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Le Grand Courtâge What is the difference between sparkling wine and Champagne?

May 9, 2023

A question that we are often asked is, “What is the difference between “Sparkling Wine” and “Champagne”? Or “What is the difference between “Sparkling Wine” and “Prosecco”? The easy and short answer is that sparkling wine can only be called “Champagne” if it is made in the region of Champagne, France which is located just outside of Paris. To clarify, all Champagne is sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wine is Champagne. We really should think of Champagne in terms of a geographical location as opposed to just a winemaking style. For all products produced even 10 feet outside of the champagne region, it legally must be called “sparkling wine” however in other areas of the world, there are other names utilized for fizz ranging from prosecco, cava, sekt etc. In America, it must legally be called sparkling wine regardless of the grapes or the production method. Domestic sparkling brands like Chandon, Schramsberg or Roederer are produced in California.

For those that ponder “is sparkling wine champagne” or “what is the difference between sparkling wine vs. champagne”, one of the main distinctions is the price. Champagne is far more expensive than sparkling wine. France produces many fabulous effervescent sparkling wines and cremants, like Le Grand Courtâge, that are very affordable and offer a great bang for your buck compared to champagne.

Where Do The Bubbles In Champagne Come From?

Some people also ask if “champagne” or “sparkling wine” is wine, and the answer is yes.  Sparkling wine starts off as still wine during the primary fermentation, and then the bubbles are produced during the secondary fermentation.

The primary fermentation converts the juice from the grapes to still wine, and then in the secondary fermentation, sparkling wine is made by a fermentation process that combines sugar and yeast to produce alcohol and CO2. The fermentation process for wine requires an enclosed or sealed environment so that the resulting gas from the secondary fermentation can escape. The carbon dioxide then returns into the wine released in the form of tiny bubbles after opening the bottle. In some cases, you’ll find lower-priced bubbly wines on shelves that are injected with bubbles, similar to soda, and these are not defined as sparkling wine in the proper, traditional context.

An Overview Of The Types Of Sparkling Wine & Champagne

Producers from every region of the world have seized upon the popularity of bubbly and the rising cost of champagne.

Champagne

Made in the ‘Champagne’ region approximately 1 hour from Paris.  Champagne is made of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grapes. Legally, it can only be made using these three grapes and must be aged for a minimum of 18 months.

The iconic names associated with some of the best-selling champagne brands include Veuve Clicquot, Dom Perignon, Moet & Chandon, Nicolas Feuillatte, Bollinger, Tattinger, Laurent-Perrier and Piper-Heidsieck to name a few.  

All of the below styles are ‘sparkling wines’ and present a great alternative to champagne.  These are affordable, value sparkling wines, or what some call cheap champagne.  That, however, is a misnomer and not correct, as there is no such thing, and it’s not legally correct.

Cava:  In Spain, Cava is made in many different styles. But the best examples contain small bubbles and have a balanced taste of freshness and creaminess. Cava undergoes the same production process as Champagne, but with different grapes.  Hailing from the Penedès region of northeast Catalonia, well known brands include Freixenet Sparkling Cordon Negro Brut Cava, Anna de Codorniu, Segura Viudas and Juve y Camps.  The varietals utilized can include Macabeo, Xarel-lo, Parellada, Chardonnay, Subirat Parent, red Garnacha, Trepat, Monastrell and Pinot Noir.

Prosecco: The wines that sparkle in the Veneto region of Italy are called Prosecco and are made with 80% Glera grapes. These wines have larger bubbles and are produced in large tanks using a method called the Charmat.  The best-known brand is La Marca Prosecco, and other brands include Mionetto, Ruffino, Caposaldo and our fav, Massotina.

Sekt: The sparkling wines of Austria and Germany are called Sekt. The wines are made using the tank method with fermentation in stainless steel. The grapes may range from Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Elbling, Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier. Sekt brands are not very well known in the U.S., but here are a few options to consider Hild Elbling, Schlossgut Diel, Dr. Loosen “Dr. L” Riesling Sekt, and Peter Lauer.

Crémant: France is known for its ‘Champagne’ in which the fermentation occurs inside each bottle. Crémant is a style of sparkling wine produced in France, but outside of Champagne using the “method champenoise” second fermentation. Unlike other Champagnes, Crémant typically has less atmospheric pressure which gives the bubbles a softer, creamier taste in contrast to the stark, bracing pop you get from Champagne.  Depending upon where the crémant is produced, it may be chardonnay, pinot noir, chenin blanc, Sémillon. Sauvignon, Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Aligoté or Cab Franc. Notable brands in the U.S. include Gerard Bertrand, JCB, Lucien Albrecht, Gratien Meyer and Louis Bouillet.

