Earlier this year I attended a Pinot Gris blind tasting - all we knew was that the wines were going to be Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio, Grauburgunder or any other of the countless synonyms of this pink-to-gray Pinot.
I’ve always said that Pinot Gris reaches its best expression in Alsace. Sure, this rich, oily and seldom bone-dry style of white is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I think Pinot Gris rarely produces white wines of great interest if made in a crisp, youthful, light-bodied style. The limpid, watery Pinot Grigios made in and around Veneto are the worst offenders, but for some reason many producers in new world countries want to make Pinot Gris in this style as well. I really don’t understand why - Pinot Gris makes wonderful whites of richness and substance, but most other white varieties are so much better at making brisk, refreshing whites. (Pinot Gris often makes superb skin-contact whites, though!)
Fortunately most - if not all - wines we had from the US of A here were made in a more substantial style, not just bland Pinot Grigio imitation. Curiously some of the older bottles were completely DOA whereas others were performing just fine.
But even if we had a few terrific American Pinot Grigios, I’m still going to stick with my original view of Alsace as the best spot to make world-class PG. Germany does excel in making some thrilling Grau(er)burgunders, but the styles these wines represent can be all over the place and the level of quality is still pretty variable.
Anyways, a fun evening and Alsace performed as well as I expected - although there were a few very serious competitors outside of Alsace as well!
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2017 Lumos Wine Company Pinot Gris Rudolfo - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (17.1.2023)
100% organically farmed Pinot Gris from a 10-acre Logsdon Ridge vineyard owned by the Rudolph family. Vinified and aged in stainless steel. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Rather pale and quite neutral whitish-green color. Ripe but also vaguely plastic-y nose with aromas of juicy yellow fruit, some white peach, light cantaloupe notes, a little bit something reminiscent of plastic and industrial and a whiff of alcohol. The wine is broad, slightly warm and moderately spicy on the palate with a quite full body and mellow, vague flavors of apple jam and spicy red apple, some ripe pear, a little bit of alcohol and a hint of plastic. The medium acidity doesn't give much freshness or focus to the wine. The finish is broad, round and somewhat warm with medium-long flavors of ripe yellow apple, some waxy tones, a little bit of juicy white peach and a woolly hint of lanolin.
A round, somewhat dull and a bit fat Pinot Gris with a rather big body but very little of anything else. The wine is lacking in intensity, depth and freshness quite badly. I don't know if this is just a wine that was meant to be drunk within only a few years and is now, at 5½ years of age, already past its peak, but if that is the case, it's quite sad. Can't say this wine was worth the 23€.
(74 points) -
2007 Cline Cellars Pinot Gris - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (17.1.2023)
13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Very evolved, medium-deep bronze color. The nose feels oxidative and tertiary with aromas of smoke, some bruised apple, light fragrant notes of dried perfumed flowers and a hint of wild honey. The wine is broad, complex and tertiary on the palate with a full body and very developed flavors of roasted nuts and bruised apple, some exotic notes of curry spices, a little bit of Sultana raisin, light sweet notes of peach jam and a hint of greengage. The medium acidity doesn't lend much freshness or structure to the wine. The finish is evolved, juicy and somewhat oxidative with a rather long but somewhat tired aftertaste of bruised apple, some raisiny notes of Sultana, a little bit of chopped nuts, light succulent notes of mirabelle plums and a hint of curry spices.
A very aged, moderately oxidative and quite tired yet still surprisingly drinkable and balanced Pinot Gris. It feels like the wine has turned oxidative quite some time ago, but has retained enough fruit so that it hasn't dried up too badly with age, but instead has this sort of tertiary juiciness to counterpoint the more oxidative notes of roasted nuts and curry spices. While still drinkable, this wine isn't what it is supposed to be - and probably hasn't been for at least a decade. Enjoyable, but in a very generic, anonymous and oxidative sort of way. The wine wasn't expensive at 15€, but I still wouldn't say it was worth the price.
