wein.plus
Attention
You are using an old browser that may not function as expected.
For a better, safer browsing experience, please upgrade your browser.

Log in Become a Member

Pedro Ximénez

The white grape variety originates from Spain. Synonyms grouped alphabetically by country are Pedro Gimenez Rio Colorado (Argentina); Pedro (Australia); Pedro Jimenez (Chile); Perrum (Portugal); Don Bueno, Pedro Ximenes, Pero Ximén, PX, Ximen, Ximenecia, Ximénez, Ximenecia and Zalema Colchicina (Spain); Uva Pedro Ximénez, Uva Pero Ximénez, Verdello (Canary Islands/Spain). Despite seemingly suggestive synonyms or morphological or name similarities, it should not be confused with the Elbling, Galego Dourado (False Pedro), Pedro Giménez or Riesling varieties. According to DNA analyses carried out in 2007, it is a direct descendant of the leading variety Hebén (Gibi); the second parent is unknown. The Pedro Ximénez Seedless variety is a seedless mutation. Pedro Ximénez was a crossing partner of the five new varieties Caballete, Cantaro (2), Muscat du Moulin, Pajolera and Valvin Muscat.

Pedro Ximenez - Weintraube und Blatt

According to a document from 1636, the German Peter Siemens, a soldier of Emperor Charles V (1500-1558), planted a vine from the banks of the Rhine in Málaga, which was allegedly the Elbling or Riesling variety. The spelling "Ximénez" is supposedly a corruption of the German name "Siemens". This was subsequently also claimed by renowned authors such as Balthasar Sprenger (1724-1791) and August-Wilhelm Freiherr von Babo (1827-1894). However, the German origin was clearly refuted by DNA analyses.

The medium-ripening vine is highly susceptible to botrytis and downy mildew. It produces high-alcohol but low-acid white wines. In Spain, the variety is mainly cultivated in the regions of Andalusia, Extremadura and Valenciana, as well as on the Canary Islands. After Palomino, it is the second most important variety for sherry and one of the varieties is named after it. It is also authorised in the dessert wines of Malaga and Montilla-Moriles. The area under cultivation in Spain is 8,528 hectares. In Portugal, it is grown on 259 hectares, mainly in the Alentejo region. There are also small populations in Argentina, Australia (20 hectares), California, Peru (1 hectare), South Africa (2 hectares) and Uruguay. In 2016, a total of 8,810 hectares of vineyards were designated. This puts it in 80th place in the global grape variety ranking (Kym Anderson).

Source: Wine Grapes / J. Robinson, J. Harding, J. Vouillamoz / Penguin Books Ltd. 2012
Images: Ursula Brühl, Doris Schneider, Julius Kühn Institute (JKI)

Voices of our members

Thorsten Rahn

The Wine lexicon helps me to keep up to date and refresh my knowledge. Thank you for this Lexicon that will never end in terms of topicality! That's what makes it so exciting to come back often.

Thorsten Rahn
Restaurantleiter, Sommelier, Weindozent und Autor; Dresden

The world's largest Lexicon of wine terms.

26,379 Keywords · 46,983 Synonyms · 5,323 Translations · 31,713 Pronunciations · 202,093 Cross-references
made with by our author Norbert F. J. Tischelmayer. About the Lexicon

EVENTS NEAR YOU

PREMIUM PARTNERS