Now That You’ve Got A Better Understanding On All The Styles Of Sparkling Wine, Now Let’s Discuss Sweetness Levels, How To Serve Champagne And How To Pair It.

Determining The Sweetness Level Of Champagne

There are so many misconceptions about residual sugar, sugar content and sweet vs fruit forward wines.  The majority of champagne or sparkling wines are quite dry in nature, but the lingo used is confusing.

The sweetest “champagnes” are dry or demi-sec.  The majority of bubbles served in the U.S. tend to be Brut and have a nice finish of fruit without being sweet.  Prosecco is much lighter and sweeter than traditional French sparkling wines or champagnes.

What Is Dosage?

The sweetness of sparkling is determined by the level of the final dosage, which is the sugar and wine mixture added to a sparkling wine after secondary fermentation to help balance out the acidity. This typically consists of a mixture of reserve wine and pure cane sugar. The quantity of dosage added determines the sweetness of the final product.

This chart we found from We Drink Bubbles should help serve as a refence for your next sparkling wine purchase.   Brut Nature is the driest and Demi Sec is the sweetest.

Image courtesy of We Drink Bubbles

What Is The Best Glassware For Champagne?

People often believe that the best way to serve Champagne is in a flute or coupe. Actually, these two shapes aren’t best suited to expressing its full character! Choose a tall, bulbous glass with a narrow top, shaped like a tulip. Your champagne will then be able to best showcase all its aromas and fine bubbles.

Best-Glassware-For-Champagne.jpg

How To Open & Serve Champagne Or Sparkling Wine

The above link provides insights on how best to open sparkling wine and pop the cork along with the best practices for serving bubbly.

Le Grand Courtâge’s Best Food Pairings For Champagne, Sparkling Wine & Prosecco

Being bubbly lovers, we enjoy exploring various styles, grapes and expressions of sparkling wine from around the world.  Given its versatility, it is really fantastic breakfast to dessert and is extremely cuisine and cocktail friendly.  Sometimes referred to as the ‘scrubbing bubbles for the palate’ sparkling wine and champagne are quite delectable with anything greasy, fatty, fried or spicy (fried chicken is to die for) and yet delicate enough for egg dishes and sushi.

Many sommeliers will say sparkling wine or champagne is the most versatile and best option for wine and food pairing.   If you are wondering what snack(s) goes well with champagne, look no further than the below list for both highbrow and low brow champagne and sparkling wine food pairing inspiration.

Top Pairings For Sparkling Wine

Appetizers

  • Almonds
  • Buttered or Truffled Popcorn
  • Cocktail Sausages
  • Duck-fat French fries
  • Egg Rolls & Spicy Asian appetizers
  • Egg-based hors d’oeuvres
  • Olives
  • Potato Chips
  • Prosciutto-wrapped Appetizers
  • Fried or Stuffed Mushrooms
  • Vegetables

Meat

  • Bacon
  • BBQ (esp Rosé)
  • Beef or Pork Sliders
  • Brisket Chili
  • Duck
  • Game
  • Foie Gras
  • Fried Chicken
  • Lamb
  • Prosciutto
  • Ribs
  • Roasted Chicken
  • Salami
  • Sweet Breads

Desserts

  • Angel Food Cake
  • Berries
  • Cheesecake
  • White Chocolate
  • Fruit-Based Desserts & Tarts
  • Mascarpone Cheese
  • Shortbread Cookies
  • Toffee
  • Rocca
  • Salted Caramels

Seafood

  • Crab Rangoons
  • Fish Tacos
  • Lobster
  • Raw Oysters
  • Shellfish
  • Shrimp
  • Smoked Salmon
  • Sushi
  • Crab

Brunch

  • Eggs Benedict
  • Mushroom, Bacon Omelets
  • Frittatas
  • Scrambled Eggs
  • Brioche French Toast with maple syrup (blanc) or berry syrup (rosé)

Pasta

  • Butternut Squash Ravioli
  • Macaroni & Cheese with a breadcrumb crust
  • Pastas with cream or mushroom sauces
  • Risotto with mushroom sauce

Cheeses

  • Brie
  • Cheddar
  • Goat
  • Gouda
  • Parmesan

Asian

  • Anything spicy
  • Pad Thai
  • Curry

Pizza

  • Pizza Quattro Formaggi or Bianca
  • Prosciutto and Burrata Pizza
  • Wild Mushroom Pizza

French Sparkling Wine Production

If you’d like a little more insights into production, this link provides a little more insight into how Le Grand  Courtâge, is made.  With 93 points, and a crisp, light and refreshing palate profile, it is one of the best sparkling wines on the market, and certainly one of the best affordable French sparkling wines to purchase at <$20.  Shop our vegan-friendly, French sparkling wines here.

