Patrick Hurley - importer of Santa Ema

Visited today by a gentleman from Chile bearing half-a-dozen bottles of wine under the Santa Ema label. Patrick Hurley travelled from Chile 14 months ago leaving his wife and daughters behind (he brought his son with him) to import and distribute a range of Chilean wines from one producer – Santa Ema.

That’s a daunting task given the recession, wine glut and cheap image of Chilean wines in this country (an image that’s incorrect but not undeserved given the labels that have tried and mostly failed here).

Santa Ema has 500 hectares of own vineyards and (significantly) no growers. It has a state-of-the-art winery that I think I visited during a whirlwind visit to Chile many years ago (couldn’t find my notes to confirm I’d seen it).

We tasted a selection of reds only in two price categories: Barrel Select (Syrah, Carmenere and Cab.Sauv./Merlot) at $19.95 and Reserve (Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon) at $24.95. I also tasted a stonking $49.95 Cabernet Sauvignon that was well worth the money. Santa Ema makes a flagship $99.95 range which weren’t offered to me.

The bottom line …

All of the wines were well made showing good varietal character and clearly offering good value. Best value by far was Santa Ema 2006 Barrel Select Syrah. For a mere $19.95 this dense wine is packed with pure, bright plum, berry and spice flavours. It’s deliciously drinkable now but shows every sign of being able to age very well indeed.