Grapes are popular fruits, and many think they know all about them. But do we know all about grapes? Maybe not! There are near 8,000 varieties of grapes and 60 grape species found worldwide. These fruits have been around for much longer, unlike many hybrid fruits present in the market. We have picked the top 20 types of grapes to choose your favorite out of those.
Grapes are a favorite for fruits lovers worldwide as they are bite-sized, sweet, and juicy. These tasty fruits are used differently than others and come in an abundance of colors and flavors. Let us go through this article for the best grape varieties present worldwide.
Grapes History & Categories Of Grapes:
Grapes are one of the favorite fruit lovers worldwide: bite-sized, sweet, and juicy. According to most Archeologists, humans began farming grapes as early as 6500 B.C, during the Neolithic era. Though grapes are now cultivated worldwide, initially, Iran, Egypt, Cyprus, Turkey, and Israel traded grapes for many years. Here are the categories of grapes:
- Table Grapes:
Grapes under the table grape category are consumed fresh and look attractive. These grapes usually have thin skin, firm flesh, muscat flavor, and seeds. Thompson seedless, Beauty seedless, Bhokri, Pusa seedless, and Black Muscat are some table grape varieties.
- Wine Grapes:
Wine grapes impart more flavor into the wine, and they have thicker skin. In addition, these grapes have a more concentrated taste as they are smaller when compared to table grapes. These grapes have higher sugar content, and Beauty seedless, Red prince, and Gross Column are important wine varieties.
- Raisin Grapes:
Raisin grapes that have a pleasing flavor and soft texture irrespective of size become sticky during storage. Thompson seedless, Sultana Muscat, Alexandria. Kishmish is some famous raisin grape varieties.
- Red Grapes:
Red and blue grape varieties taste sweeter and contain more antioxidants than white grapes. In addition, the dark blue pigment anthocyanin acts as a robust radical scavenger, making them a healthier option.
- White Grapes:
White grapes are sour, which is the significant difference between red and white grapes. Some popular white grape varieties are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling.
See More: Different Cherry Fruit Varieties
20 Popular And Different Types Of Grapes:
We usually choose between red or green grapes when we go to a superstore. But by not knowing different types of grapes, we are doing a disservice to ourselves. Let us go through the different grape varieties:
RED GRAPES
1. Moon Drops:
Moon drops are a type of purple grapes with almost black skin. These finger-like shaped grapes have a crunchy texture and firm flesh, making them a perfect snacking option, and you can refrigerate them for days. The taste of the Moon drop grapes is similar to a grape jelly which is sweet but not too sugary. The Grapery developed these grapes in Bakersfield, and the name comes from its unique shape.
- Where They Grow: Central California.
- Season: Late July to late September.
2. Concord:
Concord grapes are an heirloom grape variety known for their characteristic dark grape flavor, bright and sweet. This cultivar was developed in a small farmstead outside of Concord, Massachusetts, by a Boston native Ephraim Wales Bull in 1849. These grapes smell fantastic and have large seeds and easy-to-peel skins.
- Where They Grow: Washington’sYakima Valley, Lake Ontario, Michigan, The finger lakes region in New York.
- Season: August to September.
3. Pinot Noir:
Pinot Noir is one of the popular champagne grape varieties initially grown in the Burgundy region in France. But now, these grapes are cultivated all around the world. Pinot Noir grapes are usually found in deep purple fruits with thin skin clumps. These grapes have caramel, earthiness, ripe cherry, and wild strawberry aromas and flavors, making them a perfect wine grape.
- Where They Grow: Mainly in France, New Zealand, California, Oregon, and worldwide.
- Season: August to September.
4. Lemberger:
Lemberger or Blaufränkisch is a red wine grape variety that is dark-skinned and is a late-ripening variety. The pronounced spicy character is one of the prominent features of this grape variety used in preparing dark tannic wines with subtle tones of spice. These plump grapes have a tannic berry essence with a dusty blue color.
- Where They Grow: New York, Austria, Germany, Canada.
- Season: August to September.
5. Sweet Jubilee:
Sweet jubilee grapes are large black oval grapes with a clean grape flavor with a sweet and firm texture. Hailing from Grapery’s flavor promise, that comes in a bunch. It is one of those seeded grapes types that grow very big compared to other grape varieties. You can either consume these grapes raw, lightly grilled, adding a fruity kick to your salad, or sliced on a peanut butter sandwich.