Three Hallmarks of a Good Sparkling Wine

Fresh: Bright and alive in your mouth, fruity but not necessarily sweet. The flavor of a Brut or a Dry Champagne should be like a crisp apple, or melon profile, with a lovely aroma of stone fruit and slight minerality.

Precise: On the tongue, the wine should feel dreamy as the bubbles roll around your mouth. Precision is more about the acid, which is mandatory for good sparkling wines. This will give it a crisp mouth feel.

Sparkling: Small bubbles are a sign of high-quality wine. The best sparklers will have a constant path of uniform bubbles traveling from the bottom to the top. Less quality sparkling wine will have different sizes of bubbles taking different paths. (An imperfect wineglass can cause this also)

Sparkling wine can be some of the most versatile wines for pairing because of its bubbles that help scrub the palate. These wines transition well between light and heavy cuisines, so they make it easy to satisfy recipe pairings. They’re also great as aperitifs and with dishes that have a bit of fruitiness or sweetness.

Looking for champagne pairings or champagne cocktail inspiration? Hop over to our entertainment page for numerous downloadable guides and ebooks for effortless entertaining and to be the hostess with the mostess

About Us

At Le Grand Courtâge, we created a Vin Mousseux using the “Cuve Close” (“closed tank” method, otherwise known as the Charmat method) in order to create consistency in the style.  Our 90+ point French sparkling wines are produced in Nuits St Georges in Burgundy, France. We offer a Blanc de Blancs Brut and a Brut Rosé and use Chardonnay, Ugni Blanc, Colombard, Chenin Blanc, and Gamay in our blends in order to offer a dry, crisp, light palate with just a hint of fruit and floral on the finish in order to create a balanced flavor profile. We wanted to create something which is extremely cuisine and cocktail-friendly.

Tawnya Falkner, the American female founder and CEO of Le Grand Courtâge and ​Très Chic, took the leap and moved to France with the intent to create an affordable luxury that celebrates and elevates every day and reminds people to live joyously.  Her goal was an approachable, affordable, versatile French bubbly that is perfect for all of life’s occasions and everyday moments. Cheers!

Like this article? learn more about the brand or get entertaining inspiration on our instagram at @legrandcourtage and @treschicrose

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Le Grand Courtâge Fabulous Fall Tailgate with Le Grand Courtage and Katie Jacobs

January 15, 2023

Fabulous Fall Tailgate with Le Grand Courtage

Katie Jacobs of Styling My Everyday has put together a really beautiful and inspiring tailgate featuring not only great sparkling wine but also beautiful trays filled with colorful charcuterie, mini champagne bottles, pound cakes, sparkling apple cider sangria, gruyere and prosciutto pinwheels, and warm chicken pot pie!

 

Use code (LGCPROMO) for 15% your first purchase of Mini Sparkling wine bottles from us.

READ MORE

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Le Grand Courtâge Paloma Frosé Recipe

January 9, 2023

Paloma Frosé recipe

Paloma Frosé

Ingredients

  • 1 – 12 oz can grapefruit sparkling water
  • 4 oz tequila
  • ½ Grapefruit, juiced
  • 1 Large Lime, juiced
  • 3-4 Tbsp Agave nectar
  • 1 Bottle Le Grand Courtâge Brut Rosé

Directions

Pour the rosé wine and the grapefruit sparkling water into a large baking dish such as Pyrex. Place in the freezer for 24 hours or until the rosé is frozen solid but will not freeze completely since it’s alcohol.

Add the tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice & agave to a high-speed blender. Transfer the frozen rosé + sparkling water into the blender. Cover and blend until combined.

Serve immediately, garnished with grapefruit zest or wedges as desired.

See what other recipes we have in our free downloadable booklet here.

