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Portugal Flashcards

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1
Q

Portugal

A

Portugal

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2
Q

Portugal winemaking history

A

Tagus and Sado valleys 2,000 BCE

Alliance with England - major wine supplier

19th and 20th century

  • Portugese Civil War
  • Phylloxera
  • Cooperatives were given preferential rights
  • Badly equipped and run - high volumes of poor wines
  • Mateus Rose, Lancers Rose (40% of exports)

Democracy and EU

  • cease of trade restrictions
  • low-interest loans - encouragement of investment
  • no more government protection for cooperatives
  • modernization
  • research programmes
  • pulling up high-producing vineyards replacing with higher quality material and sites
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3
Q

Portugal growing environment

topography and soil

A

Rolling hills and plains

Soils

  • significant variations
  • Mountain regions - schist and granite
  • South - more variation - clay, limestone, sand
  • fertile alluvial soils around riverbanks (Tejo)
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4
Q

Portugal climate

A

Strongly infuenced by Atlantic (cool rainy weather)

More continetal climate inland

  • protection of mountain ranges
  • warmer, drier, south

Hazards

  • drought (especially inland)
  • extreme weather events - hail, storms, wildfires
  • Wet weather in coastal regions - fungal diseases
  • Esca and European grapevine moth
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5
Q

Portugal viticulture

A

Majority pruned and trained

  • cordon or replacement-cane and VSP trellised
  • significant number of old bush vines (Duoro, Alentejo)
  • mixed vineyards, producing ‘field blends’

Irrigation allowed

  • most do not need to apply for authorization
  • Generally only if lack of water lowers quality
  • cannot be used for boosting yield

Low proportion of certified organic vinayards
- some practise organic but do not certify

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6
Q

Grape varieties in Portugal

A

Growing tendency to return to local varieties
Majority of wines are blends

Aragonez/Tinta Roriz
Touriga Franca
Touriga Nacional
Fernão Pires/Maria Gomes (white)
Castelão
Trincadeira
Baga
Loureiro (white)
Arinto/Pedemã (white)
Syrah
Roupeiro
Alicante Bouschet
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7
Q

Regions which do not allow international varieties in Portugal

A

Douro

Dao

Vinho Verde

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8
Q

Regions relying on international varieties as part of their export strategy

A

Alentejo

Lisboa

Tejo

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9
Q

Portugal winemaking

A

Mostly blends

Admission to EU started large modernization

  • protective techniques
  • temperature control, de-stemming
  • French oak (primary type of oak)

Traditional techniques

  • large Portugese oak (3,000-6,000l) and Brazilian hardwood toneis
  • more restrained use of oak and larger format
  • new foudres (around 2,000-2,500L)
  • chestnut barrels

Lagares - regularly practised

Fermenting wine in clay vessels

Pre-fermentation skin contact for Portugese whites
- growth in natural wines

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10
Q

Primary oak used in Portugal

A

French

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11
Q

size of foudre

A

between 2,000 ad 2,500 litres

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12
Q

Portugese wine law

A

as member of EU follows PDO and PGI system

DOC/DOP (denominação de origem controlada/protegida)

  • 31 DOCs
  • each its own regulations om growing, winemaking
  • all wines must be officially tested, tasted and approved

VR (Vinho Regional)

  • PGI wines
  • 14 VRs
  • often permit international varieties

Vinho
- no PGI or PDO status

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13
Q

Wine business in Portugal general

A

Grape growing represents 35% of total national agricultural output (highest in the world)

Land of small holdings

  • in the past most growers were selling to negociants
  • Sogrape - largest in Portugal
  • increasing number of growers produce their own wine (Quinta/Herdade)

Trend of small winemakers who do not own land who select vineyards from where they source their grapes

9th largest export producer

  • steady growth in volume and value of unfortified wine
  • France, Angola, Germany, UK

Promotional body Wines of Portugal

Significant raise in tourism and growth in average income

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14
Q

Portugese name for estate wine

A

Quinta or Herdade

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15
Q

Portugese wine regions

A 
Vinho Verde
Douro
Dão
Bairrada
Alentejo
 \+ Vinho de Talha DOC
Lisboa
 - Alenquer DOC
 - Bucelas DOC
 - Arinto DOC
 - Colares DOC
Peninsula de Setubal
 - Palmela DOC
 - Setubal DOC
Tejo DOC / VR
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16
Q

Vinho Verde

topography

A 
River Minho (west) and Douro (south)
Mountains of Peneda-Gerês National Park (east)

