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Staff Favorites

If you’re going to have Robert Parker or Stephen Tanzer over for dinner, selecting a wine they’ve rated highly will be a nice choice. However, when you’re buying wines for yourself, we’d love to see you find wines that match up your unique palate and pocketbook. We have a large staff of friendly and knowledgeable wine professionals that taste hundreds of wines each week. They can put you in touch with bottles that you are likely to love, often at a much lower cost than the highly-rated gems that often see a run-up in price and frequent availability issues. Like any great group of opinionated professionals, our staff has varied tastes themselves. Often our customers will find a particular staff member with a style that corresponds to their own. That concept works extremely well in our retail stores, and this section is our effort to bring you the same online. Don’t get us wrong, we love the highly rated wines from the press and will continue to offer them, but we think you’re missing out if you’re not augmenting those selections with picks from our excellent staff. Here are their favorites. (Click on a name to see their other selections - or to drop them a line.) Cheers!


Reviews

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2010 Valle dell'Acate, Case Ibidini, Nero d'Avola
 By: Mike Parres | Review Date: 2/3/2012 | Send Email
  Always a favorite, but love this 2010! Cranberry and raspberry, the palate is immediately charming and (incredibly) the fruit yields to the wine’s minerality; eliminating any possibility of it being over bearing. Impeccably balanced and wonderfully smooth, Valle del Acate is a renowned producer that has taken an indigenous Sicilian grape, often known for its weight and power, and given it grace.
Price: $12.99 Add To Cart
2010 Rickshaw Sonoma County Pinot Noir
 By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 2/2/2012 | Send Email
  Another remarkably good sub-$15 Pinot from the guys at Banshee. The 2010 Rickshaw Pinot is along the same lines as the great 2009 but with perhaps a greater concentration and spice. The nose shows bright opulent red fruits, on the palate the flavors match with sweet red fruits, boysenberry and freshly ground spices like clove and cinnamon. Very soft supple tannin and moderate acid make this an easily quaffed wine. Great for everyday drinking but definitely good enough for the weekend table as well! As I said before, truly remarkable for the $14.99 price point!
Price: $14.99 Add To Cart
2009 Château de Montfaucon "Baron Louis, Vieilles Vignes" Côtes du Rhône
 By: Mike Barber | Review Date: 2/2/2012 | Send Email
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  If the winery was on the other side of the river - this would be exceptional chateauneuf du pape and cost three times as much. As it stands, this wonderful bottle from the old montfaucon estate is $18 and the best cote du rhone in the store. World class winery, great vintage, under $20!
Top Value! Drink from 2012 to 2022
Price: $17.99 Add To Cart