Custom illustration courtesy of fioribelle.com

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Le Grand Courtâge Chicken and Bacon Corn Chowder Recipe

Chicken and Bacon Corn Chowder recipe

Chicken and Bacon Corn Chowder

Chicken and Bacon Corn Chowder
1 rotisserie chicken
5 cups low sodium chicken broth (preferably homemade – recipe here)
½ pound thick bacon, diced
5 stalks celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 medium Spanish onions, diced
3 garlic cloves, diced
2 medium russet or all-purpose potatoes, peeled and diced
8 ears fresh corn, removed from the cob
2 to 3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2-½ cups heavy cream
¼ cup cornstarch
Freshly ground black pepper

Southern Skillet Cream Biscuits
2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
4 tbsp butter
1 cup heavy cream, chilled

Heat the bacon in a large pot over medium heat. Cook until the bacon fat is rendered and the meat is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the celery, carrot, onions, and garlic. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables begin to soften and onion becomes translucent (not browned), about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes, corn, and thyme. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are fully soft, about 8 additional minutes.

Add the chicken broth to the pot. Bring the broth to a simmer over medium-high heat. Turn down the heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk cornstarch into the heavy cream to prevent lumps. Add the cream and reserved chicken to the soup pot. Return the chowder to a simmer, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Make it ahead: Make this soup before guest arrive and leave on the stove on simmer, stirring occasionally, to keep warm.

Southern Skillet Cream Biscuits

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Liberally butter a 9 inch cast iron skillet.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using your fingertips, pinch butter into dry ingredients until mixture looks like crumbs. (The faster the better, you don’t want the fats to melt.) Make a well in the center and pour in the chilled cream. Stir just until the dough comes together. The dough will be very sticky.

Turn dough onto floured surface, dust top with flour and gently fold dough over on itself 5 or 6 times. Using a rolling pin, roll dough into a 1-inch thick round. Cut out biscuits with a 2-inch cutter, being sure to push straight down through the dough. Reform scrap dough, working it as little as possible and continue cutting. Place biscuits in buttered cast iron skillet so that they just touch.

Bake until biscuits are tall and light gold on top, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Make it ahead: Make dough ahead of time, cut biscuits, and place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to one day until ready to bake. When ready to bake, place in buttered skillet and bake per instructions. You can also freeze biscuits for up to one month. When ready to bake, place frozen biscuits in buttered skillet and bake at 450 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Pair with Le Grand Courtâge Brut Rosé

Source: stylingmyeveryday.com

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Le Grand Courtâge Très Chic Cranberry Bundt Cake Recipe

January 4, 2023

 

bundt cake recipe

Cranberry Bundt Cake Ingredients

1½ cups (3 sticks/336 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
1 Tbsp grated orange zest
5 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 hearty dash of bitters
2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour or (310 g) gluten-free flour, plus more for the pan
1 cup (120 g) almond flour
¼ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp fine sea salt
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh squeezed orange juice
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ cup (60 ml) half-and-half
2 heaping cups (200 g) cranberries or (280 g) wild blueberries, fresh or frozen

Vanilla Glaze (optional)

1½ cups (180 g) confectioners’ sugar
2 to 4 Tbsp half-and-half
Seeds of 1 vanilla bean, scraped, or ¼ tsp vanilla bean paste
Pinch of fine sea salt

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Position a rack in the lower middle. Butter and flour a 10-inch, 12-cup (25-cm, 2.9-L) nonstick Bundt pan.

Beat together the butter, granulated sugar, and zest in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each until uniform. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, add the vanilla and bitters, and stir to combine.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture in thirds, alternating with the juices and half-and-half, and beat on low to combine, scraping the bowl after each addition. Stir in the cranberries.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan (it will come to the top of the Bundt pan) and bake on a baking sheet until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out with a tiny crumb, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Remove from the pan, and let cool completely on the rack.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: Whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, half-and-half, vanilla seeds, and salt to make a slightly runny glaze. Set the cake on a wire rack on parchment paper and drizzle the glaze over it. Let it set slightly before slicing and serving.

Get ahead!

This Cranberry Bundt Cake can be made ahead in two stages: Make the batter, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Or bake the cake and let it cool com­pletely on a metal rack, then freeze, well wrapped, for up to 2 weeks, adding the glaze after thawing it.

Good to know

Be sure to butter and flour your Bundt pan really well—those cran­berries burst and want to stick if they hit the pan. Use an angel food cake pan for a cleaner, modern look. And get all Jackson Pollock if you want—this is awesome with raspberries, blueberries, or a mix of berries, splattered and streaked ever so slightly.

Bitters for your Cranberry Bundt Cake

As the name suggests, bitters are a blend of herbs, barks, roots, and fruits (like orange peel) that lends a pleasantly bitter depth to cocktails and, as in this case, baked goods! If you don’t have bitters at home, make your tablespoon of orange zest a heaping one for a citrus surprise.