Mostly granitic bedrock with shallow topsoil of granite and sandy texture - good drainage

  • low fertility
  • fertilizers commonly used
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17
Q

PGI region (VR) for Vinho Verde

A

Minho

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18
Q

Vinho Verde

climate and viticulture

A

Moderate maritime climate

  • Atlantic coast
  • network of rivers funnelling Atlantic winds inland
  • land gradually raises inland (soils become poorer)
  • inland more continental (warmer, drier)
  • high rainfall (1.500mm)
  • marked vintage variation

Fungal disease problems

  • rot, mildew
  • vines are usually trained high (even up the trees)
  • single or double Guyot with VSP or Lyre
  • importance of summer pruning techniques
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19
Q

Vinho Verde grape varieties

A

Large change from red to white dominated

Loureiro
Pedernã
Alvarinho
Avesso
Trajadura
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20
Q

Loureiro

A

Loureira in Spain

Mostly grown by the coast (Vinho Verde)

Mid ripening

Med+ acidity, citrus, pear, floral, herbal notes

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21
Q

Pedernã

A

Local name for Arinto in Vinho Verde

mid ripening, relatively productive

Less aromatic, subtle citrus and apple and high acidity

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22
Q

Alvarinho

A

(Albarino in Spain)

Citrus, peach, sometimes tropical flavours

Med+ body, med+ to high acidity

Admitted as named grape variety on the label since 2016

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23
Q

Avesso

A

late ripening (can fail to ripen unless very warm and dry)

Lower in acidity, relatively full bodied

Citrus and stone fruit

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24
Q

Trajadura

A

(Treixadura in Rias Baixas Spain)

low in acidity with apple and peach flavours

Usually blended with more acidic varieries

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25
Q

Winemaking in Vinho Verde

A

Inexpensive wines

  • protective winemaking
  • cool fermentation
  • bottled fast after release
  • carbon dioxide often added to give light spritz
  • low alcohol, high acidity, apple, citrus, peach
  • some may have residual sugar

Higher priced wines

  • Mostly old oak for ferment and/or maturation
  • may age on lees
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26
Q

Vinho Verde legal requirements

A

Name of sub-region may appear on the label

Min alcohol 9.5%
- (8.5% without sub-region)

Monção and Melgaço

  • only sub-regions able to label single varietal Alvarinho
  • other regions must declassify to Minho VR to label single varietal Alvarinho
  • other regions can label Alvarinho (min 30% of blend) along other varieties of the blend
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27
Q

Single varietal Alvarinho from Monção and Melgaço

requirement

A

lower max yield than rest of Vinho Verde

Min alcohol 11.5%

Only Monção and Melgaço sub-regions can name Alvarinho on their labels as single variety

  • other regions must declassify to Minho VR to label single varietal Alvarinho
  • other regions can label Alvarinho (min 30% of blend) along other varieties of the blend
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28
Q

Wine business in Vinho Verde

  • Producers
  • export
  • market composition
A

Very fragmented - many growers
- most deliver to coops or merchants

Producers - Anselmo Mendes and Quinta de Soalheiro

Gradually growing export 40%
- Germany, USA

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29
Q

Douro

- DOC for fortified and unfortified wines

A

Porto DOC - fortified

Douro DOC - unfortified

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30
Q

Fernando Nicolau de Almeida

- first Douro red wine

A

Used to work at Ferreira Port

After visit at Bordeaux pioneered first vintage of Barca Velha 1952

  • cooling fermentation with ice
  • experimentation with fermentations of still wines
  • Settled on Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo)
  • now super-premium priced wine

Douro DOC established in 1982

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31
Q

Douro climate

(also in consideration of sub-regions)

+ soil

A

Follows Douro river
- number of aspects and microclimates

Serra do Marão (west)

  • shielding from Atlantic
  • warm continental climate

3 sub-regions

  • Baixo Corgo - coolest, wettest
  • Cima Corgo - warmer, drier
  • Douro Superior - hot and arid

Schist bedrock, Low organic matter and stony texture

  • stores little water
  • splits into vertical layers - roots can spread through
  • hillsides are not set for irrigation (irrigation is allowed but grower must notify it)
32
Q

Sub-regions of Douro DOC

A
  • Baixo Corgo - coolest, wettest
  • Cima Corgo - warmer, drier
  • Douro Superior - hot and arid (not so planted)
33
Q

Irrigation in Douro

A

Most vineyards are not set with irrigation systems

since 2019 irrigation is allowed when hydric stress jeopardises quality and vineyard in located in authorised area.