WINE CLUB

Club Price: $14.99
RP 90
2010 Brooks Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
 By: Mike Barber | Review Date: 2/2/2012 | Send Email
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  Brooks is one of our favorite small family producers in oregon. They release this balanced, dark fruited pinot for a great price every year, and the 2010 is as tasty and elegant as always!
Top Value! Drink from 2012 to 2015
Price: $21.99 Add To Cart
Ariston Aspasie Brut Rosé Champagne
 By: Mike Barber | Review Date: 2/2/2012 | Send Email
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  This bottle rivals other champagne roses that are two or three times as expensive! It is filled with floral aromas and fresh fruit flavors, with a dry finish. Fun, bright, and delicious - the ariston rose is always one of the winery's best releases.
Top Value! Drink from 2012 to 2017
Price: $32.99 Add To Cart
2009 Sparrow Hawk Rutherford Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
 By: Mike Barber | Review Date: 2/2/2012 | Send Email
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  A nice Rutherford cabernet with real character at a great price, this wine is full of blue fruit and lush tannins with a fair amount of cedar spice and dust.
Top Value! Drink from 2012 to 2015
Price: $19.99 Add To Cart
2010 Germano Riesling "Herzu"
 By: Mike Parres | Review Date: 2/2/2012 | Send Email
  Here is one of those wines that every vintage gives me a “Wow”… that’s better than last years. Yes, Riesling from Italy, ('Herzu' is made in a newer vineyard in the village of Ciglié, about thirty minutes south of their estate in Serralunga.), this very unique wine has melon and succulent fruit is the first thing to hit your palate then wet stones, floral ness and lots of mineralty on this Medium to full-bodied wine, it has incredible length to it as well and balanced with acidity. This is a great wine for light suppers, salads, pasta primavera or a chilled tomato basil soup or would love something spicy as well.
Price: $24.99 Add To Cart
2010 Ermacora Pinot Grigio
 By: Mike Parres | Review Date: 2/2/2012 | Send Email
  This has the perfect balance of acidity and tremendous aromatics, loaded with pear, apple, citrus and tropical fruit in an elegant, concentrated and superbly balanced wine. This is a Great wine for you and your Irish descendents or just want-to-be Irish for the night friends. My pick this year to go with the corned beef and cabbage.
Price: $14.99 Add To Cart
2009 Ferrero Rosso di Montalcino
 By: Mike Parres | Review Date: 2/2/2012 | Send Email
  This is one of the last of the 2009 Rosso’s, the 2010’s should be coming in a couple months. When I tasted this in February of 2011, I thought it was great and since then it has just come into its own. I think we have save the best for last. This is a user friendly rosso, bright fruit hits you first, black cherries cassis and ripe strawberries and then Tuscany starts to roll across you palate, the terroir takes on the rest of this wine, giving it a long finish that lingers. Needs an hour or so of breathing time.
Price: $15.99 Add To Cart
2010 l'Avocat Blanc, Graves
 By: Christie Cartwright | Review Date: 2/2/2012 | Send Email
  The best vintage I've had of this wine to date! Drinking beautifully right now and is more elegant and layered than I ever remember. A classic blend of about 50%Sauvignon Blanc and 50%Semillon gives depth and focus with loads of vibrant minerality and acid. If I had tasted this blind, I would have easily thought it to be a $30-$40 Bordeaux Blanc. This is perfect if your tired of always drinking the same Sauvignon Blanc, its a good crossover!
Price: $16.99 Add To Cart
2010 Brooks Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
 By: Christie Cartwright | Review Date: 2/2/2012 | Send Email
  Absolutley the most complex and interesting of any $20 Pinot Noir I've tasted this year! On the nose rose petals and pink peppercorns, with vibrant red cherry and currant on the palate with racy acidity and polished tannins. Very sophisticated and food friendly for the price!
Price: $21.99 Add To Cart
2010 Ermacora Pinot Grigio
 By: Christie Cartwright | Review Date: 2/2/2012 | Send Email
  Absolutley the best deal in Pinot Grigio to date! Directly imported from Italy, and full of generous layers of fruit and mineral undertones! Go no further, you've found your everyday white wine! Every time I serve this to friends at home they are amazed the quality of this wine for the price! Drinks like a wine twice its price! Enjoy
Price: $14.99 Add To Cart
Deligeroy Cremant de Loire Brut Rosé
 By: Christie Cartwright | Review Date: 2/2/2012 | Send Email
  This is one of my all time favorite Bubbly Rose and a fraction of the price of Champagne. A Cabernet Franc based rose from Loire Valley France, this dry and elegant cremant will leave you wanting more. It has subtle red berry and sweet herb undertones with its racy acid and minerality keep it refreshing but still full on the palate. Perfect for any gathering or romantic date, or just sip and savor alone! Its that good
Price: $12.99 Add To Cart
Conte di Santa Chiara Prosecco
 By: Christie Cartwright | Review Date: 2/2/2012 | Send Email
  The most amazing deal in Italian Prosecco at K&L to date! This is the perfect party and crowd pleasing bubbly that everyone will love! You can enjoy all it its lovely elegance on its own or get creative. Make an aperol spritz, a Bellini, a mimosa, a st. germain cocktail, you name it this bubbly does it all!
Price: $8.99 Add To Cart
2008 Chante Cigale Châteauneuf-du-Pape
 By: Christie Cartwright | Review Date: 2/1/2012 | Send Email
  A classic and voluptuous Chateauneuf Du Pape for the price! A direct import that will please your palate to the end! Lots of layers and complex black and red fruit tones as well. Dark Blueberry, pepper, vibrant acid and coaco on the palate and finish. Drink it now or cellar for a few years!
Price: $29.99 Add To Cart

