excellent overall structure and balance, backed by lovely acidity which provides a fresh character through the long lingering finish. Overall this is an absolutely fantastic Brunello, which is showing wonderful freshness and vibrancy now, yet should age beautifully and continue to develop wonderful complexities over the course of the next decade.
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Benvenuto Brunello 2018, Montalcino centro; 2/16/2018-2/19/2018 (Montalcino): (Benvenuto Brunello, 2018, Montalcino) Quite good. Tawny brick red, clear. Nose opens with sweet cherry, soil, pomegranate, red apple, Tuscan dust/herbs. The entry shows some warmth, yet it's elegant in a chewy/dense-ish kind of way. There's good acidity throughout to keep this lively through the middle and finish. Good>vg length. 13,5% abv., great value; buy with confidence. Now thru 2034. recommended+
3/24/2024 - matthew.gluth wrote: 88 Points
Cherry, blueberry, plum, but not too fruity. Well balanced, not strong. Medium bodied.
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12/23/2023 - mcromain1021 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Almost a year since my last bottle and this is still going strong. It is ready now, but will last several more years, but no need to wait really.
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10/10/2023 - Wuhan Joe wrote: 91 Points
Beautiful garnet colour. Green pepper and mushroom on the nose. Red fruit and brambles with hint of cinnamon . Fine tannins, nice acidity and great length. Delicious.
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4/8/2023 - Counsel71 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice aroma and taste 40 minutes bottle breath and 1 hour decanting
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2/13/2023 - LEEJV123 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium body, balanced, feminine, long.
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2/12/2023 - mcromain1021 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another 2013 that is in a very good spot. Popped and splash decanted and had a glass immediately. Continued to evolve over the evening, but very nice out of the gate. Tannins are smooth and well integrated, nice nose of red fruits, mushroom and leather. Drink over next 5+
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12/23/2022 - StBlGT Likes this wine: 91 Points
Popped this tonight to grab a taste (having as one of my Xmas Eve bottles). It is really nice at the moment. A rush of red fruits...raspberries and cherries. There is a strong spice element, too. Refreshing acidity and medium tannins, but well integrated. Finishes fairly long and with a forest floor note.
It still has some life ahead of it...but why wait? Drink now - 2028. 91 points.
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9/4/2022 - Deegie Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is drinking really well right now. Starting to brick at the edges but still full of red fruit and spice. Developing some tertiary complexity. I’m not sure if this will age much longer. Went very well with steak.
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8/21/2022 - Paul D wrote: 92 Points
2/3, good cork. Decanted 1/2 hr.
Pale/medium garnet. Aromatic nose showing red cherry, strawberry, florals, light creamy edge. Medium bodied, elegant with soft tannins, red fruit, florals, touch of spice, fresh acidity, expands and lengthens nicely on the finish. Understated, elegant, classic, lovely.
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4/2/2022 - AB16 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Light, balanced Brunello Good food beverage
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1/20/2022 - LizRottgers wrote:
Dislike
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10/3/2021 - wiscgrad wrote: 93 Points
Very light and elegant brunello. A bit funky on the nose. Tons of red fruit
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8/26/2021 - Redsquare82 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent brunello. Fruity, with notes of spice. Well balanced, showing very well.
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8/15/2021 - aamilz05 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Fruity
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6/8/2021 - jag323 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice, light brunello.
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12/12/2020 - Justy Likes this wine: 93 Points
N: bright cherry, with layers of herbs, raspberries.
T: A classical brunello with influence of large oak casks: one thing that strikes me is delicious balsamiche character with beautiful acidity, which can age gracefully. Elegant.
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11/6/2020 - winedr wrote: 95 Points
Outstanding Brunello!
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10/2/2020 - trumpet60201 Likes this wine: 95 Points
La Cave D’Argent on 1/30/20 and Paul D on 6/24/20 nailed the tasting note on this wine for me. Kerin O’Keefe’s review with WE is also spot on. The nose on this is outstanding – just beautiful (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, violets, some spice, some well-integrated oak (vanilla) is noticeable). The wine is medium bodied, nice soft tannins, high delicious acidity. Very strong fruit. Fresh. A nice oak to the wine, not over the top. Long finish. This is outstanding.
