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All Wines from Ch. Lafite Rothschild
Our vintages of Ch. Lafite Rothschild wine currently include: 1929, 1977, 1980, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
Flickinger Fine Wines' inventory of Ch. Lafite Rothschild wine is listed below. We have an excellent and vast assortment of fine wines to choose from. If you do not see what you are looking for, give us a call and we can suggest another Ch. Lafite Rothschild vintage or even another producer that we are sure you will enjoy.
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Bts |
Qty |
| Ch. Lafite Rothschild |
1929 |
Pauillac  Chipped Wax Capsule; Lightly Bin-Soiled Label; Base Neck Fill; Recorked at Whitwhams UK in 1980 |
$2,499 |
1 |
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MB *** (12/1989): Variable. Not Lafite at its best. Only one really admiring note, a bottle in 1988, attractive forthcoming bouquet, sweet, very appealing flavour, somewhat acidic. Last tasted, an opulent over-the-top jeroboam, in 1989.
WA 59 (4/1991): In April 1991, I had the opportunity to taste (from a friend's cellar in Bordeaux) the 1929. The wine had been purchased in the thirties and kept in a cold Bordeaux cellar until this tasting. The wine was disappointing (faded and sickly). |
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1977 |
Pauillac (6X1.5L) OWC |
$6,600 |
2 |
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WS 87 (11/1991): Full of lively cranberry, raspberry and herb flavors, with smoky accents and very firm acidity. Very good wine from an unheralded vintage. Drink now through 2000.--Lafite Rothschild vertical.
MB * (9/1989): Could be a dashed sight worse. An effort at fragrance and flavour but dry, lean and tart. Not worth pursuing even out of curiosity. |
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1980 |
Pauillac CHIPPED GLASS |
$650 |
1 |
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MB ** (5/1996): The epitome of a light luncheon wine, indeed fulfilling precisely that purpose on the last six occasions in the mid-1990s, all from a case of magnums in my own cellar and consumed pleasantly at three successive boardroom luncheons (Christie's never thanked me) and three at home. Identical notes too: medium, touch of mahogany, mature; modestly fragrant bouquet opened up quite nicely, touch of iodine, light style, flavoury, refreshing. Hardly a '59 or '61, but a pleasant enough drink. (And one's guests are always impressed by the label!).
WS 86 (11/1991): A pleasant surprise. Caramel and butter aromas complement tart raspberry and cherry flavors of modest intensity. Fairly light, starting to mature. Drink now through 1995.--Lafite Rothschild vertical.
WA 83 (6/1987): A lightweight, agreeable wine from Lafite, the 1980 has a moderately intense aroma of cassis and fresh tobacco, and soft, charming flavors. A success for the vintage. Anticipated maturity: Now. |
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1988 |
Pauillac |
$800 |
2 |
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| WA 94 (10/1994): Broodingly backward and in need of considerable bottle age, the 1988 is a classic expression of Lafite. This deeply-colored wine exhibits the tell-tale Lafite bouquet of cedar, subtle herbs, dried pit fruits, minerals, and cassis. Extremely concentrated, with brilliantly focused flavors and huge tannins, this backward, yet impressively endowed Lafite-Rothschild may well turn out to be the wine of the vintage! Anticipated maturity: 2000-2035. |
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1990 |
Pauillac (12X750ML) OWC |
$10,900 |
1 |
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WS 95 (2/2005): Very serious fruit, with juicy berry, tobacco and cedar character. Slightly more body than the 1989, but they are very close in character. I would give this a little more time. '89/'90 Bordeaux non-blind horizontal. Best after 2007. 25,000 cases made.