(80 points) -
2021 Scarbolo Friuli Grave Pinot Grigio Il Ramato - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli Grave (17.1.2023)
Made with Pinot Gris grapes that are macerated for a short period of time with the fermenting must so that the wine takes on a coppery hue. 13,5% alcohol and 5,5 g/l acidity. Tasted blind.
Pale seared salmon color. The nose feels fragrant and youthful, almost primary, with aromas of pear and gummi bear, some ripe red apple, light sweet and herby notes of basil and a hint of cantaloupe. The wine is fruity, juicy and dry-ish on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and vibrant flavors of ripe Golden Delicious apple and succulent white peach, some vague spicy tones, a little bit of apple jam and light primary notes of fruit jellies. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine nicely in balance. The finish is youthful, round and fruity with a moderately long and juicy aftertaste of pear, some white peach, light spicy notes and a primary hint of jelly candies.
A nice and pleasant little "rosé". Technically this is an orange wine with limited skin contact, but if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it is virtually a duck, er, rosé. Nothing too serious, but nothing to complain, either. Maybe a bit too primary, still - I guess the wine could benefit from a little bit of additional aging in the hopes it'd lose its candied primary fruit notes. Perhaps a tad expensive for the quality at 19,99€.
(86 points) -
2006 Morgan Pinot Gris R & D Franscioni Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (17.1.2023)
A single-vineyard Pinot Gris, fermented in stainless steel, aged for a short period in neutral French oak barrels and then in stainless steel tanks. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Slightly evolved, medium-deep lemon-yellow color. Rich, fragrant and somewhat waxy nose with aromas of honey and beeswax, some ripe apricot tones, a little bit of toasty brioche and custard pastry, light golden apple nuances and a developed hint of nuttiness. The wine is broad, balanced and somewhat evolved on the palate with a moderately full body and quite intense flavors of juicy red apple, some toasty notes of brioche and nuttiness, light marzipan tones, a juicy hint of white peach and a touch of stony minerality. The high acidity lends great sense of structure and freshness to the wine and the moderately high alcohol makes the wine feel slightly warm. The finish is long, dry and quite complex with a ripe, intensely flavors aftertaste of cantaloupe and juicy red apple, some leesy creamy tones, a little bit of white currant, light toasty notes of chopped nuts and sourdough crispbread, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of marzipan.
A balanced, vibrant and quite intensely flavored Pinot Gris that turned out to be much more youthful than I anticipated! I was both impressed and positively surprised by the wine: it was not just fully alive for a Californian Pinot Gris over 15 years old, but also showing great sense of both freshness and complexity! The style here is a bit different from the Pinot Gris wines they make in Alsace, but I guess the Alsatian style with their ripe fruit and tactile presence is the closest analogy here. Although not a wine to blow anyone's socks off, this was still much better than most of us could anticipate from a 16,5 years old Californian Pinot Gris. A terrific wine that will at least keep - if not improve further - for a good handful of years more. Superb value at just 20€.
(91 points) -
2015 St. Innocent Pinot Gris Vitae Springs Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (17.1.2023)
A single-vineyard Pinot Gris made with fruit sourced from two parcels: Home Block planted in 1986 and Inwood Block planted in 1999. Harvested on 25th of September, aged on the lees for 8 months in stainless steel tanks and bottled in June 2016. 13,5% alcohol. Total production 1026 cases. Tasted blind.
Pale, almost colorless whitish-green color. Dull and quite listless nose lacking fruit; there are just vague aromas of damp wool, some vague waxy tones and a hint of lackluster floral character. The wine feels juicy, broad and quite round on the palate with a rather full body and pretty dull, off-dry flavors of apple jam, some spicy tones, a little bit of damp wool, light boozy notes of alcohol, a hint of white peach and a touch of chalk dust. The medium acidity doesn't give much structure or energy to the wine and the alcohol shows through quite a bit as there is really nothing to mask it. The finish is ripe, juicy and moderately warm with a short, off-dry aftertaste of vague white fruits, some apple jam, light sweet notes of cantaloupe and a woolly hint of lanolin.