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6/24/2020 - Paul D wrote: 92 Points
1/3, good cork, decanted 1/2 hr.
Medium garnet core, pale garnet rim. Fragrant, floral nose, spicy red cherry also. Medium bodied, red cherries with a lightly creamy edge, notably soft tannins, touch of savour, fresh acidity, good length harmonious finish with a note of leather and just a touch of grip at the end. Elegant, lovely and certainly drinking.
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2/15/2020 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [4 Whites, 8 Reds, & 10 *shared* bottles] from 02/14/20 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): Phil, Frank, & Rick: THANK you for allowing me to revisit this!
Decanted, though I'm not sure for how LONG before I tasted it
“Sourced from hillside vyds @ 270-320 m elev with vines ave 25 yrs of age; Intense pruning, production limited to very few bunches/plant (50ql/ha), harvested by hand with selection of grapes on selection table; Soft pressing of grapes, temp-controlled fermentation (30°C) & maceration (15 days), racking 2x/yr, slow continuous flow bottling in sterilized conditions; Aged 4 yrs, 3 of which are in 50-100hl Slavonian oak barrels, ff’d by 8 mos of bottle aging; 13.50% ABV & 5.30 g/L T.A.”
N: Fragrant vanilla atop earth, poss minerals; Intensity lurking?
P: LM, poss Med, body; Rndish entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which, ultimately, pretty much resolves by the LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/swtness to the surprisingly unoffensive, dusty tannins. For now with food (*&* a decant), + should be good to go for its 10th, QUITE possibly longer. Nicely done! My EXC-/EXC, arguably the higher for its approachability? 94 pts WA, 93+ Vinous (D’Agata), 93 ea Wine & Spirits, Falstaff Magazine, and WE (5/1/18) @ $58, 92 ea WS & winealign.com (3/18/19), 91 Suckling, 91 (Brook) & 86 (Morris) of Decanter, + 16.5 & 14.5/20 Jancis Robinson! [This vendor's $41.95 is $3 < wine-searcher's lowest.]
Note: Also tasted on 1/18 & 2/1/20.
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2/9/2020 - Juliansi wrote:
Quite perfect and beautiful balanced with a steak!
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2/1/2020 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [1 Rosé, 3 Whites, 8 Reds, & 8 *shared* bottles] from 1/31/20 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): THANK you for allowing me to retaste this, Rick! :)
“Sourced from hillside vyds @ 270-320 m elev with vines ave 25 yrs of age; Intense pruning, production limited to very few bunches/plant (50ql/ha), harvested by hand with selection of grapes on selection table; Soft pressing of grapes, temp-controlled fermentation (30°C) & maceration (15 days), racking 2x/yr, slow continuous flow bottling in sterilized conditions; Aged 4 yrs, 3 of which are in 50-100hl Slavonian oak barrels, ff’d by 8 mos of bottle aging; 13.50% ABV & 5.30 g/L T.A.”
N: Closed; Vanilla/cherries with notes of earth, poss some spice?
P: LM body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker with fairly seamlessly morphs into a LONG, *poss* very, VERY slightly puckerish finish with HINTS of swtness to the dusty tannins. Approachable now with food (at least for acidophiles), NEEDS through '21, I'm guessing, then drinking through '25? My EXC-/EXC; 94 pts WA, 93+ Vinous (D’Agata), 93 ea Wine & Spirits and WE (5/1/18) @ $58, 92 ea WS & winealign.com (3/18/19), 91 Suckling, 91 (Brook) & 86 (Morris) of Decanter, + 16.5 & 14.5/20 Jancis Robinson! [This vendor's $41.95 is $3 < wine-searcher's lowest.]
Note: 1st tasted on 1/18/20, when it didn’t show quite as well as today.