WA 92 (2/1997): As I suspected, the 1989 and 1990 vintages of Lafite-Rothschild have gone dormant. Both wines were among the more closed, backward examples in my blind tasting. The 1990 is riper, richer, and more textured, but mouthsearing tannin and a closed personality make it hard to fully assess. The wine possesses excellent richness, a hint of the unmistakable Lafite perfume of minerals, cedar, lead pencil, and red fruits, medium to full body, moderate weight, admirable richness and overall balance, and a tough finish. Give it a decade of cellaring to shed some tannin and evolve; it may be a 40-50-year Lafite. As outstanding as I believe it will ultimately turn out to be, I do not think the 1990 Lafite will ever match the sheer class, quality, and complexity of the 1988, 1986, and 1982. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2035. |
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1992 |
Pauillac |
$595 |
1 |
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| WA 89 (12/1994): In 1992 only 36% of the harvest was utilized, resulting in a deeply-colored wine with a nearly exceptional cedary, chocolatey, cassis-character, medium body, surprisingly concentrated flavors, as well as the classic Lafite aromatic profile. If discounted, readers should take the opportunity to experience Lafite's finesse in a softer, more precocious vintage. The 1992 Lafite should drink well in 2-3 years and last for 12-20. |
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1995 |
Pauillac |
$699 |
7 |
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| WA 95 (2/1998): The 1995 Lafite-Rothschild (only one-third of the harvest made it into the final blend) is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet Franc. The wine was showing spectacularly well when I tasted it in November, 1997. It |
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1997 |
Pauillac Slightly Nicked Label |
$599 |
1 |
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WA 92 (4/2000): Only 26% of the crop made it into the final blend, resulting in only 15,000 cases of the 1997 Lafite-Rothschild. Readers should not ignore this wine because of the negative press surrounding the 1997 vintage. It boasts an opaque dense purple color in addition to a gorgeously sweet, expansive perfume of cedar wood, black currants, lead pencil, and minerals. What follows is a fat mid-palate, medium body, explosive fruit and richness, soft tannin, and a velvety texture. It is a beautiful, compelling Lafite-Rothschild that can be drunk young, yet promises to evolve for 15+ years. Although one of the most forward Lafites ever tasted, it is all the more captivating because of this characteristic. Don't miss it!
WS 90 (1/2000): Wonderfully complex on the nose, with licorice, spice, berry and tobacco character. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a delicious finish. Drink now through 2005. |
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1998 |
Pauillac |
$749 |
1 |
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WA 98 (4/2001): A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, this wine represents only 34% of Lafite's total harvest. In a less than perfect Medoc vintage, it has been spectacular since birth, putting on more weight and flesh over the last year. This opaque purple-colored 1998 is close to perfection. The spectacular nose of lead pencil, smoky, mineral, and black currant fruit soars majestically from the glass. The wine is elegant yet profoundly rich, revealing the essence of Lafite's character. The tannin is sweet, and the wine is spectacularly layered yet never heavy. The finish is sweet, super-rich, yet impeccably balanced and long (50+ seconds). Anticipated maturity: 2007-2035.
IWC 94+ (6/2001): Saturated bright ruby. Noble aromas of blackcurrant, cedar, lead pencil, licorice and nutty oak. Very intensely flavored and penetrating, with great class and grip. Impressively concentrated and juicy, but still rather imploded in the middle palate. This showed terrific subtle sweetness as it opened in the glass. Offers quintessential Lafite elegance as well as the strong backbone to support long aging. The finish features firm but ripe tannins and uncanny persistence of flavor. A candidate for the Medoc wine of the vintage.
WS 93 (1/2001): Beautifully proportioned. Aromas of blackberry and spice, with a hint of toasted oak. Full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and a long finish. Very well done. Best of the Médoc first-growths. Best after 2008. 21,665 cases made. |
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1998 |
Pauillac Very Lightly Nicked Label |
$725 |
1 |
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WA 98 (4/2001): A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, this wine represents only 34% of Lafite's total harvest. In a less than perfect Medoc vintage, it has been spectacular since birth, putting on more weight and flesh over the last year. This opaque purple-colored 1998 is close to perfection. The spectacular nose of lead pencil, smoky, mineral, and black currant fruit soars majestically from the glass. The wine is elegant yet profoundly rich, revealing the essence of Lafite's character. The tannin is sweet, and the wine is spectacularly layered yet never heavy. The finish is sweet, super-rich, yet impeccably balanced and long (50+ seconds). Anticipated maturity: 2007-2035.
