Joseph Phelps Vineyards
Categories: Beer, Wine & Spirits, Wineries [Edit]
200 Taplin RdSaint Helena, CA 94574 (707) 963-2745
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Good for Kids: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
8 reviews
Glen Ellen, CA
"Loxton is by far my favorite winery. We have even joined the wineclub so we can get their new releases (and the discount). I forgot to the…" read more »
33 Reviews for Joseph Phelps Vineyards
My husbands favorite winery in Napa. Been members for over 10 years. Great tasting seminars. The staff is super friendly. Best wine for the price in the valley. Reserve a picnic table, bring some grub and enjoy the view.
So, there are so many wonderful things to say about Joseph Phelps Winery. To start, it's beautiful. I love going here and driving up the long driveway to finally arrive at the destination over looking the vineyard. I love the private tastings, the events and the staff, especially Stephen Pavy.
Le Mistal, Cab and Insignia all my favs I can't do anyone of them justice by picking one or you either. You just have to try them all. I have to second Beau G. If you want a truly wonderful experience, make a reservation.
For even better, join the wine club.
Now this is more like it.
You can't see this winery from the road, which is a much better sign. Some Napa Valley wineries have fancy pavillions right along the roadside. Do not be fooled by them, or at least wait until you are somewhat buzzed before you go to them. You won't be able to taste the differences at that point anyway.
On weekends and busy days you're going to need to make reservations for a Joseph Phelps tasting. Their permit only allows for 12 people per hour. Plan ahead. It is worth it.
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Joseph Phelps has some of the best wines I have ever tasted so I joined their wine club several years ago. I am thrilled with every bottle I have purchased from them over the years.
When I have guests in town ... this is one of the places I love to take them. Since I am a member, I can take a few people for the private tasting and it is wonderful. For weekends, I try and plan in advance.
The wine tasting in the private wine room is an exceptional experience. Insignia is on the tasting. What a fantastic treat.
Usually I meet a few people from out of town while we are visiting the winery. They are always amazed that we get this treatment any time we visit.
We are so lucky to have visionaries such as Joseph Phelps that helped make Napa what it is today. Kudos to you old man! You have one of the best properties around and you make some fine wine.
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Characteristically beautiful grounds, with a pleasant patio area for tasting. You have a view of the vineyard fields and a random flock of sheep. For $20, you taste 2 whites and 3 reds, including their very best - the Insignia. The staff is also very friendly and pleasant.
Do watch out for very vocal wine snobs, or just snobs in general (this is a pretty general caution for all of Napa).
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I love their wine.
All of their reds are stellar, I love it. Their Cabernet is my favorite - and it's one of those wines that you break out for special occasions, even if the cost is not all that high - - just because it's that good. Their Insignia - - you store and store until a REALLY special occasion - - much higher cost. Their Backus - - - you keep forever, but just being allowed to buy it is heavenly. :-)
While I am not big on white wines, I actually quite enjoy their whites, too - though I have never actually bought a bottle for myself.
Add to that their gorgeous winery - - and you have the perfect winery in my eyes.
Joseph Phelps Winery is located a bit pulled back off the Silverado Trail in its own secluded lot. It just FEELS great as you pull in, but most of that might be my own bias. The staff at JPW is stellar - - polite, courteous, accomodating but not pretentious or snooty. The land itself that this winery sits on is breathtaking, and the setup is perfect to bring your friends out to have a small picnic, do a tasting, buy a bottle and share it with friends you care about while eating small foods that go well with the wine. The gazebo area is just beautiful - and in the month of February, on a perfectly sunny day - it's downright unbeatable. I suspect, though, in the heat of summer, it would be downright unbearable, knowing how hot it gets in Napa.
The winery holds several dinners for the wine club members per year (at a cost) and for the members, we get first access to their private releases, reserves, Backus wines, etc. They also host a gala-type of event that sounds like a lot of fun. While their preferred memberships are not cheap (which is expected, given the wine is nowhere near cheap) - - it's all worth it for that 20% discount. I think we bought some 10 bottles there that day - - and that alone saved us some $80-90 on the spot!
