The 2012 Amplus Sauvignon Blanc from the Leyda Valley undergoes a 50% whole bunch pressing. It has a crisp, grassy, gooseberry bouquet with touches of chalk dust. The palate is bright and sparkly, with crisp sour lemon notes mingling with grass clippings and orange zest. This is a great little Sauvignon. Drink now-2013. Santa Ema traces its roots back to 1956 when “Don” Pedro and his son, Felix Pavone-Arbea, began making wine and selling it to restaurants and shops. This was one of the more satisfying tastings from Chile: a dependable set of wines with some excellent entry-level varietals that punched above their weight. More thought seems to have gone into these wines that exhibited fine balance and freshness and, to be honest, it was only at the premium end that they succumbed to excessive new oak that blotted out what appeared to be some excellent fruit. Still, overall, Santa Ema is certainly producing wines that show what Cachapoal can do? in the right hands.Importer: TGIC Importers Inc, Woodland Hills, CA; tel. (818) 225-5100