Producer needs to notify it

34
Q

Douro grape varieties

A

Usually blends
Similar to Port production

Touriga Nacional
Touriga Franca
Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo)
Tinta Barroca
Tinta Cão
Sousão
Viosinho
Rabigato
Gouveio
Moscatel Galego Branco (Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains)
35
Q

Vineyard layouts in Douro

A

Steep slopes (often over 30%)

Socalcos

  • Traditional (UNESCO protected)
  • narrow terraces, supported by walls of dry rock
  • 6.000 vines per ha
  • not suitable for mechanization (+ maintanance)
  • cannot be converted to other layouts

Patamares

  • terraces supported by steep earth ramp
  • Small tractors are able to run up and down the slopes
  • cheaper to implement and maintain
  • erosion and weeds
  • low planting densities (up to 3.500 vines per ha)
  • ramps take a lot of space
    1. Large, wide - supporting 2 vine rows
      • efficient use of land, uneven ripeness
    1. Narrow - one row of vine tilted towards the slope
      • improved water absorption and drainage, less erosion

Vinha ao Alto

  • vertical rows up the slopes
  • least expensive option
  • relatively high density (5.000 vines per ha)
  • above 40% mechanization cannot be used
  • water run-off, erosion
  • not very used
  • cover crops may be used (erosion)
36
Q

Socalcos - Vineyard layout

A
  • Traditional (UNESCO protected)
  • narrow terraces, supported by walls of dry rock
  • 6.000 vines per ha
  • not suitable for mechanization (+ maintanance)
  • cannot be converted to other layouts
37
Q

Patamares - Vineyard layout

A
  • terraces supported by steep earth ramp
  • Small tractors are able to run up and down the slopes
  • cheaper to implement and maintain
  • erosion and weeds
  • low planting densities (up to 3.500 vines per ha)
  • ramps take a lot of space
  • currently the prefered system

2 kinds:
Large, wide - supporting 2 vine rows
- efficient use of land, uneven ripeness

Narrow - one row of vine tilted towards the slope

  • improved water absorption and drainage
  • less erosion
38
Q

Vinha ao Alto - Vineyard layout

A
  • vertical rows up the slopes
  • least expensive option
  • relatively high density (5.000 vines per ha)
  • above 40% mechanization cannot be used
  • water run-off, erosion
  • not very used
  • cover crops may be used (erosion)
39
Q

Vineyard management in Douro (except layouts)

A

Cordon-trained and spur-pruned
or
Head-trained and cane-pruned
- VSP trellised

Summer pruning

  • leaf removal
  • rootstocks tolerant to drought
  • 110R and 1103P (hybrids of rupestris and berlandieri)
40
Q

Douro

when replanting the focus is on:

A

Increasing vine density

vineyard layouts that allow mechanization

best planting material (grape variety, rootstock etc.)

41
Q

Douro viti hazards

A

Late spring frost in high altitude vineyards

Wet weather during early summer

Downy mildew and botrytis bunch rot
- canopy management, fungicides

Fertilizers may be necessary
Herbicides may be used

Lack of labour for harvest

42
Q

Touriga Franca

A

late ripening
- suitable on warmest sites (low altitude, south facing)

Tight bunches of thick-skinned grapes
- relative resistance to fungal diseases

Can be vigorous

  • needs to be managed
  • summer pruning

Retains acidity well

Contributes colour, tannins and acidity
Juicy red and black fruit, floral aroma

Medium body, med alcohol

43
Q

Touriga Nacional

A

Mid-ripening

Thick-skinned grapes

  • deep colour
  • high tannins

Retains acidity well

Can suffer from excessive vigour - needs to be managed

Susceptible to coulure

Concentrated flavours, high level of colour and tannins

  • black fruit and floral - rose, violet, orange blossom
  • long ageing potential
  • often premium wines
44
Q

Tinta Roriz

A

(Tempranillo in Spain, Aragonez elsewhere in Portugal)

early ripening

  • best grown on relatively cool sites
  • can suffer from water stress

Contributes body, colour to the blend

Capable of high yields, but has to be limited

45
Q

Tinta Barroca

A

Early ripening
- best planted on cool sites (high altitude, north facing)