For non-members, the tasting of 6 of their wines is only $20 - pourings are the same 3 ozs. Totally worth it, and the cost is more than fair.
This is one of those "when in doubt" kind of places.
You can't go wrong on the wines, you can't go wrong on the location and view, and you can't go wrong w/ the staff. It's my idea of a 5-star winery.
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Joseph Phelps, you're so wonderful. You're so pretty, and tasty, and...wait, how the f**k did you MAX OUT MY AMEX?
I'm a big fan. The only problem is that you attract a lot of wine wanna-be folks swirling and sniffing like it's going out of style.
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A beautiful vineyard on top of the hill on the silverado trail. Their wine had always been super great for years & very consistent. I love this place the first time I visit it & I became a member ;-)
Their Insigna bottle is so smooth & delectable ;-) was wine of the year with Wine Spectator 3 eyars ago...
The service is wonderful & you do need to RSVP for the weekend because it can get really crowded.
1 STAR for the view & location, 1 STAR for the Insignia bottle, & 1 STAR for the service ;-)
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Go for the view, the wine, and the chance to sit out on the patio drinking in both. Need I say more. Take your time here. I find the staff a bit stuffy, but the air, the view, the wines-- DON'T MISS.
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Friendly staffs for sure. David is our blending seminar host and he did such a great job. Class is very professionally done. In the session, we tasted sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, cab, and the la mistral 05, as well as the famous Insigma 04.
Personal opinion, 04 Insigma is too expensive to drink at current age. However, paying $30 for 5 wine tasting plus taking the great class is totally worth your dollar.
Beautiful venue for sure, all the sheeps are released to help JP `clean the field`, according to David, the winary is very environmental friendly. It:s very quite and peaceful there.
What a gem. This winery is truly beautiful and we love that it's hidden away from all the other wineries. We get there when it's too late for wine tasting. My boyfriend decides to buy a bottle anyway- a cab.. the woman let's him try it first.. then they give us a card for free wine tasting for two.. super generous, very friendly.. this place makes you look forward to come back for more.. which we will do very soon.
We then step outside and check out the amazing views.. (check out my pics under PHOTOS on top..
5 stars all the way
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Got friends in from out of town? Got those friends who have been to Napa but as far as they know it's either on Hwy 29 or it doesn't exist? You will take them to Joseph Phelps.
My girl and I first heard of this place when some friends of ours said "you have to become members so you can come with us to the Insignia party."
So like most wineries they have several membership programs, there's the "Original" which is the 3 shipments a year, under $100 per shipment. Then there's the flagship which is something like a case and a half. Then there's collector which is a case of Insignia (Bordeaux-style blend) and the Backus (single vineyard near Oakville Crossing) Cabernet. They just introduced a "Reds Only" option for the original club which I just switched to cuz, well, I'd rather have reds. A white is fine from time to time.
So lets talk wine - I've never had a bad one here. They do a fantastic job with Insignia - truly a consistent winner. The Le Mistral gives me that Rhone-style GSM blend that I like (without paying $90 for a Vieux Telegraphe or Beaucastel). Their regular Cab will put other cabs to shame. I think 2005 or 2006 will be their last year doing a straight Merlot - the desire is to concentrate on doing just a few things very well, which will mean that Merlot will just be used as a blending grape. That's fine. Their Sonoma spinoff, Freestone, is making some awesome Pinot right now. There's FogDog and the Freestone Pinot (which is marketed as being a little bit higher end). While only in production a few years, these to me will be up there with Kosta Browne and Testarossa. When you're drinking an Insignia you know it's good. This wine strikes that balance of nose, fruit, and a beautiful finish. I've had plenty of wine with lots of up front fruit but just fizzles on your palate. This is not that. I smartly bought a 2004 Insignia which I will be holding on for years.