- Where They Grow: Central California.
- Season: Mid-July to early September.
6. Valiant:
Valiant grapes are durable even in freezing temperatures and harsh soil conditions, making them easy to cultivate even in Alaska. These cold-weather grapes taste similar to concord grapes with high-sugar flesh and easy-to-remove skin. However, these grapes aren’t as astringent and are larger than the average table grape. Although Valiant grapes can be on the sweeter side, you can use them for juicing, jams, and a table grape.
- Where They Grow: Canada, Alaska.
- Season: Late August to September.
7. Champagne:
Champagne grapes are famous grape varieties for eating. However, many might confuse it with the grapes used to prepare the French sparkling wine. Champagne grapes have an element of tartness in combination with the sweetness of the table grapes. In addition, they are some of the most little grapes grown. The crunchy and tender texture of these grapes, in addition to their size, makes them a perfect snack for kids without worrying about choking. Ironically, these grapes are not used to make wine.
- Where They Grow: Mediterranean, Europe, California.
- Season: June to September
8. Crimson Seedless:
Thanks to David Ramming and Ron Tarailo of the USDA fruit genetics and breeding research unit in Fresno, California, most red table grapes are Crimson Seedless varieties. These grapes have a long shelf life and are firm and sweet with a pleasing tartness. Although sometimes these grapes have a greenish streak, they are usually pale brick red. In addition, they have thick skin which pops in your mouth, keeping the juiciness inside.
- Where They Grow: California.
- Season: August to November.
9. Kyoho:
Kyoho is a Japanese grape that can get as big as a plum and is considered the largest. In fact, in Japanese, the work Kyoho means “giant-mountain grape.” These grapes stemmed from Mount Fuji and cross between Centennial and Ishiharawase grape varieties. These grapes are either served for dessert, mixed into traditional chuhai cocktails, or juiced in Japan. The tase of Kyoho grapes is similar to Concord grape. They are blackish-purple in color with ample inedible seed.
- Where They Grow: Japan.
- Season: July to August.
WHITE GRAPES:
10. Cotton Candy:
As the name suggests, the cotton candy grape varieties hands down taste like cotton candy in grape form. These grapes are non-GMO and 100% natural, developed by Horticulturist David Cain and his team. Cotton candy grapes have slightly higher calories and sugar content than the average grape. But when you consume them in moderation, these grapes can be very beneficial.
- Where They Grow: Central California.
- Season: Mid-August to late September.
See More: Different Avocado Types
11. Riesling:
Grown in cooler climates like Austria, Germany, and the Finger Lakes in New York, Riesling grapes are versatile. You can use these grapes to get dessert wine-sweet or done-dry or prepare wine. These grapes’ sugars are naturally balanced with the freshness and natural acidity available in the grape. These grapes also taste great when made into non-alcoholic juice. The taste of the grapes reflects from the terroir of the land, making them the best types of wine grapes.
- Where They Grow: Germany, Canada, Alsace, Austria, New York.
- Season: August to September. Reisling grapes are picked at the first frost, usually October, for ice wine preparation.
12. Gewürztraminer:
Although surprising, these white grapes have pinkish-red skin instead of the usual red and bluish varieties we all know. Gewürztraminer grapes perform the best in cooler climates. We often use an aromatic wine grape variety to prepare white wines.
- Where They Grow: Worldwide.
- Season: July to September.
13. Moon Balls:
Dole created these white-seeded South African grape varieties. However, their production is limited as they are grown only in South Africa. As the name suggests, these grape varieties have an oblong, tubular shape with pale-green flesh and dark blue-hued skin. These grapes provide multiple health benefits, making them healthy snacking options.
- Where They Grow: South Africa.
- Season: February to March.
14. Sultana:
Sultana grapes are also called Thompson grape varieties originally from the Ottoman empire and are small white grapes. Sultanas are light green oval-shaped grapes that pack a small wallop of sugar. Everyone knows and loves the earthy-sweet raisin flavor from these grapes’ sugar concentrated and dried version.
- Where They Grow: California, Australia, Turkey.
- Season: July to September.
