The History of the Pedro Ximénez Grape

The History of the Pedro Ximénez Grape

Mitchell Rabinowitz

Pedro Ximénez is widely recognized by name but rarely understood in detail. Most people associate it with sweet, viscous wines: dark, concentrated, and often poured over desserts. Few have seen the grape in the vineyard or followed its path through the drying mats, soleras, and cellars that define its identity.

Its origin is Spanish. For years, some claimed it came from Germany, but no evidence supported that theory. The oldest known reference to the grape appears not in Spain but in the Netherlands: a 1609 Amsterdam wine price list that mentions “Pieter Cemeynes.” This predates the first written reference in Spain, which comes from 1618. In the early 2000s, DNA analysis finally resolved the question of lineage. In 2007, a study confirmed that Pedro Ximénez is a natural offspring of the now-rare Arabic variety Gibi and is genetically a sibling of Alarije, a lesser-known grape from Extremadura.

The grape became associated most closely with Montilla-Moriles in Andalusia. Its role there has always been specific. It was not planted for dry table wines or sparkling base but for the production of naturally sweet wines. The chalky albariza soils in Montilla, combined with long, dry summers and wide diurnal ranges, allow the grapes to ripen with high sugar while retaining acidity. Albariza also holds moisture deep below the surface, sustaining the vines without irrigation in most vintages. Pedro Ximénez ripens early and evenly. Its bunches are large and loosely packed, with thin skins that can sunburn but are not especially vulnerable to rot. The grape is not drought-resistant but tolerates hydric stress when managed carefully. Most vines are bush-trained and widely spaced to cope with heat and maximize airflow. Yields vary depending on the intended style. For concentrated wines, many producers limit production in the vineyard.

The method used to extract sweetness from Pedro Ximénez is deliberate. Grapes are left on the vine until very ripe, then harvested by hand and laid on straw mats to dry in the sun. This technique, called asoleo, shrinks the berries, increases sugar content, and reduces water. The resulting must is dense and sticky. Fermentation rarely finishes. The sugar levels are too high, and most yeasts cannot survive in the resulting environment. In Montilla-Moriles, the wines are often unfortified because the must reaches sufficient alcohol on its own. In Jerez, fortification is standard.

There is a legal and stylistic distinction between the two regions. Jerez and Montilla-Moriles both produce sherry-style wines, but the Denominación de Origen Jerez-Xérès-Sherry allows only Palomino Fino for biologically aged styles. Pedro Ximénez grown in Jerez is typically used to sweeten oxidized wines like oloroso or amontillado, creating cream sherries. In Montilla-Moriles, PX is often bottled on its own. The region’s wines do not usually develop flor, and fortification is optional. However, under Spanish wine law, if PX grown in Montilla is aged for a minimum of two years in a certified bodega within the Sherry Triangle—Jerez, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, or El Puerto de Santa María—it may be labeled and sold as Sherry. This regulatory framework contributes to ongoing confusion about origin, style, and classification, especially since the two regions use similar techniques but approach the grape differently.

Pedro Ximénez nearly disappeared from parts of the Sherry region after the phylloxera epidemic in the late 19th century. When vineyards were re-grafted, many growers chose to focus on Palomino Fino, which was easier to manage and better suited to the biologically aged styles that defined the export market. As a result, PX now accounts for less than five percent of vineyard surface in Jerez. Its presence in Montilla-Moriles remained stronger, as the local style continued to rely on late harvest and oxidative aging.

Well-made PX wines are dark brown with gold or amber at the rim. They have a thick, almost syrupy texture and display concentrated flavors of dried fig, date, molasses, bitter orange, dark chocolate, and roasted coffee. Older examples, especially those aged for thirty years or more, begin to show additional notes of dried herbs, tar, and smoke. These savory characteristics do not erase the sweetness but give the wines more complexity and a firmer structure. Younger bottlings are best served chilled to around 10°C, while long-aged PX is more expressive at 12 to 14°C. Once opened, the wines remain stable for weeks. Soleras in Montilla often include components aged for decades, replenished slowly and monitored with precision.

The variety is known by many names depending on region and context. Synonyms include Alamais, Don Bueno, Pero Ximen, Ximénez, and Perrum, the latter being used in parts of Portugal. These names point to a wide historical spread and adaptation across Iberia and beyond, even if most production today is concentrated in Andalusia.

For most of the 20th century, Pedro Ximénez was treated as an ingredient rather than a variety in its own right. That perception began to change in the 1980s and 1990s. Producers in Montilla-Moriles led the shift. Bodegas like Toro Albalá, Alvear, and Robles began to bottle PX as a stand-alone expression. More recently, others such as Lustau, Ximénez-Spínola, and Williams & Humbert have contributed to the renewed focus, offering bottlings that reflect both aging depth and regional precision. These producers did not alter the fundamental approach. They made the same wines with greater attention to detail and transparency of source.

Today, Pedro Ximénez is no longer defined only by what it adds to a blend. When grown and handled with care, it is capable of producing complex, age-worthy wines with structure, persistence, and balance.