So let's get back to the winery, it's off the beaten path if Hwy 29 is your beaten path, and you enter through their gates by turning onto Taplin Rd off of Silverado Trail. You drive up the hill and park in the visitor lot. Once you get to the main buildings walk straight ahead and you will see Napa Valley expand around you. Pick up a sandwich from Sunshine Foods in St. Helena and bring it up here (or the much trendier and often crowded Oakville Grocery or Dean & Deluca). Use your member discount to purchase a bottle to drink with your food. They will give you glasses. It will be glorious. They will do tastings outdoors on a nice day. You'll probably have Chardonnay, the Syrah, the Le Mistral, the Cabernet, Insignia and then possibly the Eisrebe [ice-RYE-buh] which is their dessert wine made in the style of a German ice wine. You will enjoy them all. $20 for non-members for high end wine is a good deal considering you will be paying more to taste lesser stuff. All of the rooms on the property are cool. They have a dining room style spot for hosting their private tastings and wine seminars. You can tell these guys know their stuff is good, but I've never been and have never seen anyone be treated with contempt. If these guys are snobs they don't show it. Because this isn't Stag's Leap or some spot that's packed to the nines you'll never be treated like a number or have to squeeze your way into a counter to get a taste. There is no counter.
I spoke of an Insignia party. In the middle of May every year they host a party for their members on a weekend. What an awesome experience. Lots of hors d'oeuvres, Dim Sum, little sandwiches, and WINE WINE WINE. Not only are they pouring the current stuff, but once in awhile someone will come around with a decanter filled with stuff from days of yore. Well maybe 10 years old at the most, but as soon as those decanters come out, people flock like bees to honey. You may get to taste the 1997 Backus Cabernet. Perhaps the 1990 Insignia? You never know, but that's pretty exciting if you're into that stuff.
Just make sure you call ahead and be flexible. JPV is worth planning your trip to Napa around. Sure stop off at some of the trendy spots to get a feel for what's there. Go with what you like. JPV will make you happy and you'll go back. Oh yes. You'll be back.
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In a word: Insignia. When I first tried the 2002 Insignia, I wanted to sing joyously at the top of my voice, dance ecstatically, and write poetic words of love to express how delicious this wine is. Apparently I wasn't alone--Insignia got "Wine of the Year" a few years back and with the accolades came a steep price hike and increased crowds to the winery. The wine is still highly enjoyable--I enjoy most varietals of the red and white alike and the Insignia is still pretty fantastic, though nothing like the 2002. And you can't beat the majestic view of the vineyards from their patio or picnic tables. Still, I miss the days when it was possible to get a same-day tasting appointment and the prices weren't as high.
Tasting is only by appointment, so plan in advance if you can. I also recommend doing their "Wine Appreciation" tasting--we did this once with friends and had a very informative and fun experience with a passionate wine connoisseir running the tasting.
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Tasting: $20 (Six wines)
Famous for: Cabernet Sauvignon
Worth another visit? Yes.
Appointment?: No worries, just walk-in. (County law issue)
Do you want to know how a $200/bottle Cabernet Sauvignon taste like? Pay $20 at Joseph Phelps Winery and you'll get to try their signature cab, Insignia, and 5 other wines. Many of the best restaurants carry Insignia on their wine list, like Michael Mina, where a 2003 Insignia was $595 (in June 2007).
When we went, they were doing the tastings outside in their patio, which offered a scenic view. If you could some how reserve their picnic table for lunch, you are golden.
I don't give them 5 Stars, because I cannot justify purchasing their Insignia and their $54 Cab was just okay.
Bottle prices (as of July 2007):
2004 Insignia - $200
2004 Cabernet Sauvignon - $54
2005 Le Mistral - $40
2004 Syrah - $40
2005 Sauvignon Blanc - $30
2005 Viognier - $45
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Joseph Phelps is a place that everyone should go at least once but preferably several times a year. This is the first winery that I became a wine club member at.