WINE CLUB

Club Price: $24.99
WS 89
1997 d'Arche, Sauternes
 By: Steve Greer | Review Date: 2/1/2012 | Send Email
  I doubt that we’ll have any of this left by the time you read this because this is a tremendous value for a 14-year-old Sauterne. And, this wine is ready to drink right now. There is beautiful candied citrus, pure botrytis and honeycomb on the nose and palate. The acidity is completely integrated providing a soft, elegant palate.
Price: $39.99 Add To Cart RP 92
2007 La Croix de Beaucaillou, St-Julien
 By: Steve Greer | Review Date: 2/1/2012 | Send Email
  The second wine of Ducru is still showing lots of oak spice on the nose, but the palate has opened up showing plenty of currant and black cherry with a soft mouth feel. The tannins are very fine and show only a touch of astringency. The black cherry and spice linger on the finish.
Price: $39.99 Add To Cart
2008 Fonplegade, St-Emilion
 By: Steve Greer | Review Date: 2/1/2012 | Send Email
  This is a rich, modern Bordeaux. The nose is dominated by ripe, dark fruit and toasty oak. On the palate its rich black raspberry fruit is almost liqueur like. The astringent wood tannins dry out the finish a little, but the black raspberry lingers. This is a big, age-worthy St-Emilion for only $40.
Price: $39.99 Add To Cart RP 93 ST 91 WE 91
2010 Fonplégade, St-Emilion Pre-Arrival
 By: Steve Greer | Review Date: 2/1/2012 | Send Email
  This shows fragrant floral, spice and bright red fruit on the nose. The bright acidity is dominate on the finish with a lifted red-fruit aromatic. Ripe, rich fruit balances the slight astringency
Price: $39.99 Add To Cart RP 92-  94 JS 90-  91 WS 88-  91
2006 Baricci Brunello di Montalcino
 By: Jacques Moreira | Review Date: 2/1/2012 | Send Email
  Drinking nicely now, this is a perfect example of a great Brunello, and for less than $40. Complex, rich, balanced, cherries, smoke, Cinnamon, cloves, and even a touch of cocoa, all within a very nice earthy frame.
Price: $39.99 Add To Cart WE 90
2010 Silvano Follador Prosecco Valdobbiadene Brut
 By: Jacques Moreira | Review Date: 2/1/2012 | Send Email
  Perhaps the very best Prosecco producer we have right now in the house. And I hear they now have a "cult" status in Italy
Price: $19.99 Add To Cart
2009 Domaine Ballot-Millot & Fils Pommard 1er Cru "Pezerolles"
 By: Jacques Moreira | Review Date: 2/1/2012 | Send Email
  Oh… So Pommard! Book text classic. Smoked bacon and iron, almost meaty on the nose and on the palate as well. And talking about the palate, it is crazy delicious. Surely the bacon notes, but also cherries, chocolate, brown sugar and spices.
Price: $64.99 Add To Cart
2010 Domaine Paul Pernot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "Les Pucelles"
 By: Jacques Moreira | Review Date: 2/1/2012 | Send Email
  Beautiful, beautiful wine! Intense peach and perhaps some bee wax…which reminded me of a great Chenin from the Loire. Creamy , soft , palate with notes of butter and lemon curd as well. Rich and full of intense spicy flavors. Again, beautiful wine!
Price: $99.95 Add To Cart ST 92-  94
2009 Domaine Ballot-Millot & Fils Meursault 1er Cru "Charmes"
 By: Jacques Moreira | Review Date: 2/1/2012 | Send Email
  Tasted on our Burgundy staff training on 01/18/2012 and it was showing beautifully. Very classic Meursault notes of nuttiness and spices on the nose. Nice creamy texture on the palate with, cream, cloves, quite soft, elegant and seamless.
Price: $74.99 Add To Cart
2009 Ferrero Rosso di Montalcino
 By: Jacques Moreira | Review Date: 2/1/2012 | Send Email
  Now we're talking a perfect Sangiovese to bring home. With the pedigree of a Brunello, but with a much lower cost. This would be perfect accompaniment to your Italian soirée.
Price: $15.99 Add To Cart
2009 Kalinda "Cuvée Reserve" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
 By: Jim Barr | Review Date: 2/1/2012 | Send Email
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  An old fraternity brother of Clyde Beffa (K&L co-owner and Bordeaux Buyer) created this amazingly complex, richly flavored wine for us, and it should not be missed. This winemaker has a long track record in California including being responsible for some of the most famous Cabernets in California history. This is deep ruby in color, and not one of those over-the-top, in-your-face, low-acid-high-pH, high alcohol, jammy Cabernets that have been coming from many Napa Valley producers in the last decade. Instead it has a sense of balance, richness, focus, and complexity. The essence of currants, cassis, and blackberry saturate the room from this deeply colored gem when opened and aired. Rich, full, complex, integrated, yet balanced Cabernet fruit is delivered across your palate to a long, fleshy, well-focused finish. This drinks great now, but will age another five to ten years. It certainly will be one of our house reds for the month and well into the future. 14.5% ABV
Drink from 2015 to 2020
Price: $21.99 Add To Cart