Prone to heat damage and grape shrivelling

Unless on cool sites - can lack acidity

Tends to be earthy
Colour tends to fade quickly

Capable of high yields

46
Q

Tinta Cão

A

Ripens late

Low yielding, very drought tolerant

  • concentrated wines with high acidity
  • capable to age well

Small thick-skinned berries
- resistant to fungal diseases

47
Q

Sousão

A

Thick-skinned berries

  • deep colour
  • ability to retain high acidity

brings in freshness to the blend

48
Q

Portugese term for old vines

A

Vinha velha

49
Q

Grape varieties for white wine in Douro and their characters

A

Viosinho

  • full bodied, floral, stone fruit
  • can lack acidity

Rabigato
- high acidity, citrus, floral

Gouveio (Godello)
- medium+ acidity, citrus, stone fruit

Moscatel Galego Branco (Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains)

  • enhances intensity of aroma in blend
  • planted on coolest sites
50
Q

Douro DOC winemaking

A

still red, rose or white, also sparkling wine

red over 75%

Often blend of sites to work with vintage variations

Sometimes field blend of old vine fruit (vinhas velhas)

  • all Port houses make dry wine
  • best: Prats & Symington, Quinta do Vale Meão

Usually destemmed (additional tannin rarely needed)

Stainless with temp control

  • relatively cool for reds 24-28 degrees
  • tannin control
  • some producers still use lagares (or may start ferment there)
  • easier to control extraction level than in tank

Post-ferment maceration for premium wine (soften tannin)

  • typically large oak vessel
  • Portugese oak, barriques, French oak prefered
  • less new oak preference and large oak comeback

Premium whites tend to be afed in oak (new or old)

51
Q

Wine business Douro DOC

A

Port 60% of production

23 cooperatives (inexpensive wines)

Beneficio controls prices and volumes of Port

  • does not touch Douro wines
  • prices are influence by the market

Price of grapes for Douro DOC are below Porto DOC
- in years of surplus prices drop even further (often below production costs)

Domestic market 63% of sales

52
Q

Dão DOC declassified wines

A

VR Terras do Dão

53
Q

Dão DOC

climate

Soils and hazards

A

surrounded by mountains

  • protecting from cool maritime weather (west)
  • protected from arid conditions (east, south)

Mediterranean climate

  • warm, dry summers, mild winters
  • relatively high rainfall 1600mm (autumn, winter)

Number of hills, valleys, mountain ranges

  • varied altitude and aspects (400-500m)
  • pine and eucalyptus forests

Only 5% planted with vines

Weathered granite with sandy or loamy textrue

  • low nutrients
  • free draining
  • constaining vigour
  • water stress can be problem

Hail during summer, spring frosts below mountains

54
Q

Dão DOC Grape varieties and winemaking

A

around 80% red wine

Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Jaen, Alfrocheiro

  • often blended
  • often less full bodied than Douro
  • Jean sometimes carbonic
  • ageing in oak is common (new is typical)
  • good to outstanding

Encruzado

  • key variety for white wines
  • medium (medium+) acidity, can be full bodied, lemon, peach, flora
  • neutral ferment or oak and maturation in oak
  • sometimes lees stirring
  • capable of ageing well

Other white varieries:

  • Malvasia Fina
  • Bical
  • Cercial
55
Q

Jaen

A

Mencia in Spain
(grown in Dão)

moderate acidity, raspberry, blackberry

Sometimes made by carbonic maceration

56
Q

Wine business in Dão

A

area of small vineyard holdings

Cooperative Sogrape led the way in producing higher quality wines in all price points

Growing number of quality minded producers
- Vinha Paz, Quinta da Pellada

Only 15-20% exported

57
Q

Bairrada

climate and soils

viticulture

A

Maritime climate
- generous rainfall 800-1200mm

Fertile alluvial soils in west

Limestone-clay slopes in south

High trained individually staked bush vines
- recent plantings are trellised (Guyot)

58
Q

Baga

A

Black grape variety dominating Bairrada region

High acidity and tannins, medium body
Cranberry, plum

Can be astringent when young, but softer and more complex with bottle ageing.

