Most people are familiar with certain types of grapes, but did you know that there are around 10 000 varieties of grapes in the world!

Of course, there are popular types of grapes, used for wine, table grapes, juice… for example, the Kyoho is the most grown grape variety in the world because it is the most common type used in China for table grapes or to be dried or turned into juice, same is Sultanina in the United States. As for winemaking, Cabernet Sauvignon is the most grown grape variety.

Many other famous varieties occupy advanced ranks on the list of grape varieties like Merlot, Chardonnay, Syrah, Pinot Noir…. But here, we will take a look at some exceptional types of grapes:

Moon Drops

Moon Drop grapes have dark blue-hued skin, pale green flesh, and an oblong, tubular shape.

This type exists thanks to Dr. David Cain, a plant breeder, and scientist who works for the grape-growing company Grapery, developing new types. He has been working on the Moon Drop for many years, cultivating the plant from a Middle Eastern sample.

Moon drops are sweet, but not too sugary, and taste a little like grape jelly. It grows in Central California and its harvest season is from August till late September.

Lemberger or blaufränkisch

This grape is used for making dark, tannic wines with subtle spice notes. It has a dusty blue color with a tannic berry essence. If you peel the skin back, you get more sweet, dark fruit flavors. Lemberger grows in Germany, Austria, Canada, and New York.

Valiant

Valiant is an early blue grape with a flavor very similar to Concord with slip skin. These grapes are used for juice, jams, and table grapes. Although cultivating grapes isn’t easy in Alaska but Valiant grapes are growing fast there because of their durability in freezing temperatures.

Cotton Candy

This juicy green grape is very popular and this might be caused by the cotton candy taste. This varietal trademark is found under Grapery’s banner, and it is only grown in California. The harvest season is from Mid-August to late September.

Moon Balls

These white-seeded grapes are grown only in South Africa and their production is limited. They possess a thick skin and supple, sweet flesh that proves a bit more sugary than most table grapes and their harvest season is from February to March.

Fry Muscadine

By looking at it you might not consider it like grapes, but it is. Fry Muscadine grapes have the size of cherry tomatoes, and when they are ripe, they have a nice gold color which adds to the sweetness. These heat-resistant cultivars were introduced to the market in 1970 by R. Lane of the University of Georgia.

These are a few grape varieties that reflect the beauty and uniqueness of these species.