Pedro Ximenez, also known as PX, is a white grape variety that is primarily used to make sweet, dessert wines. It is most commonly grown in the Andalusian region of Spain, particularly in the Denominations of Origin (DO) of Montilla-Moriles and Jerez-Xérès-Sherry, where it is used to produce a very sweet, dark, dessert sherry.
These wines are characterized by their intense sweetness, with flavors of molasses, brown sugar, figs, and dried fruits. They are often thick and syrupy in texture and have a very long finish.
The Pedro Ximenez grapes are often laid out in the sun after harvest in a process called "asoleo" which allows them to partially raisinate, concentrating the sugars and flavors and giving the resulting wine its distinctive character.
While most well-known for dessert wines, the Pedro Ximenez varietal can also be used to produce dry styles of sherry and also some distinctive dry table wines. These wines are less common, but still offer a unique expression of the grape.
