Sexto Info

Laely Heron's new wine from Terra Alta, Spain

Why? Catalonia is the hottest area of Spain, perhaps Europe…perhaps the world! The wines of this region, and the
food, have achieved huge international renown. Why miss the opportunity to “get in” early? I’ve been coming to Spain
since the early 80’s, when I studied enology in Bordeaux and have always wanted to create something here. Since I
don’t know of any other Americans making wine in this fantastic place, I went for the adventure of making
wine in an area I think has huge promise.

The Area: Terra Alta is the southern-most DO in Catalonia and has the lowest rainfall and the highest summer
temperatures. Terra Alta literally means ‘high lands,” and has superb microclimates with great soil and fabulous
drainage. Vines grow on steep terraces identical to Priorat, its northwestern neighbor, 13 km away.

Interesting information:   Priorat has experienced huge growth; in the last 5 years, plantings have multiplied five-fold. That means lots of new wines
made from very young grapes. Terra Alta, on the other hand, afforded me the possibility of old vines: 30 year-old Grenache, 60 year-old Carignan, 12 year-
old Tempranillo, 60 year-old Lledoner Pelut Noir and 10 year-old plantings of both Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.

History:   Archaeological evidence suggests that the Phoenicians introduced winemaking to Catalonia and traded ancient Catalan wines with the
Egyptians. The Priorat DOQ has been producing wine since the 12th century when Carthusian monks planted a vineyard and established a priory from
which the region took its name. Thankfully, they planted low yielding, high quality varietals such as Grenache and Carignan. In the modern era, Terra Alta
stayed an undiscovered gem in the region due to its continued inaccessibility and difficult terrain.

The Wine:   Sexto itself is a blend of six different grapes, Grenache, Carignan, Tempranillo, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and the ancient grape Lledoner
Pelut Noir. In fact, it was the addition of that sixth varietal (a cousin to Grenache) that made all the difference for me. I wanted to make a wine that is at the
same time original, traditional, and has a modern twist.

The 2005 Sexto is fresh, fruit-laden, spicy and quite distinctive. This delicious wine captures the unmistakable flavor and character of northeastern
Spain.