Description
Slopes covered with rows of green vines are a typical sight in wine-growing areas.
Table and wine grapes belong to the Vitaceae family of deciduous twining plants that
are grown on frames arranged in straight lines. The small berries emerge in bunches
from the blossoms of the twining plant and vary in colour from light green to dark blue.
Origin / Cultivation
Grapes have been among the most popular fruits served on fruit plates and the like.
The Egyptians fell in love with their flavour some 5,000 years ago, and cultivated
them primarily to produce wine. Thus the grapevine is one of the oldest cultivated
plants known to mankind. Originally reserved exclusively for a small upper class,
grapes were spread by the Romans throughout the entire Mediterranean region.
Grapes are among the most important types of fruit sold in the international fruit
market today. Grapevines grow in moderate regions and some subtropical areas, and
are cultivated on five continents. They are available in Germany year-round thanks
to imports from all over the world. More than half of all grapes are harvested in
Europe, however – primarily in Italy, Greece and Spain.
The fruit
There are some 16,000 different varieties of grapes. The fruit grows in round
and oval varieties in colours ranging from light green, yellow and amber to
red, blue and dark blue. The small berries consist primarily of water.
Their tough skin encapsules the juicy pulp, which surrounds up to five hard
seeds, depending on the variety.
Only about ten percent of the global grape harvest is sold as fruit.
Ninety percent of all harvested grapes are processed to produce wine
or dried fruit.
Flavour
Different varieties of grapes have different flavours. There are tart, sweetly
aromatic and slightly sour varieties that taste a little like nutmeg. Aside
from their most common form as key ingredients in wine and juice, grapes also
taste good raw. They are often served as a refreshing decorative accompaniment
on cheese plates or used in fruit salads, on cakes or as ingredients in jelly.
Sliced in small halves, sweet grapes offer an interesting contrast to
savoury salads.