WINE CLUB

Club Price: $19.99
HaandBryggeriet "Krokkebic," Wild Ale With Crowberries, Norway 500ml
 By: Jim Boyce | Review Date: 1/31/2012 | Send Email
  Funky, tart red fruit on the nose. Tart berry (blue and red, made with crowberry) on the palate with nice carbonation. Very approachable sour with bright fruit and no overwhelming bitterness. Delicious!
Price: $9.99 Add To Cart
2010 Domaine Renaud Mâcon-Charnay
 By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 1/31/2012 | Send Email
  Vintage after vintage this wine over delivers and the 2010 is no exception. As always this sees no oak what so ever and is a great antidote to all those overpriced, heavy and blousy chardonnays out there. This has rich, spicy apple fruit, fresh, flowery aromas and a round, generous middle. The lively citrus and mineral infused finish is very palate cleansing and keeps you reaching for another glass.
Price: $12.99 Add To Cart
2009 Sparrow Hawk Rutherford Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
 By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 1/31/2012 | Send Email
  If you like Cabernets from Rutherford but don't want to pay $50.00 or more you will love this little gem. This is dry and elegant with a long palate impression and a striking dusty finish. Layers of fruit, a touch of herb, mint and tobacco and great raw material make this an affordable bargain.
Price: $19.99 Add To Cart
2010 Domaine Renaud Mâcon-Charnay
 By: Jim Boyce | Review Date: 1/31/2012 | Send Email
  From the lower lying, warmer vineyards this wine is richer and weightier than the solutre. 2010 shows better mouth watering acidity than the 2009. Great citrus and stone fruit notes balanced by mineral makes another outstanding vintage from Renaud.
Price: $12.99 Add To Cart
2006 Baricci Brunello di Montalcino
 By: Mari Keilman | Review Date: 1/31/2012 | Send Email
  Hands down, Baricci is one of my favorite Brunello producers. Varietally classic without being to earthy and old world, this Brumello is rich, with spicy red cherry fruit and balanced perfectly with copius amounts of savory herb, leather and clean earth.
Price: $39.99 Add To Cart WE 90
Bernard Tornay Grand Brut
 By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 1/31/2012 | Send Email
  This is powerful grower Champagne. It is rich and intense yet still maintains focus and brighter lighter notes. A great apertif but this wine will really shine with meal.
Price: $39.99 Add To Cart
2010 Silvano Follador Prosecco Valdobbiadene Brut
 By: Mari Keilman | Review Date: 1/31/2012 | Send Email
  This isn't your grandma's prosecco! Accompanied by an abundance of upfront pear and quince on the palate, this bottle of bubbles is a star standout in a crowd of sweet competitors! Champagne fans take note...this prosecco will stand up to your favorite blanc de blancs.
Price: $19.99 Add To Cart
2010 Domaine Renaud Mâcon-Solutré
 By: Mari Keilman | Review Date: 1/31/2012 | Send Email
  Full of beautiful Macon freshness on the nose, the mid-palate fills out nicely with some Solutre minerality. Follow it up with an incredible honey finish, and you have a bargain white burgundy that stands it ground next to any lieux-dit designated chardonnay.
Price: $12.99 Add To Cart
2008 San Filippo Rosso di Montalcino "Lo Scorno"
 By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 1/31/2012 | Send Email
  It is all too easy to overlook 08 Rossos right now. This is one you should not, this is baby Brunello in the best sense. Dark fruit, with a nice earthy edge that is softened with just a touch of oak. Medium-full bodied, this is the perfect weeknight substitute for a Brunello.
Price: $19.99 Add To Cart
2010 Hugues Beaulieu Picpoul de Pinet
 By: Mari Keilman | Review Date: 1/31/2012 | Send Email
  While summer has come a little later in LA than usual, its only fitting that the arrival of the Beaulieu Picpoul de Pinet seems to have christen the beginning of hot days and warm nights! I admit...I'm an acid junkie...and this racy little wine satifies my "fix".
Price: $10.99 Add To Cart