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1/30/2020 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 94 Points
There is a lot to like about this medium red/garnet offering from La Gerla. Beautifully aromatic, it flaunts scents of lavender, chamomile, vanilla and rosemary, backed up with plenty of dried cherry and cranberry fruit. Medium-bodied, freshly acidic, softly oaked and with fully integrated alcohol (listed as 13.5%), it delivers flavors mirroring the nose and stays dense on the mid-palate. The tannins give this wine a nice backbone but they are silky-textured and unobtrusive. Closing with a lengthy, earth-laden finish, this is an impressive Brunello at a very attractive price. Enjoy it throughout the decade. Drink now-2030.
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1/18/2020 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [1 Rosé, 3 Whites, 8 Reds, & 6 *shared* bottles] from 01/17/20 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): “Sourced from hillside vyds @ 270-320 m elev with vines ave 25 yrs of age; Intense pruning, production limited to very few bunches/plant (50ql/ha), harvested by hand with selection of grapes on selection table; Soft pressing of grapes, temp-controlled fermentation (30°C) & maceration (15 days), racking 2x/yr, slow continuous flow bottling in sterilized conditions; Aged 4 yrs, 3 of which are in 50-100hl Slavonian oak barrels, ff’d by 8 mos of bottle aging; 13.50% ABV & 5.30 g/L T.A.”
N: VANILLA atop cherries with notes of spice? Intensity lurking?
P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by a surprising low amount (for this AOC & vintage) of astringent pucker which does, however, persist into & through the LONG, very, VERY slightly puckerish finish with a very, VERY slight bitterness & HINTS of swtness to the firming, very, VERY fine tannins. LESS voluptuous than other '13s I recollect having tasted from this DOCG™, & likely best for acidophiles. NEEDS through '21, then drinking into '25? My VG+/EXC-; 94 pts WA, 93+ Vinous (D’Agata), 93 ea Wine & Spirits and WE (5/1/18) @ $58, 92 ea WS & winealign.com (3/18/19), 91 Suckling, 91 (Brook) & 86 (Morris) of Decanter, + 16.5 & 14.5/20 Jancis Robinson! [This vendor's $41.95 is $3 < wine-searcher's lowest.]
™Reminds me of a Chianti-like take on Brunello, particularly when one factors in the "feel" of the acidity.
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1/1/2020 - Traxx wrote:
Drinking really nicely as of the moment, and a true crowd pleaser. I'd not hesitate opening more of these in the near term, despite aging potential.
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7/28/2019 - Jyuanng Likes this wine:
Lighter bodied than I anticipated. A bit tannic and a bit acidic still, until it opened up with time in the decanter. Can't wait to try this once it has aged a bit and mellowed. Good drinking now but glad I got some to keep!
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5/27/2019 - RussK wrote: 91 Points
Russk. Wine Spectator Grand Tour. Nice and light bodied. Feminine. Buy some if under 30 dollars.
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5/13/2019 - sjw_11 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Mid red, perhaps just a hint of brown. Gentle, unassertive but pure nose of red cherry, spice and a hint of undergrowth. Quite youthful in the mouth- lots of bright red fruits and good acidity. Finishes long and smooth with restrained fuzzy tannins. No rush to drink, but looks pretty smart right now.
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10/17/2018 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 93 Points
The 2013 La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino begins with inviting aromas of red fruits forest floor, spices, floral, leather and hints of balsam all taking shape. This medium-bodied red possesses a gorgeous velvety texture with excellent overall structure and balance, backed by lovely acidity which provides a fresh character through the long lingering finish. Overall this is an absolutely fantastic Brunello, which is showing wonderful freshness and vibrancy now, yet should age beautifully and continue to develop wonderful complexities over the course of the next decade.
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2/17/2018 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Benvenuto Brunello 2018, Montalcino centro; 2/16/2018-2/19/2018 (Montalcino): (Benvenuto Brunello, 2018, Montalcino) Quite good. Tawny brick red, clear. Nose opens with sweet cherry, soil, pomegranate, red apple, Tuscan dust/herbs. The entry shows some warmth, yet it's elegant in a chewy/dense-ish kind of way. There's good acidity throughout to keep this lively through the middle and finish. Good>vg length. 13,5% abv., great value; buy with confidence. Now thru 2034. recommended+
https://www.ItalianWine.blog
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