Reprinted from Every Day Is Saturday by Sarah Copeland with permission from Chronicle Books, 2019

Pairs the best with Le Grand Courtâge Brut Rosé

Use code (LGCPROMO) for 15% your first purchase of Sparkling Wine from us.

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Le Grand Courtâge Pink Pearl Brut Rosé Cocktail Recipe

January 1, 2023

Pink Pearl

1-½ oz Gin
1 oz Elderflower Liqueur or Simple Syrup
½ oz Aperol
1 oz Grapefruit Juice
3-4 oz Le Grand Courtâge Brut Rosé

Add gin, elderflower liqueur, or simple syrup, Aperol, and grapefruit juice to a cocktail shaker with ice, and shake until chilled.

Strain the mixture into a flute. Top with Le Grand Courtâge Brut Rosé.

Use code (LGCPROMO) for 15% your first purchase of Sparkling Wine from us.

See what other recipes we have in our free downloadable booklet here.

Image source: Chowhound.com

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Le Grand Courtâge Cranberry Orange Rosemary Sparkling Cocktail

December 20, 2022
Virtual Tasting

Ingredients

1 ½ cups of water

1 sprig of Rosemary

2 cups of Cranberry Juice

1 cup of Triple Sec

1-750 ML Le Grand Courtâge Blanc de Blancs Brut

Cranberries for garnish

Directions

Bring 1-1/2 cups water and 1 sprig of Rosemary to a boil in a pot. Let steep for 10 minutes. Remove the Rosemary sprig. Add rosemary water, cranberry juice, and Triple Sec to a bowl and whisk. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to cool for about 2 hours.

Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and distribute the cocktail mixture into coupes or flutes, about 4-5 oz. Top with Le Grand Courtâge Blanc de Blancs Brut.

Created by EndlesslyElated.com

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Le Grand Courtâge Blackberry French 75 Sparkling Cocktail Recipe

December 11, 2022
Frosé recipe slushy

Sparkling wine cocktails are causing a scene with their hubby personalities, radiant colors, and fun seasonal touches. Personally, we at Le Grand Courtage have become moderately obsessed! Below is our tried and true Blackberry French 75 sparkling cocktail for you to make at home. Once you’ve fallen in love with this recipe, let your creative juices (pun intended) start flowing and swap out the blackberries with your favorite seasonal fruits.

Ingredients
½ cup Water
½ cup Sugar
¼ cup Fresh blackberries
1 oz Gin
1 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
2 oz Le Grand Courtâge Blanc de Blancs Brut
Fresh blackberries and lemon rind for garnish

Instructions: In a small pan, add the water, sugar, and blackberries. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring, and then strain into a heatproof container like a mason jar. Set aside until cool and then chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add 2 tbsp of the blackberry simple syrup, 1 oz gin, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, and then shake vigorously. Strain into a cocktail glass and then top with about 2 oz of Blanc de Blancs Brut. Garnish with a lemon rind and fresh blackberry if desired & enjoy your Blackberry French 75.

Adapted from: heatherchristo.com

See more of our sparkling cocktails in our downloadable booklet HERE.

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Le Grand Courtâge Fig Honey Thyme Rosé Sparkling Cocktail Recipe

August 4, 2022

Ingredients

  • 6 Fresh figs, diced or 1 tbsp fig preserves
  • 1 Small, ripe red plum, diced
  • 2 oz Elderflower liquor
  • 1 Lemon, juiced
  • 2-4 tbsp Honey, depending on your taste
  • 1 tbsp Fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
  • Le Grand Courtâge Brut Rosé, for topping

Instructions:

Add the figs, plums, elderflower liquor ( We love St- Germain), lemon juice, honey, and thyme to a cocktail shaker. Using a muddler, gently push the figs down until they release their juices and are lightly smashed. Add ice. Place the top on the shaker and shake vigorously. Strain into 2-3 glasses. Top each glass with Brut Rosé. Garnish with figs and fresh thyme. Use code (LGCPROMO) for 15% your first purchase of Sparkling Wine from us.   See what other recipes we have in our free downloadable booklet here.

Adapted from Halfbakedharvest.com

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Le Grand Courtâge Vogue Feature

May 20, 2022

Chanel Dror of Camille Styles and Eric Tarlo’s Wedding at a Château in the Loire Valley

Post dinner, everyone moved into the orangery—where a dessert and cheese spread was waiting—for the reception. “In lieu of a wedding cake, we kicked things off with a tower of Le Grand Courtâge Brut Rosé, with Sam Feldt’s ‘Show Me Love’ playing on blast,” says Chanel. Read more.

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