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There are thousands of grape varieties throughout the primarily temperate climates of the world – both for wine and for the table. In general, grapes are smooth-skinned and juicy: Grapes may have seeds or they may be found seedless: There are ‘slip-skin’ varieties, which have skins that slip off easily, and those with skins that stick to the meat. Two colors divide grape varieties: white or red (referred to as black). Table grapes are further classified into categories of those to be eaten at the table (Thompson Seedless or Ribier), and those to be used for commercial purposes, such as raisins (Muscat for raisins, Concord for juice, jams, and jellies). Table grapes have low levels of acid in comparison to wine groups. In 2002, Grapes were the number two most harvested fruit, with 50-60 million tons produced. From this number, ten percent were table grapes, five percent were used to produce raisins and 85% were used in the production of wine.
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Table Grape Varieties Available in Switzerland |
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Variety |
Characteristics |
| Ester |
Red variety from Hungry. Very fruity, with large, crisp grape berries. |
| Muscat Bleu |
Swiss red variety. Middle-sized hard grape berries, with a good aroma and spicy flavor. |
| Nero |
Hungarian red variety. Mild with large and hard grape berries. |
| Romulus |
Small green grape berries without seeds. A pleasant sweet flavor. |
| Regina |
Second largest table grape variety. Crispy, mild and large grape berries. |
| Thompson Seedless |
Most produced table grape variety and raisin variety. Very sweet, golden-yellow grape berry with a thin skin. |
| Uva |
Bianca Latest ripening variety. Large, neutral-tasting green grape berry. |
| Paparella |
Light green Italian variety. Pleasantly-sweet and crisp grape berry. |
| Cardinal |
Red California variety. Middle-sized grape berry that only taste good when it is completely ripe. |
| Flame Seedless |
New California red grape variety. High-yielding, small and crispy grape berry with a very neutral flavor. |
| Barlinka |
Most important South African table grape variety. Large red grape berries, with a neutral flavor. |
| Red Giant |
Popular Argentinean red variety, with very large grape berries and a neutral flavor. |
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source: Teubner “Das Grosse Buch vom Obst” |
Season: September - October
Purchasing Tips: Choose plump, full-colored grapes with their fruit firmly attached to their stems. White or green grapes should have a pale yellow hue, which is a sign of ripeness. Dark grapes should be deeply colored, with no signs of green.
Storage: Refrigerate unwashed for up to one week. The quality quickly diminishes with time.
Cooking Tips: Most table grapes have been sprayed with insecticides, so it is particularly important to thoroughly wash them before consuming. Use in salads, jams/jellies, pies, sauces, and of course, raw. If you would like to use fresh grape leaves as a wrap (e.g. Dolmas), first cook them in plenty of salted water for 10 minutes, then immediately plunge them in cold water.
Nutritional Info: Vitamin A & B, with good amounts and varieties of minerals (potassium, calcium, phosphorous, iron)
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