WINE CLUB

Club Price: $8.99
2010 Weingut Allram Grüner Veltliner (1L)
 By: Mari Keilman | Review Date: 1/31/2012 | Send Email
  Citrus notes coupled with peach and apricot and fresh minerality are the perfect accompaniment to the bracing acidity and refreshingly crisp finish.
Price: $10.99 Add To Cart
2009 Vincent Girardin Santenay "Terre d'Enfance"
 By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 1/31/2012 | Send Email
  This wine has some significance for the Domain. This is the village where Vincent’s family has been growing grapes and making wine for generations, Vincent it the 11th! This wine is sourced from 6 locations around the village with the average vine age being 45 years old. This wine takes us to a different weight class from the previous offering. This wine is driven with red fruits which have more focus and verve to them. The palate is richer and has more substance, yet is perfectly balanced. The fruit, tannins and acidity are harmonious; there is not an edge to the wine. Beyond that the aromatics offer more spice and a subtle floral element. On the palate the dark red fruits play with an almost caramel like note and a very fine dusting of earthiness. There is nothing “lesser” about this wine.
Price: $24.99 Add To Cart
2009 Vincent Girardin Bourgogne Pinot Noir "Cuvée St. Vincent"
 By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 1/31/2012 | Send Email
  his is a perfect introduction to the red wines of Vincent Girardin. A cuvee that is aged 50% in stainless steel and 50% in old barrels. This wine is all about that beautiful 2009 fruit. Charming is the first adjective that jumps to mind. Dark fruit and berries roll across the palate and are picked up by just the right amount of tannins, there is just a touch of grip. There is just enough earthiness to this wine, to say Burgundy, but just in a raspy whisper.
Price: $18.99 Add To Cart
2010 Patient Cottat "Le Grand Caillou" Sauvignon Blanc
 By: Jim Barr | Review Date: 1/31/2012 | Send Email
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  If you loved the 2009, the 2010 will take you to another dimension. This de-classified Sancerre is a classic, with distinctive aromas of sweet grapefruit and lime zest with a wet river stone mineral tone that carries over to a clean, crisp, mouthwatering set of flavors. This is a must buy for such meals as shell fish and pastas with a white cream sauce. Rizzo has designated this Gem as our house white for the month and thereafter. 12.0% ABV (Jim Barr)
Drink from 2012 to 2015
Price: $10.99 Add To Cart
2009 Cécile Chassagne Gigondas
 By: Jim Barr | Review Date: 1/31/2012 | Send Email
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  As one of our first tastings of the year, my tasting group (Wednesday Night Fatally Flawed Palates) did a Southern Rhone Valley 2009 tasting of some of the best and greatest producers. This tasting, which included Vieux Telegraph, Andre Brunel, Mordoree Lirac “La Reine Des Bois, and Domaine Grand Veneur, Clos de Sixte” Lirac, this Gem finished second only several points back behind the Mordoree Lirac, with my score being first and at 19 ½ points out of 20 (U. C. Davis points). This is a classic southern Rhone Valley wine with opulent aromas of cassis, currants, white pepper, mocha, blueberry ,and game-like fruit, that carries across to a broad, lush, well-integrated, balanced mouthfeel, and a long, mouth-filling palate. This Gem, according to Rusty, will be our house red for the month and thereafter. 13.5% ABV (Jim Barr)