15. Fry Muscadine:
The Fry Muscadine grape varieties are a standard in muscadines and are large with excellent taste and quality. In addition, these grape varieties are very cold-hardy, disease-resistant, and is vigorous. R. Lane of the University of Georgia introduced these heat-resistant cultivars, whose skin is also edible, to the market. They come in size similar to a cherry tomato with sunny sweetness, and they turn gold color once ripe.
- Where they grow: Georgia.
- Season: September
TABLE GRAPES:
16. Flame Seedless:
Flame Seedless is a seedless table grape variety hybrid of cardinal, Thompson seedless, and other cultivars, and these grapes have a sweet flavor grown in large clusters of medium-large red grapes. It is the most heavily farmed table grapes because of their long shelf life, sweetness, seedlessness, and good qualities.
- Where They Grow: North India.
- Season: June to September.
17. Dominga:
Dominga grapes are known for their yellowish skin, which is sweet and flavorful. It is easier to consume these grapes and is a great snacking choice because they have fewer seeds when compared to most seeded grapes. The pleasing flavor of this white table grape adds to the beneficial effect for your health.
- Where They Grow: European countries.
- Season: Mid-March to April.
18. Red Globe:
Red globe is one of the seeded table grape varieties enjoyed especially in Asian countries and people worldwide. These grapes have firm, crisp flesh with a rosy, red color exterior. Although the flavor in these grapes is muted, there is a good level of sweetness with relatively low acids. You can experience the excellent juice content with a single meaty, plump and crunchy fruit.
- Where They Grow: California, Australia, China.
- Season: July to January.
19. Black Muscat:
The Black Muscat grape is one of the hybrid grapes types between Trollinger and Alexandria’s grapes created in the 1800s. These table grapes can be enjoyed fresh or prepared with dry red wines and dessert wines. The Black Muscat grapes have a pleasant floral aroma which is large in size and bluish-black color. These grapes pair perfectly with foods like cheeses which are salty and rich.
- Where They Grow: Canada, Eastern Europe, California, Texas, Virginia.
- Season: Late February into May.
20. Koshu:
Koshu is a Japanese grape variety with an aromatic bouquet with citrus, jasmine, and peach overtones. These grape’s distinctive characteristics include pale straw color, soft and fruity—primarily grown in the Koshu Valley area of Japan hence the name. This is the place that has the country’s highest concentration of wineries. The white wines from these Koshu grapes have refreshing flavor and are fruity and delicate.
- Where They Grow: Japan.
- Season:
See More: Varieties of Strawberries
Interesting Facts About Grapes:
Here are some facts about grapes that you might find interesting.
- About 300 years ago, Spanish explorers introduced grapes to America.
- Grapes are similar to blueberries and have a fleshy inside and a leathery covering.
- American and European are the two main types of grape varieties. From about 60 species, there are more than 8000 grape varieties.
- One cup of grapes provides more than a quarter of the daily value of vitamins C and K, containing about 100 calories.
- You can make about one bottle of wine from about 2.5 pounds of grapes.
- When the grapes are left in sunlight, naturally drying will result in dried sweet grapes, also called raisins.
- Green, black, yellow, pink, and purple is some of the many colors of grapes.
Grapes are filled with potent plant compounds and essential nutrients that benefit your health. It is accessible to incorporate grapes into our diet, whether wine, juice, frozen, or fresh. The different types of grapes mentioned in this article will give you a glimpse into the world of grapes. Don’t forget to let us know if you found this article helpful!
FAQ:
1. What is the cultivation of grapes called?
Viticulture is the name given to the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. The word viticulture comes from the Latin word vine. It is also called wine growing and is a branch of horticulture science.
2. What are the grapes best suited for wine preparation?
Some of the best grapes for wine preparation are:
- Chardonnay.
- Gamay noir.
- Viognier.
- Melon.
- Muscat blanc.
- Pinot noir.
- Orange muscat.
- Sauvignon Blanc.
- Muscat Blanc.
3. Which is the most common wine grape in the world?
One of the most famous wine industries worldwide is the Chardonnay grapes. This is because they grow worldwide and can grow in various climates.
Disclaimer: The information provided in the article is based on research and for informational and educational purposes. The website is not responsible for the authenticity and accuracy of the information.