A dull, bland and lifeless Pinot Gris that is supposedly made in an Alsatian style, but basically the only things that remind me of Alsatian Pinot Gris here are full body and somewhat off-dry taste. Unlike Alsatian Pinot Gris wines, which can be quite unctuous and powerful with very concentrated fruit flavors, this was just underwhelming and anonymous, showing only a little bit of ripe, lackluster fruit. It's hard to say whether the wine was supposed to be this way or if the wine had faded away with age, ie. was just too old for its own good. I doubt the bottle was off, because the 2014 vintage we tasted next to this was almost identical in style. At 24€ this was a rip-off.
(66 points) -
2014 St. Innocent Pinot Gris Vitae Springs Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (17.1.2023)
A single-vineyard Pinot Gris made with fruit sourced from two parcels: Home Block planted in 1986 and Inwood Block planted in 1999. Harvested on 30th of September, aged on the lees for 6 months in stainless steel tanks and bottled in June 2015. 13,5% alcohol. Total production 770 cases. Tasted blind.
Pale and quite neutral lemon-yellow color. Surprisingly, the wine has no nose. Like, whatsoever. No matter how much you look for, you really can't smell anything - maybe apart from a vague hint of alcohol suggesting that this liquid in my glass might be wine. The wine feels juicy, round and quite flavorless on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and rather neutral medium-dry flavors of vague ripe Golden Delicious apple or apple jam. The medium-plus acidity doesn't lend much freshness or structure to the wine. The finish is short, watery and quite neutral with a subtly sweetish aftertaste of some ripe white fruit.
This might just be the most neutral wine I've ever tasted. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong in the wine from a quality perspective - this isn't a faulty wine. It just lacks any and all aromas and taste. The producer claims they aim for the "Alsatian style" with their Pinot Gris wines, but based on a sample of two vintages, I beg to differ. I honestly don't see the point of a wine like this. Definitely not worth the 24€.
(64 points) -
2017 Eugène Schnebelen et ses filles Pinot Gris Rangen de Thann Clos de la Chapelle St. Urbain - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (17.1.2023)
13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Luminous, medium-deep golden yellow color. Very ripe and expressive nose with intense aromas of canned pineapple and rich honeyed character, some apple jam, light perfumed floral tones, a youthful hint of grapey fruit and a touch of nectarine. The wine feels ripe, structured and quite concentrated on the palate with a full body and intense dry-to-dry-ish flavors of fresh white peach and apple jam, some spicy tones, a little bit of beeswax and honeyed richness, light crunchy notes of quince, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of canned peach. The wine is surprisingly fresh and precise for its size and ripeness, all thanks to its bright, focused acidity. The finish is dry, long and concentrated with an intense aftertaste of ripe red apple, some spicy tones, a little bit of honeycomb, light stony mineral nuances, a hint of canned peach and a youthful touch of ripe grapey fruit.
A very balanced, concentrated and surprisingly fresh and precise Alsatian Pinot Gris that is vinified maybe slightly drier than many Grand Cru Pinot Gris wines are today. What's important, though, is that the wine shows the minerality and high acidity that are the hallmarks of Grand Cru Rangen - both vital in making the wine feel so impressive and promising. Although the wine is drinking nicely right now, it is still maybe a bit too youthful for my preference and I can see this wine easily aging and improving for another decade or even more. A great purchase at 22€. Highly recommended.
(93 points) -
2017 Weingut Salwey Oberrotweiler Henkenberg Grauburgunder Großes Gewächs - Germany, Baden (17.1.2023)
13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Pale-to-medium-deep lemon-yellow color with faint greenish highlights. The nose feels remarkably Burgundian with reductive and slightly toasty aromas of gunpowder smoke, some nectarine, a little bit of spicy wood, light cantaloupe tones, a hint of nuttiness, a sweeter touch of apple jam and a whiff of exotic spices. The wine is dry, firm and quite structured on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of lemony citrus fruits and crunchy quince, some woody notes of oaky spice, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of creamy oak, a hint of fresh red apple and a touch of smoky reduction. The high acidity lends terrific sense of focus and structure to the wine. The dry finish is long and acid-driven with an intense, focused aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, some toasty notes of oak spice, a little bit of stony minerality, light creamy oak tones, a reductive hint of gunpowder smoke and a touch of fresh nectarine.