You need to make an appt but usually if you call a couple of days beforehand there is not a problem with accomodating reasonable parties. They even have this great wine seminar for those experienced or not so experienced wine drinkers.
The grounds are beautiful and depending on the time of the year you may even see the sheep hanging out in the vineyard. The staff are very very friendly and are always there to help with any questions you may have about any of their wines.
This is one of the few wineries where I always enjoy pretty much anything they are pouring. Some of my very favorites would be:
Le Mistral, the Syrah and their Insignia (duh, of course). Some of their wines are quite pricey but there are lots of other more reasonable choices. Make a visit. You won't be disappointed.
Wine tasting was 2-3 stars. The people here were very nice and hospitable. But I was very disappointed in the wines. I always see their signature Insignia wines at all the fine dining restaurants so a $20 tasting here is a bargain. The tasting involves 6 wines. Only 3 of the wines are from JP vineyards and the other 3 are from their sister wineries. I was there to taste JP wines not their other wineries. If I wanted a taste of Fog Dog I would travel to Fog Dog. I am not sure if Fog Dog is a winery I am too lazy to look it up. I just remember I didn't like either of them and that name is stupid. The 6th and final tasting was the star of the show. The $200 bottle of 2004 Insignia. The verdict. "Excuse me, I would like to purchase a bottle of your 2004 insignia for $40 please." I laugh at the people who priced this bottle at $200 retail. The wine enthusiast who rated and priced this bottle are obviously getting a kick back. I am not a wine snob or enthusiast by any means but this was definitely not worth $200. Pride mountain and Quintessa have much better wines for half the price of a bottle of insignia. One of these days I will find a bottle of 2002 Insignia and revise my review. But I am glad I came to the winery and only paid $20. BTW they will be importing sheep to roam their vineyards so they can fertilize the grounds. The sheep urine and feces really enhances the grapes. Yum.
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The Wine: Joseph Phelps Insignia is THE cult winery for regular people. This place makes amazing wine in every vintage on a scale that allows for everyone to get a taste. Sure, producers like Harlan, Screaming Eagle and the like may get slightly higher ratings than Phelps Insignia. But Phelps makes about 100 times the volume which allows for guys like me to buy some without paying $500 or more a bottle. Their Cabernet, Mistral (Rhone blend), and Sauvignon Blanc are also consistently great every year and should not be missed.
Winery Visits: The property is one of the most picturesque of the valley. There is no wine-tasting room per se. They basically send you out onto the patio with a glass and you taste all of the wines while overlooking their beautiful vineyards. Reservations are a must and should be made at least a couple weeks in advance. The other alternative is to have a wine-blending seminar. This is a great way to learn about wine and how they make their flagship Insignia. My wine educator's name was Jim Pickett. He's an extremely knowledgeable person with a true love for his work. If you get a chance to have a seminar, ask for Jim, he's the best wine educator in the valley. Another great experience would be to have a picnic with your tasting.
The staff: The staff is exceptionally professional and will do almost anything to make sure your visit is a perfect experience. The only way you might feel unwelcome is if you don't make a reservation. Apparently they can only legally accommodate a certain number of people an hour, so if you just show up, there is a good chance that you won't be tasting any wine.
Bottom line: Make reservations, ask for Jim, drink some of the best wine in the valley and have a great time!
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Grounds (5 stars): One of those incredible views that just takes your breath away.
Tasting room (5 stars): The "tasting room" is actually a patio with different stations for different wines. Buckets of bottled water were a nice touch. Benches around the patio encourage taking it slow and prevent crowding around the stations.
Tasting (3 stars): Make sure to sign up for the tasting ahead of time. They don't always take walk-ins. Some staff members were more knowledgeable and friendly than others. Next time, we would sign up for the guided tasting. Which we've heard is quite educational.
