Pedro Ximénez

Pedro Ximénez (PX)

What it is

The grapes are laid out on esparto mats in the September sun for a week or more — the soleo — until they are raisins, and the press yields a must so sugary that yeast can barely work on it. What is bottled carries around 400 grams of sugar a litre, black as treacle, tasting of raisin, fig and liquorice.

In the kitchen

Use it as a sauce, not a wine: a spoonful over vanilla ice cream, or over blue cheese. In a jus a tablespoon is the ceiling — more and it sets to toffee on the plate as it cools.

Goes with

Vanilla Dark chocolate Blue cheese Raisin Fig Walnut

Same species

Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale DOP Amontillado Armagnac Banyuls Brandy de Jerez Champagne vinegar

Also used with

Muscat raisin of Málaga

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