A remarkably fresh, precise and surprisingly Burgundian Pinot Gris that has the full body and tactile presence typical of the variety, but is otherwise surprisingly firm and acid-driven for the variety - I'm not complaining! However, the wine is still a bit too youthful for my preference - especially the oak impact is a bit too much to the fore and could really use some additional cellaring in the hopes that aging could integrate the woody tones with the fruit. Thanks to the subtle, (PYCM-or-Coche-like) smoky reduction and quite judicious use of oak, this Pinot Gris bears no similarity to its Alsatian peers right across the border, but instead more to the fine wines of Burgundy. Although a very lovely wine already now, I feel this wine is more about future potential at the moment; I'd let the wine age for another 5-10 years - even if it seems like it could age easily for a lot longer. Terrific stuff, an excellent purchase at approx. 34€.
(92 points) -
2016 Domaine Maurice Schoech Pinot Gris Alsace Grand Cru Schlossberg - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (17.1.2023)
13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Medium-deep yellow-green color. Big, concentrated nose with rich aromas of peach, some honeyed tones, a little bit of sweet Golden Delicious apple, light beeswaxy tones and a bright hint of fresh white fruits. The wine feels broad, clean and ripe on the palate with a quite full body and moderately intense off-dry flavors of juicy white peach, some apple jam, light spicy tones, a little bit of exotic floral character, a hint of cantaloupe and a touch of beeswax. The mouthfeel is somewhat viscous, but there is enough acidity to keep the wine fresh and balanced throughout its length. The finish is rich and juicy with a long, somewhat off-dry-ish aftertaste of ripe white peach, some apple jam, light waxy tones, a little bit of exotic spices and a hint of honey.
A lovely, balanced and classically styled Pinot Gris that sports a little bit of residual sugar, yet doesn't let it take the lead. Good sense of harmony here - the wine is drinking really well right now, but I can see this wine benefiting from additional age and tertiary complexity. Terrific value at 17€.
(92 points) -
2015 Josmeyer Pinot Gris Hengst - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (17.1.2023)
Made with biodynamically farmed grapes sourced from three parcels within Grand Cru Hengst, average vine age is 35 years. The grapes are pressed slowly in whole bunches and fermented spontaneously in large, centenarian oak casks. Aged on the lees until the wine is bottled in the middle of the summer following the harvest. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Pale-to-medium-deep golden yellow color. Fragrant, somewhat floral and beautifully characterful nose with aromas of juicy golden apples, some acacia honey, light spicy notes, a little bit of beeswax, light apricot tones and a hint of candied ginger. The wine feels rich, broad and fruity on the palate with a full body and quite concentrated flavors of ripe golden apples, some beeswax, light juicy notes of white peach, a little bit of stony minerality, a hint of pineapple and a touch of exotic spices. The surprisingly high acidity lends great sense of balance and structure to the wine. The finish is long, ripe and quite powerful with a juicy aftertaste of ripe peach, some pineapple, light stony mineral tones, a little bit of honey, light perfumed floral nuances, a hint of apple jam and a touch of savory exotic spices.
A beautiful, classically styled and eminently delicious Alsatian Pinot Gris with a lot of power, depth and concentration but also enough acidity to back it all up. The wine is very true to the region and to the variety, but what is best is that the wine isn't made into a lush, voluptuous monster wine as many Pinot Gris wines from Grand Cru vineyards often are - there might be a little bit of residual sugar here, but the overall style is quite dry - yet the wine isn't too high in ABV! This kind of fine balance between power and freshness is something I'd love to see more often in Alsatian Grand Cru Pinot Gris wines. This particular wine is in an excellent shape right now, but I have no doubts it will age and improve gracefully for many, many more years. Good value at 35€.
(93 points) -
2016 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Gris Dundee Hills - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (17.1.2023)
100% Pinot Gris sourced from multiple vineyards averaging 28 years in age. Fermented spontaneously, full MLF, aged for 11 months on the lees in stainless steel tanks. 12,5% alcohol. tasted blind.