Wines (3 stars): Not a big fan of most of the wines. The insignia was ok, and would be better with a bit more time
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The view and experience here is worth 5 stars alone. Imagine casually sipping wine on a beautiful terrace overlooking the valley. "Please sir may I have another." It isn't a dream, it's the Joseph Phelps experience.
Do yourself a favor and step off of the 29 and visit Joseph Phelps. They do require appointments, but you can walk in to make them.
Why are you still reading this? Go Now!!!
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Without a doubt, California Cabernets and other red varietals rank among some of the best red wines in the world, including comparing them to old world French regions. The past few years, even French producers are following the style of Californian winemakers. Indeed, we can be proud of this accomplishment and drink Californian wines in a good spirit and with a subtle smile. Joseph Phelps Vineyards is one of the vineyards in the famed Napa and Sonoma areas that helps lead the way in Californian wine making.
Being a proud member of the vineyard and having visited them many times for the tasting including several Insignia days, I feel that Phelps is among of the best of the best small to mid producers in California.
Their flagship wine is the Insignia which is a red blend consisting of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 9% Petite Vedot, and 1% Malbec, which varies by vintage slightly. The wine was rated wine of the year by Wine Spectator several years ago, and continues to be one of the best blends in California. Among its competition is the Mondavi blend, Opus One, which is also excellent. The wine itself is full bodied with an exceedingly long finish. This wine, however, needs time in the cellar. I would not recommend drinking it immediately because of its temperamental nature at a young age. This is a special wine. It deserves time and requires sophisticated palettes to fully understand all of its subtleties, although anyone who drinks wine can drink it and realizes its complete balance. I would highly recommend buying a bottle from Phelps directly. They ship all over except during hot season because the transportation in heat might color the wine negatively.
They also feature a Joseph Phelps Cabernet that is priced at about $45 USD which I think is a very reasonable price point for that wine. Against French heavy hitters, this wine does not stand well, but for a great wine, at medium cost, that is balanced and full bodied, I love this wine.
They also have a Pinot Noir called the Fogdog, which is an earthy, light Pinot that can be an interesting alternative when one becomes tired of the cabs and the zins. This wine, however, depends greatly on vintage. The pinot grape is supposedly the most difficult to grow and cultivate. Some years are certainly better than others in this wine.
Joseph Phelps is as good as it gets for Californian reds. I highly recommend trying wines from this maker, especially in the Insignia, and I would recommend visiting them for tastings. Cheers!
Nicole was the best tour guide/wine taster hostess I have ever had! She was friendly, informative, and set the bar very high for all the other tastings we had at other wineries (which of course, ended up paling by comparison.)
The wine tasting area is beautiful, much attention to detail, free bottled waters, cut flowers, etc. Definitely make an appt. and check out this winery.
Just driving up to Joseph Phelps is one of my favorite wineries experiences to have in the Napa Valley area. A country like road through the hills and vines up to the winery over looking the valley of grapes. On a nice day this is a perfect spot to take along a small picnic and buy a bottle (or case).
It's primarily a private winery in that you'll need to join the winery with a membership to taste and participate in most events but it's well worth it for the wines, the winery and the staff are very accommodating.
On one occasion, we decided to stop in, with out an appointment and even though we arrived just after tasting hours, they offered a few tastings on the patio.
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post-card perfect scenic view of the valley from their terrace (even in the winter)!!!!!! wish we got to do our tasting out on the terrace -- but we were inside at this time of year.
we were very lucky to walk in without an appt. for their tasting. but definitely make an appt. got to try 6 magnificent wines for $20. we enjoyed them all & left with a bottle of the le mistral and their eisrebe (dessert wine -- limited production). had a nice sip of the divine $200 insignia.
would love to come back and enjoy & experience (picnic & tasting) in the summer & fall.................
beautiful........................
My absolute favorite winery. If I could only have one California wine for the rest of my life, it would be the Joseph Phelps Insignia 2001. Amazingamazingamazing.