Base for Mateus Rose (previously used for high yields)

Late ripening and productive
 - careful site selection to ensure full ripeness
 - best on limestone-clay
 - optimum water
 - photosynthesis can stop in drought
 - limestone reflects light to vines
 - green harvesting may be carried
   (fruit can go to sparkling wine production)

Traditionally fermented on stems

  • long ageing required
  • now wines are de-stemmed
59
Q

Other red grape varieties in Bairrada

A

Mainly Baga (some are blends of Baga)

Touriga Nacional
Alfrocheiro
Jaen
Camarate
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
60
Q

Baga classico requirements

A

min 50% Baga

min 85% of any blend Baga, Alfrocheiro, Touriga Nacional, Jaen, Camarate

61
Q

White wines in Bairrada

+ descriptions of varieties

A

Maria Gomes (Fernao Pires in other parts of Portugal)

  • early ripening
  • Can produce high yields
  • Citrus, floral aroma
  • looses acidity fast (otherwide med+)

Bical

  • early ripening, peach, tropical
  • looses acidity fast (otherwide med+)

Arinto and Cercial

  • apple and citrus
  • may be used to blend in for acidity

Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay

62
Q

Maria Gomes

A

The most planted white grape in Portugal

early ripening

Can produce high yields

Citrus, floral aroma

  • looses acidity fast (otherwise med+)
63
Q

Leading region for production of sparkling wine

A

Bairrada

64
Q

Wine business in Bairrada

A

Cooperatives and merchants are common

Baga Friends
- high quality wines organization for Baga grape

65
Q

Alentejo DOC

climate

Soils

Training system

A

Algarve mountains to the south
8 sub-regions

Mediterranean climate

  • 500-800mm of rain
  • irrigation widely used

Plains and gentle slopes, mountains in north, south and east

Wide range of soils
- granite, schist, limestone with varying texture

Mostly double cordon with VSP

One of most sparsely populated areas in Portugal

66
Q

DOC for aphorae fermented wines in Alentejo

A

Vinho de Talha DOC

Talha = amphora

67
Q

Alentejo’s most famous sub-region

A

Portalegre

  • less hot and dry
  • over 800m high
  • fresher, higher acidities
  • small, orchard like vineyards
  • significant number of old field blend vineyards
68
Q

Alentejo grape varieties and winemaking

A

Mostly blends (75% red)

Aragonez (Tinta Roriz, Tempranillo)
Alicante Bouschet
Tricadeira
Touriga Nacional
Syrah
Cabernet Sauvignon
Petit Verdot
Roupeiro
Antão Vaz
Arinto (Pedernã in Vinho Verde)
Chardonnay 
Viognier
Alvarinho
69
Q

Producers in Alentejo

A

Cartuxa and Mouchão

70
Q

Alentejo wine business

A

37% domestic sales
20% of total Portugese export

Area of large holdings

  • well suited to cost-effective, high-volume mechanized viti
  • relatively young vineyards

Strongly focused on Tourism

  • cellar doors
  • proximity to Lisbon
  • often producing range of other products (ham, olive oil)
71
Q

Lisboa

Climate and topology

A

Serra de Montejunto splits the region into two areas

  • west influenced by Atlantic
    • wet and windy, clay-limestone soils (lighter styles)
  • east more protected, riper fuller wines
72
Q

Lisboa region smaller DOCs

A

Alenquer DOC

  • eastern side of mountains
  • Full bodied Touriga Nacional and Aragonez

Boucelas DOC

  • eastern side of mountains
  • high acid wines from Arinto (must be min 75% Arinto)

Colares DOC

  • coastal region
  • cool, foggy, ungrafted old bush vines
  • Phylloxera free sandy soils
  • atracting producers to make fresh, high acid red and whites from local grapes
73
Q

Lisboa Wine business

+ producers

A

Most of the production comes from Lisboa VR
- ‘Lisboa’ is more recognisable term than names of the sub-regions

Significant proportion of wine sold without GI

Producers: Quinta de Chocapalha, Quinta do Monte d’Oiro

74
Q

Península de Setúbal

A

Mediterranean climate

Mountains in south provide cooling influence
- clay-limestone soils

Mostly flat, sandy, clay and schist more inland

2 DOCs
Palmela DOC
- mainly red wines
- must be min 67% Castelão (also known as Periquita)
- deep, full bodied, red berry fruit, often oaked
- ageworthy on sand, light on limestone
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah

Setúbal DOC
- sweet fortified wines from Moscatel

Península de Setúbal VR
- allows more flexibility

Producers: Jose Maria da Fonseca, Bacalhoa Vinhos\

75
Q

Tejo

A

After Tejo river

In the past production was focused on volume

  • fertile riverbanks - high yields
  • New plantings on of higher quality grapes (after pull-up scheme)

Mediterranean climate
- wet winters 750mm

Large range of local and international varieties

Producers: Quinta da Alorna, Fuiza & Bright

WSET 4 (32 decks)

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