Drink from 2012 to 2020
Price: $19.99 Add To Cart ST 89-  91
2010 Urbanite Cellars "Amplio" California Cabernet Sauvignon
 By: Sarah Covey | Review Date: 1/31/2012 | Send Email
  I decidedly agree with our luscious description of this little bargain cab! Blackberries, black plum and nice spice make this a very easy, affordable- and TASTY!- red for parties or to keep around for everyday drinking! Well done, Urbanite Cellars! Keep those hits coming!
Price: $10.99 Add To Cart
2010 Fujanera "Bellalma" Falanghina
 By: Chris Miller | Review Date: 1/30/2012 | Send Email
  Ridiculously snappy, refreshing wine for the price. Pretty orange and pear blossom with a fresh herbacious quality that reminds me more of Vermentino or Verdicchio than Falanghina. From Puglia, but up in the cooler, more mountainous north. Highly recommended. CM
Price: $11.99 Add To Cart
2009 Pavie Macquin, St-Emilion Pre-Arrival
 By: Melissa Smith | Review Date: 1/30/2012 | Send Email
  I was about to quote my tasting notes directly out of my UGC book, but I didn't want to make anyone blush. Bottom line: this is one incredibly sexy wine that was ready to drink right out of the gate. Cassis, blackberry, toasted vanilla, and Saigon cinnamon.
Price: $129.99 Add To Cart RP 94-  96 WS 95 ST 91-  94
2009 Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Léognan Pre-Arrival
 By: Melissa Smith | Review Date: 1/30/2012 | Send Email
  One of the first wines I tasted at UGC, this is one powerful, masculin wine with dark fruit, spice, cigar box, and hints of tarragon.
Price: $169.99 Add To Cart RP 96-  98 WS 95-  98 WE 94-  96
2009 Léoville-Poyferré, St-Julien Pre-Arrival
 By: Melissa Smith | Review Date: 1/30/2012 | Send Email
  Lovely, polished,lush,incredibly aromatic with soft tannins and intense dark fruit.One of the best wines that I tasted from Saint Julien of the 2009 vintage.
Price: $189.99 Add To Cart RP 97-  100 WE 96 WS 93-  96
2009 Lynch-Bages, Pauillac Pre-Arrival
 By: Melissa Smith | Review Date: 1/30/2012 | Send Email
  For me this was the clear winner of the Fete tasting in January. Elegance with incredible structure, cigar box married with black currants and notes of mint and licorice. This wine will have you looking forward to 2047…
Price: $189.99 Add To Cart WS 96-  99 WE 95-  97 RP 94-  96
2009 Lagrange, St-Julien (1.5L)
 By: Ralph Sands | Review Date: 1/30/2012 | Send Email
  Very pure. High tone raspberry fruit. This is gentle, sweet and elegant.
Price: $109.99 Add To Cart WE 93-  95 WS 91-  94 RP 90-  93
2009 Lagrange, St-Julien (1.5L)
 By: Jeff Garneau | Review Date: 1/30/2012 | Send Email
  Superb presence and mouthfeel. Full-bodied and ripe. Fine tannins.
Price: $109.99 Add To Cart WE 93-  95 WS 91-  94 RP 90-  93
2009 Lynch-Bages Blanc, Pauillac
 By: Melissa Smith | Review Date: 1/30/2012 | Send Email
  A wine with stunning texture, supple fruit, and toasted almonds make this an absolute stunning white. I could not be more eager for this wine to come in!
Price: $39.99 Add To Cart
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