IWC 94+ (6/2001): Saturated bright ruby. Noble aromas of blackcurrant, cedar, lead pencil, licorice and nutty oak. Very intensely flavored and penetrating, with great class and grip. Impressively concentrated and juicy, but still rather imploded in the middle palate. This showed terrific subtle sweetness as it opened in the glass. Offers quintessential Lafite elegance as well as the strong backbone to support long aging. The finish features firm but ripe tannins and uncanny persistence of flavor. A candidate for the Medoc wine of the vintage.
WS 93 (1/2001): Beautifully proportioned. Aromas of blackberry and spice, with a hint of toasted oak. Full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and a long finish. Very well done. Best of the Médoc first-growths. Best after 2008. 21,665 cases made. |
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1999 |
Pauillac |
$719 |
8 |
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WA 95 (4/2002): The 1999 Lafite Rothschild sports an engraved "1999" on the bottle along with an eclipse to mark that significant historical event of August, 1999. It is a quintessential offering from Lafite Rothschild. This prodigious wine is both elegant and intensely flavored, and almost diaphanous in its layers that unfold with no heaviness. An opaque ruby/purple color is accompanied by a complex bouquet of lead pencil, graphite, cedar, creme de cassis, toast, and vanilla. It is medium-bodied, with extravagant layers of richness yet little weight, and a finish that is all sweetness, ripeness, and harmony. This extraordinary Lafite increasingly appears to be a modern day clone of the majestic 1953. A mere one-third of the crop made it into the grand vin! Anticipated maturity: 2007-2030.
WS 94 (12/2009): Delivers wonderful dark chocolate, with raspberry and currant undertones. Full-bodied, featuring soft, silky tannins and a long finish. Very tight still. Needs time. Very layered and holding back. --'89/'99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Best after 2012. 22,500 cases made.
IWC 92 (6/2002): Bright, deep ruby-red. Ripe, deep aromas of currant, flowers, coconut and mint. Firm and tight, with excellent cut and precision; brisk flavors of
bitter cherry, berry skin and minerals. A slightly dry-edged midweight that's best today on the long, slow-building finish. Shows an intriguing late note of faded rose. |
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1999 |
Pauillac |
$750 |
2 |
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WA 95 (4/2002): The 1999 Lafite Rothschild sports an engraved "1999" on the bottle along with an eclipse to mark that significant historical event of August, 1999. It is a quintessential offering from Lafite Rothschild. This prodigious wine is both elegant and intensely flavored, and almost diaphanous in its layers that unfold with no heaviness. An opaque ruby/purple color is accompanied by a complex bouquet of lead pencil, graphite, cedar, creme de cassis, toast, and vanilla. It is medium-bodied, with extravagant layers of richness yet little weight, and a finish that is all sweetness, ripeness, and harmony. This extraordinary Lafite increasingly appears to be a modern day clone of the majestic 1953. A mere one-third of the crop made it into the grand vin! Anticipated maturity: 2007-2030.
WS 94 (12/2009): Delivers wonderful dark chocolate, with raspberry and currant undertones. Full-bodied, featuring soft, silky tannins and a long finish. Very tight still. Needs time. Very layered and holding back. --'89/'99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Best after 2012. 22,500 cases made.
IWC 92 (6/2002): Bright, deep ruby-red. Ripe, deep aromas of currant, flowers, coconut and mint. Firm and tight, with excellent cut and precision; brisk flavors of
bitter cherry, berry skin and minerals. A slightly dry-edged midweight that's best today on the long, slow-building finish. Shows an intriguing late note of faded rose. |
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1999 |
Pauillac |
$899 |
3 |
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WA 95 (4/2002): The 1999 Lafite Rothschild sports an engraved "1999" on the bottle along with an eclipse to mark that significant historical event of August, 1999. It is a quintessential offering from Lafite Rothschild. This prodigious wine is both elegant and intensely flavored, and almost diaphanous in its layers that unfold with no heaviness. An opaque ruby/purple color is accompanied by a complex bouquet of lead pencil, graphite, cedar, creme de cassis, toast, and vanilla. It is medium-bodied, with extravagant layers of richness yet little weight, and a finish that is all sweetness, ripeness, and harmony. This extraordinary Lafite increasingly appears to be a modern day clone of the majestic 1953. A mere one-third of the crop made it into the grand vin! Anticipated maturity: 2007-2030.
