How our Pedro Ximénez is made

Hello! In today’s article I am going to explain how one of our best wines, Pedro Ximénez, is made. To do this, I have been very lucky to have the collaboration of our wine cellar manager, Anastasio García, who better than the person responsible for supervising the entire process, to explain to us how to obtain this precious liquid.

This great professional, apart from being very good at his job, is a very accessible person and did not hesitate to dedicate a few minutes of his valuable time to explain each step of the process to me, so from here, I greatly appreciate his collaboration.

Our Pedro Ximénez

Pedro Ximénez is the most delicate and laborious wine of all those we produce at Bodegas La Aurora. This wine takes its name from the variety from which it is obtained. It is a unique wine that, due to its uniqueness when it is made, requires very special climatic conditions that practically only occur in this area. Note that Pedro Ximénez is a wine with no added sugar, so it is 100% natural.

Elaboration process

First step: harvesting the grapes in the field

The first step in the preparation of this liquid delicacy is taken early in the morning, the farmers, after a year of hard and arduous work, go to the fields to collect the fruit of their work.

The Pedro Ximénez variety grape is selected by expert hands who have seen it grow little by little, with a lot of care and affection. The large clusters (major grape) are cut and placed in plastic boxes so as not to damage the grain of the grape. grape that must arrive in perfect condition to the passer. This grape must be free of all types of diseases, be solely and exclusively of the Pedro Ximénez variety and have at least a graduation of 13 degrees beaumé.

Second step: transportation to the cooperative and spreading of the grapes

Once the farmer has given his day, he transports the boxes of grapes to the cooperative. These are weighed and then spread out in the sun in plastic bags to begin the sun-drying process.

Third step: sunny grapes

The grape is in the sun for as long as necessary for it to reach an alcohol content that should be between 24 and 25 degrees beaumé. The exact duration is not predictable, as it will depend on weather conditions. Once this graduation has been reached, the grape has all the aromas and fruitiness that Pedro Ximénez requires, so it can now be picked. During this time, the grape clusters are turned so that the sun’s rays reach all the grape berries equally.

Fourth step: collecting raisins and transporting them to the lizard

After a few days lying in the sun, the grape grains have turned into raisins, the green has turned to a dark brown hue and most of the liquid has evaporated, leaving practically the sugar in the grapes. These clusters are transported to the press as quickly as possible, to later go through a series of pressings to obtain the must that will give rise to this majestic wine.

Fifth step: ground and pressed the raisins

In the lagareta, there are different machines through which the raisined grapes have to pass. Firstly, it is crushed by the grinder, and then the first pressing is carried out, which is carried out by a pneumatic press. As many grains remain unopened, it is pressed again by another type of hydraulic press, which is responsible for squeeze all the raisins as much as possible.

Sixth step: storage

The must obtained from the different pressings is passed to the pylon in which its alcohol level is measured, to finally store it in a vat. The must will remain in the vat until a destination is found for it. It can be sold shortly afterwards or spend some time in the vat until all the lees (impurities) that it may still have are deposited at the bottom to finally carry out the deslijo, last process in which this must becomes our Pedro Ximénez.

I hope that the process explained here has resolved any possible questions you may have about how Pedro Ximénez is made. Note that all of this would not be possible without the magnificent human team that makes up Bodegas La Aurora, and even less so without the collaboration of each and every one of our members. From here we wish you an excellent end of the harvest!

By Rafael Espejo.