Youthful, pale yellow-green color. Sappy and slightly green-toned nose with aromas of fresh red apples and some zesty citrus fruits, a little bit of brackish sea water, light mineral notes of chalk dust, a hint of fresh quince, a touch of aromatic green herbs and a whiff of grassy herbaceous character. The wine feels fresh, balanced and quite mellow on the palate with a moderately full body and ripe, slightly sweetly-fruited and somewhat mild flavors of juicy Golden Delicious apple, some fresh white peach, light crunchy notes of white currant and a hint of cantaloupe. The medium-plus acidity keeps the wine in balance, but doesn't lends that much structure to the wine. The finish is juicy, ripe and quite long with a medium-long aftertaste of slightly sweet white peach, some herby green tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light zesty citrus fruit tones and a hint of cantaloupe.
A nice and thoroughly drinkable but ultimately quite generic and straightforward Pinot Gris with relatively little character of its own. The wine is quite fruity and round, but it doesn't have that much depth, structure or length. Though clean and quite balanced, there is very little of anything to keep the drinker engaged. I don't know why I would choose this wine over an Alsatian Pinot Gris that can be noticeably better at half the price. I feel the wine really isn't worth the price at 25€.
(85 points) -
2015 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Gris Original Vines - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (17.1.2023)
100% Pinot Gris made with fruit sourced from the "original vines" planted back in 1965 in Dundee Hills, Oregon. Fermented spontaneously in small stainless steel tanks, full MLF. Aged for 8 months on the lees, bottled unfiltered and without any SO2 in May 2016. 13,1% alcohol, 5,6 g/l acidity and pH 3,48. Total production 557 cases. Tasted blind.
Medium-deep and quite concentrated yet still surprisingly youthful yellow-green color. The nose feels fragrant, characterful and even slightly sauvage with subtly lifted aromas of plantain and sweet greengage, some volatile notes of nail polish, a little bit of apple sauce, light quince marmalade tones, a hint of ripe grapey fruit and a touch of exotic fruit cocktail. The wine feels firm, balanced and a bit wild on the palate with a medium body and layered flavors of ripe Golden Delicious apple and juicy white peach, some herby spices, a little bit of greengage and grapey fruit, light lifted notes of nail polish VA, a hint of waxy funk and a slightly salty touch of mineral water. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine effortlessly in balance and lends a little bit of freshness to the overall feel. The finish is rich and juicy yet pretty dry with a layered and quite lengthy aftertaste of apple jam and pear juice, some fresh white peach, light grapey tones, a little bit of nail polish, a hint of quince marmalade and a touch of stony minerality.
After the somewhat bland and generic 2016 Eyrie Pinot Gris this 2015 Original Vines version was a huge leap in character and quality. Well, not quality per se; both the wines were of high quality. This wine was just on a completely different level compared to the entry-level bottling: there is much more depth and intensity to the fruit, and even though the lack of SO2 lends a subtle yet easily noticeable natural wine character to the wine, this wine isn't particularly funky or natty in any way - it just has a bit of extra twist to the vibrant, ripe fruit. Although this wine isn't anything exceptional that would blow anyone's socks off, this is still among the best new world Pinot Gris wines I've tasted. Fine stuff. Perhaps a bit on the pricey side at 45€, but not excessively so.
(91 points) -
2011 Famille Hebinger Pinot Gris Hengst - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (17.1.2023)
Made with biodynamically farmed grapes sourced Grand Cru Hengst. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Medium-deep honey-yellow color. Rich yet not particularly expressive nose with fine-tuned aromas of poached peaches, some exotic spicy tones, a little bit of beeswax, light floral nuances and a hint of honey. The wine is rich, balanced and a bit soft on the palate with a full body and medium-sweet flavors of apple jam and tinned peaches, some ripe pineapple tones, a little bit of beeswax, light spicy notes of wild honey, a hint of stony minerality and a fragrant touch of floral lift. The moderately high acidity doesn't do much to offset the sweetness from the residual sugar, but it helps to keep the wine nicely in balance while giving the wine some sense of structure. The finish is juicy and rather sweet with a quite long aftertaste of overripe nectarine, some pineapple, a little bit of stony minerality, light spicy tones and a hint of apple jam.