WS 94 (12/2009): Delivers wonderful dark chocolate, with raspberry and currant undertones. Full-bodied, featuring soft, silky tannins and a long finish. Very tight still. Needs time. Very layered and holding back. --'89/'99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Best after 2012. 22,500 cases made.
IWC 92 (6/2002): Bright, deep ruby-red. Ripe, deep aromas of currant, flowers, coconut and mint. Firm and tight, with excellent cut and precision; brisk flavors of
bitter cherry, berry skin and minerals. A slightly dry-edged midweight that's best today on the long, slow-building finish. Shows an intriguing late note of faded rose. |
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2002 |
Pauillac |
$875 |
7 |
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| WA 94 (4/2005): A brilliant offering and a candidate for wine of the vintage, this is classic Lafite that reminded me somewhat of the 1976, although the vintage conditions were completely different. This is a medium-weight, quintessentially elegant style of Lafite with notes of lead pencil shavings/graphite along with black currants, plums, and crushed rocks/mineral. Wonderfully pure, dense, with a deep ruby/purple color and loads of fruit, definition, and a long finish, this is a brilliant, elegant Lafite Rothschild that builds incrementally in the mouth and has more power and density than it initially seems. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025. |
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2002 |
Pauillac Slight Signs of Old Seepage |
$650 |
1 |
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| WA 94 (4/2005): A brilliant offering and a candidate for wine of the vintage, this is classic Lafite that reminded me somewhat of the 1976, although the vintage conditions were completely different. This is a medium-weight, quintessentially elegant style of Lafite with notes of lead pencil shavings/graphite along with black currants, plums, and crushed rocks/mineral. Wonderfully pure, dense, with a deep ruby/purple color and loads of fruit, definition, and a long finish, this is a brilliant, elegant Lafite Rothschild that builds incrementally in the mouth and has more power and density than it initially seems. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025. |
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2002 |
Pauillac (1.5 L) Very Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$1,250 |
1 |
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| WA 94 (4/2005): A brilliant offering and a candidate for wine of the vintage, this is classic Lafite that reminded me somewhat of the 1976, although the vintage conditions were completely different. This is a medium-weight, quintessentially elegant style of Lafite with notes of lead pencil shavings/graphite along with black currants, plums, and crushed rocks/mineral. Wonderfully pure, dense, with a deep ruby/purple color and loads of fruit, definition, and a long finish, this is a brilliant, elegant Lafite Rothschild that builds incrementally in the mouth and has more power and density than it initially seems. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025. |
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2003 |
Pauillac |
$975 |
13 |
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WA 100 (4/2006): A modern day version of the 1959 Lafite, the 2003 Lafite Rothschild was bottled in mid-May, 2005 after achieving 12.9% natural alcohol - hardly an astonishing figure given the vintage’s weather conditions. A combination of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, it represents a ripe version of the essence of Lafite-Rothschild. Dense purple-colored, with classic notes of graphite intertwined with melted licorice, creme de cassis, smoke, and flowers, it reveals extraordinary richness, opulence, power, purity, intensity, and viscosity. Whether this wine will close down or not is questionable as it is somewhat atypical given its sweetness and softness. Analytically, there are extremely high tannins, which I suspect will assert themselves in the future. Production in 2003 was less than half of normal. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2050.
WS 96 (3/2006): Subtle, complex aromas of berries, licorice and currants. Full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and a long finish. Very well-integrated wine. Lovely stuff. Wonderful length and finesse. Best after 2012. 20,000 cases made.
IWC 93-97 (6/2004): Bright ruby-red. Blueberry, licorice, fresh herbs, flowers and a whiff of coconut on the rather medicinal nose. Sweet, dense and pure, with superb inner-mouth energy, especially for a wine so ripe. But this is also wonderfully round and atypically lush, without any rough edges. Expressive flavors of redcurrant, minerals and tobacco. Broadens out impressively toward the back and finishes with an explosion of fruits and dark chocolate. Hard to assess today with confidence (and I may well be underrating this wine): does this have the classic Lafite grip under the impressive baby fat? |
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2004 |
Pauillac |
$925 |
10 |
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WA 95 (6/2007): This beautiful, stunningly dense purple-colored effort (includes about 90% Cabernet Sauvignon) offers up precise notes of graphite, black cherries, cassis, scorched earth, and minerals. Medium to full-bodied with fabulous fruit, impressive richness, refreshing acidity, and sweet tannin, this beauty should be approachable in 4-5 years, and last for three decades. As Lafite Rothschilds go, this is somewhat of a sleeper vintage.
