The great grape explosion

Not that long ago, there were two, maybe three, varieties of table grapes available in supermarkets, and none of them were particularly noteworthy. They were often relegated to fruit salads or garnishes with a charcuterie board. In the past few years, however, store shelves have been brimming with multiple grape options. The Guardian’s Aimee Chanthadavong investigates this growing trend.

The one that really started the ball rolling was the Cotton Candy grape, which does taste astonishingly like cotton candy (aka fairy floss) on first bite. Other varieties offer different flavors, colors, and textures to set them apart from one another. For example, the nearly black Moondrop grape features a distinctive elongated shape. Interesting names are bestowed on the new varieties to get extra attention and provide clues to the grape’s taste and texture. According to Terryn Miller from the Australian Table Grape Association, “The breeders refer to the characteristics of the grape – so there are a lot of varieties with the words ‘crisp’, ‘crunchy’, ‘sweet’, ‘candy’, or ‘pop’.” she says.

Along with a cool name and interesting look or taste, these new grape varieties come with a premium price, which is partially due to the added cost of royalties that growers must pay the breeders for patented cultivars. Consumers are also paying for the cachet of eating a trendy new product. With the exception of the Cotton Candy grape, I have been underwhelmed with some of the newer varieties. For instance, the Moondrop mentioned above (which looks similar to the one identified as Sweet Sapphire in the article) did not taste much different to me than traditional red grapes. It looked cool, but not cool enough for me to justifying paying twice the price. Have you discovered any great new grapes to enjoy?