Gorgeous winery with a beautiful view- become a preferred member if you live nearby so that you can go to the special dinners and events and of course, have great wine shipped to you 3x a year. They always fly in a great chef and you get to sample tons of amazing wine.
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insignia is the one wine you have to try at joseph phelps!! not only is it $200 a bottle but it is one of the best cab sauvs i have ever has in my entire life!! tastings are only $20 for 6 wines! the view here is absolutely breathtaking!! you should take your bottle outside to drink and maybe opt for a picnic of sorts.. their riesling is a great dessert wine! this is one of the best wineries to taste at because you get to try a variety of their wines and they are all delicious! i always try to stop by joseph phelps for a tasting when i come to napa valley..
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Loved this place!!!! They are so friendly, the view amazing, the wines out of this world!!!!, and our wine tender great (ask for him when you go I think his name is Jerg (sp?) Oggenhoff). He walked us through each wine and was very knowledgeable and super friendly (not something you encounter too often @ Napa Wineries).
The view is so stunning and the property amazing. The wine where great. Some of my favorites where the Fogdog Pinot Noir 2004, Fogdog Chardonnay 2005 both from Sonoma county (This is the second winery) The Le Mistral was a F'ing power house and blew us away. Come to think of it all the wines delivered. I give this winery 5 Stars and will visit again next time I am in the Valley.
Le Mistral, baby. That has to be one of the tastiest red wines in its price range that I've ever had. Don't get me wrong, Phelps Insignia has been voted #1 Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator . . . but it's great to know that Phelps is still keeping the "little people" in mind when it comes to their lineup.
Joseph Phelps holds tastings outdoors and in a large banquet hall of sorts with beautiful oval barrels inside and a large patio on the outside.
Curiously enough, my first instinct was to try to crawl into one of those barrels upon arrival. However, I was disappointed to note that there was a plaque stating "DO NOT ENTER" on the outside of each barrel.
This was one of the most hands-off tastings I've ever been to... you're welcome to wander as you like, and the tasting area overlooks the vineyard so you can actually see tractors in action!
Very knowledgeable people who will entertain stupid questions such as "Hey, so does a velvet-y finish mean cotton-mouth???"
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Hands down our favorite winery. The location is gorgeous and the wines are phenomenal. Tastings and tours are by appointment, but you can buy wines there without any appointment, and it's a beautiful location for a picnic. We ADORE their dessert wines - the '96 Late Harvest Riesling rocks my world.
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Their signature Cab blend, Insignia, is one of my favorite wines. I know the head viticulturist, and thus know the care they take with their wines, their fruit, their employees etc. It is a great company and the vineyard itself is beautiful. Make sure you call ahead for a tasting, they have picnic benches out back as well.
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Amazing vineyard to visit. You have to call ahead for an appointment during the summer, but it's definitely worth scheduling. This is one of the most beautiful vineyards to visit in Napa Valley. You sit outside overlooking the valley below, tasting wine, with a pond and vineyards directly under the terrace. It's a must-see on your next trip to Napa. And, not to mention, Joseph Phelps makes incredible wine.
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beautiful view and complimentary bottled water! great wines too, but pricey tasting (i think $25?). plus, appointments are required so don't expect to walk in and be able to do a tasting. the insignia wine is supposed to be one of the best reds around, but it's definitely expensive.
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A fine winery with fine wine to match. We love to sit outside with our wine and admire the lusciously green estate. Sometimes you can watch turkeys, yep turkeys, running around the vineyards. Friendly geckos sometimes say hello so watch where you step. There is a great potpurri of different wines lined up along the walls of the tasting room, which gives a sense of history to the place. And last but not least, the wine is beautiful. Well worth the visit.
the scenery was amazing. we saw a rabbit w big floppy ears hopping through the vineyard. and some geckos.
oh, and all the wines were really good.
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