IWC 93 (6/2007): Medium ruby-red. Scented nose offers plum, mocha, licorice, graphite, flowers and tobacco. Suave, silky and fine-grained, with lovely inner-mouth aromatic character and energy. Perfumed flavors of redcurrant, minerals and cedar. Finishes very long and firm, with terrific grip for this mostly gentle vintage.
WS 93 (3/2007): Intense aromas of currant, coffee, toasty oak and sweet tobacco follow through to a full-bodied palate, with velvety tannins, great mouthfeel and a long finish. A refined Lafite. Best after 2012. 22,080 cases made. |
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2005 |
Pauillac |
$1,300 |
4 |
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WS 98 (3/2008): Delivers blackberry, dried porcini, tobacco and licorice aromas. Full-bodied, with layers of velvety tannins and loads of dark chocolate, cigar box, currant, berry and mineral. The finish is long, with a coffee, almost meaty, aftertaste. Very beautiful and balanced. Best after 2013.
IWC 97 (6/2008): Bright medium ruby. Knockout nose combines black- and redcurrant, minerals, graphite, licorice and lavender. Wonderfully suave and seamless, but with great purity and precision of flavor and terrific inner-palate perfume and lift. This dances over every square millimeter of the palate. Almost painfully young today, with an impression of fresh acidity serving to intensify the wine's flavors. About as austere a wine as I tasted from this vintage in April and yet it's not hard. Finishes with substantial dusty tannins and a whiplash of minerally perfume. I'd forget about this one for about 15 years.
WA 96+ (4/2008): While the 2005 is another brilliantly classic Lafite Rothschild, for my taste, it comes in slightly behind their extraordinarily opulent 2003 as well as the dramatically powerful 2000. A blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Merlot, the 2005 boasts a dark ruby/purple color in addition to that exceptional Lafite perfume of graphite, spring flowers, crushed rocks, and sweet black cherry and black currant fruit that exudes class and nobility. The wine is medium-bodied with extremely high levels of tannin in addition to sensational purity, length, and overall harmony. However, it is exceptionally backward, and even more tannic than either the 1995 or 1996. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050+ |
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2005 |
Pauillac Scuffed Label |
$1,300 |
1 |
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WS 98 (3/2008): Delivers blackberry, dried porcini, tobacco and licorice aromas. Full-bodied, with layers of velvety tannins and loads of dark chocolate, cigar box, currant, berry and mineral. The finish is long, with a coffee, almost meaty, aftertaste. Very beautiful and balanced. Best after 2013.
IWC 97 (6/2008): Bright medium ruby. Knockout nose combines black- and redcurrant, minerals, graphite, licorice and lavender. Wonderfully suave and seamless, but with great purity and precision of flavor and terrific inner-palate perfume and lift. This dances over every square millimeter of the palate. Almost painfully young today, with an impression of fresh acidity serving to intensify the wine's flavors. About as austere a wine as I tasted from this vintage in April and yet it's not hard. Finishes with substantial dusty tannins and a whiplash of minerally perfume. I'd forget about this one for about 15 years.
WA 96+ (4/2008): While the 2005 is another brilliantly classic Lafite Rothschild, for my taste, it comes in slightly behind their extraordinarily opulent 2003 as well as the dramatically powerful 2000. A blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Merlot, the 2005 boasts a dark ruby/purple color in addition to that exceptional Lafite perfume of graphite, spring flowers, crushed rocks, and sweet black cherry and black currant fruit that exudes class and nobility. The wine is medium-bodied with extremely high levels of tannin in addition to sensational purity, length, and overall harmony. However, it is exceptionally backward, and even more tannic than either the 1995 or 1996. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050+ |
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