A pleasant, balanced and tasty Grand Cru Pinot Gris made in a rich, medium-sweet style. Very harmonious and thoroughly enjoyable stuff, but nothing that'd blow your socks off. I guess this would be a spectacular pairing with aromatic cheeses but probably goes nicely with piquant Asian dishes that call for sweetness and ripe yet not powerful fruit. At only 12€ this wine has been an excellent purchase.
(89 points) -
2005 Schoffit Pinot Gris Tradition - France, Alsace (17.1.2023)
13,8% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Deep, evolved bronze color. At first the nose is quite a shock, smelling more or less like canned tuna. However, with some air, the nose opens up to more agreeable yet quite tertiary aromas of chopped nuts and cooked rutabaga, some caramel tones, light smoky nuances, a little bit of burnt sugar, a hint of sweet raisiny fruit and a toasty touch of brioche. The wine feels broad, oxidative and moderately oily on the palate with a full body and off-dry-to-medium-sweet flavors of bruised apple and toasty nuttiness, some honeyed tones, a little bit of malt syrup, light Barley Wine tones, a tangy hint of aldehydic salinity and sorrel and a touch of caramel. The alcohol lends a bit of heat to the palate and the medium-to-moderately high acidity keeps the wine somewhat in balance. The finish feels sweetish yet tangy and oxidative with a quite long aftertaste of chopped nuts, some grainy malt tones, a little bit of honeyed richness, light bruised apple tones, a hint of dried pineapple and a touch of Barley Wine.
Unlike the bottle we had a year ago, which was in a great spot - coming across as almost youthful for its age - this wine was in a noticeably more aged shape, already sliding downhill. The nose was pretty horrible at first, smelling more like canned tuna and cat food than wine, but fortunately all that funk blew off quite quickly and the wine turned out to be quite enjoyable after all. However, based on the rather oxidative, noticeably nutty overall character and somewhat malty overtones, it seems obvious that this wine has advanced past the point where it should be. But then again, at just 13,10€, the loss is bearable.
(82 points) -
2007 Joseph Cattin Pinot Gris Vendanges Tardives - France, Alsace (17.1.2023)
14% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Luminous, deep golden yellow color with an amber core. The nose feels intense and somewhat aged with aromas of acacia honey and dried pineapple, some nutty notes of slivered almond, light bruised apple tones, a little bit of tinned apricot, a slightly dull, tertiary hint of vague dustiness and a touch of poached pear. The wine feels quite sweet and rather broad on the palate with a full-body and rich flavors of apple jam, some dried peach, light pineapple tones, a little bit of beeswax, a savory hint of saline minerality and a touch of exotic spices. The rather high acidity keeps the wine very nicely in balance and lends good sense of structure to the wine. The finish is long, sweet and slightly warm with a complex aftertaste of pineapple and tinned peach, some apple jam, light spicy notes, a little bit of beeswax, a tertiary hint of caramel and a touch of nuttiness.
A lovely, balanced and pleasantly evolved late harvest Pinot Gris with good sense of complexity. I tasted this wine 10 years ago almost exactly by the day, and back then I wrote how the wine will probably develop for the next 10-15 years or even more. Well, it's safe to say I was correct - the wine is still drinking wonderfully and has developed some lovely, tertiary depth. However, I must point out that the nose has also developed a sort of dull, vaguely dusty note that doesn't feel like TCA, but instead some aged funk kind of thing. I doesn't really show through in the taste, but it does take a bit of pleasure from the aroma, which is why I'm not rating the wine as highly as I would've otherwise. Still, even with that off note in the nose, this is a harmonious, wonderfully balanced and beautifully evolved VT Pinot Gris that continue to both drink and cellar very nicely for years more. Superb value at 17,80€.
(93 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
If we want any Josmeyer wines, we need to source them abroad!