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All grape varieties are divided into two large groups: wine (or technical) and table (or dessert). It is table grapes that serve as decoration for feasts; it is its clusters that lie in display cases and on counters: they are large, beautiful and very delicious. Today there are many varieties for table use, among them there are domestic grapes, and there are also foreign hybrids. Each of the table varieties has its own pros and cons, but all types have two important qualities in common: an attractive appearance and a unique taste.
Photos and descriptions of the most popular V Russian table grape varieties are given in this article. Here we talk about the classification of table species and provide recommendations for choosing a specific variety.
How to determine the best varieties
Each seller of seedlings and cuttings has their own catalog, where all varieties are classified in a certain order. This is done so that a novice winegrower can quickly find a variety suitable for themselves. Before embarking on such a search, it is necessary to set priorities and decide what is really important: the unpretentiousness of the grapes, its productivity, the fact that the berries will not be affected by wasps, and the vine will not get sick, or, in the first place, the size of the berry and its taste.
The best table grape varieties can be classified according to different criteria:
- alphabetically (when all names in the catalog are arranged in alphabetical order);
- according to the timing of ripening (divided into early and late table varieties);
- by the color or shape of the berries (you can find table grape varieties with round berries, for example, or only blue ones);
- by variety yield;
- unpretentiousness of grapes;
- frost resistance;
- resistance to diseases and pests, etc.
Classification of table species
You can often find publications with such high-profile titles as “Ten Best Table Varieties,” for example. This usually means the most popular varieties of grapes, most often grown in gardens and plots of the country.
It is much easier to find a suitable table variety for yourself based on specific criteria, such as: berry color, taste characteristics, ripening time. This is what the rest of the article will be devoted to.
Table varieties with white berries
By international standards, white table grapes are those that must be consumed fresh and produce berries that are white, yellow, or greenish in color.
It is the white varieties that are famous for the most interesting taste qualities: a balance of acid and sugar, thin and delicate skin, a minimum of seeds, light nutmeg notes or a pronounced taste of blackberries, pineapple, currants, mint.
Lady fingers
This variety has medium ripening times. Its flowers are bisexual, which means that the variety does not need other species growing nearby for pollination.
The bunches of the Lady's Finger are large, rather loose, and branched. The average weight of each bunch is 400 grams. The berries are oval, highly elongated, covered with a barely noticeable waxy coating.
The taste of the berries is very pleasant, moderately sweet, with a good aroma. A distinctive feature of the variety is the absence of seeds in the fruits. But you have to pay for good taste: Lady Fingers table grapes have weak immunity to diseases, do not tolerate drought well, and need shelter for the winter.
Kishmish White
The variety is also mid-season, has bisexual flowers and does not need pollinating neighbors. White raisins delight with large cylindrical clusters with many branches - wings. The weight of each brush is about 250 grams.
The berries are not very large, have an oval shape, a light green peel, covered with barely noticeable black dots. There are no seeds inside the table Kishmish, the pulp is very tender, juicy, has a pleasant taste and delicate aroma.
The variety is not resistant to diseases, parasites and viruses. But the frost resistance of Kishmish Bely is average - this crop can withstand up to -23 degrees without shelter.
Aleshenkin
This white grape has a very early ripening period, so it is one of the first to appear in gardens and on shelves. Due to rapid ripening, the berries are not affected by wasps, rot and fungal infections.
The clusters are cone-shaped, large, loose, branched. The weight of each bunch of Aleshenkin varies between 500-2000 grams. The berries are large, their shape is round, very slightly elongated.
The pulp of this grape crunches on the teeth, it is tender and fleshy. The taste of the variety is very pleasant and balanced.
Aleshenkin's frost resistance is high, so the variety is suitable for growing almost throughout the country and can winter without shelter. But the table variety is susceptible to diseases; preventive treatment will be required.
Arcadia
In the list of the best white varieties for table use, one cannot fail to note the very ancient, but also very popular Arcadia grapes. The ripening period of this grape is early - already in mid-July, ripe clusters of Arcadia table grapes can be cut. Flowering is bisexual, so there are no problems with pollination and fruit set.
The clusters of table grapes are dense, tightly packed, their shape is cylindrical-conical, and the average weight is 1-1.5 kg (clusters weighing two kilograms are often found!). The shape of the berries is heart-shaped or oval, with a pointed nose. The pulp is juicy, fleshy, sweet, with a pronounced nutmeg aroma.
Most of all, winegrowers love Arcadia for its resistance to cold and disease. This table variety is perfect for beginners, as it does not require special care.
Pink table grapes
Large clusters of table varieties are truly pleasing to the eye. Pink grapes are even more beautiful than other types: berries range from round to elongated and pointed, shades range from delicate to rich. Pink grapes can decorate both the table and the area; guests and owners of the estate will appreciate it.
Pink Haze
The grapes with very large clusters, often weighing up to one and a half kilograms, ripen very early - in the first days of July. Its clusters are medium packed, quite dense and massive. The berries are very large, colored light pink.
The skin of table variety fruits is thin and easy to chew. The pulp is dense, but tender and juicy. The taste is balanced, moderately sweet.
The Pink Haze variety can withstand frosts with dignity, but has average immunity to diseases and pests.
Angelica
This table variety can also be found under the name Ksenia. It ripens early and produces large, cylindrical-conical clusters that can weigh up to two kilograms.
Angelica's clusters are loose, slightly disheveled, and the berries are large and elongated. The peel on the fruit is of medium thickness and quite elastic, but this does not interfere with enjoying the excellent taste of table grapes (it does protect the fruit from wasps).
The crop is highly resistant to both frost and disease, so it can be grown anywhere.
Transfiguration
Early ripening grapes with large clusters (up to 1.5 kg) of a cylindrical-conical shape. The clusters are of medium density, the fruits are large, round-oval, and colored deep pink.
The pulp of the Transfiguration is very tender, juicy, almost seedless. The grapes are resistant to frost, are not damaged by wasps and other insects, and have good immunity to diseases and viruses.
Anyuta
The grapes are mid-early and will ripen in early August (although this depends on the climate in the region and weather factors). Bunches of table grapes are cone-shaped, can be branched, and are not packed very tightly. The weight of one brush is up to two kilograms.
Egg-shaped grapes have a pleasant taste, delicate pulp, honey-nutmeg taste and aroma. Anyuta’s resistance to diseases and insects is average, but she can withstand frost well and does not need shelter.
Red grapes
Reds table grape varieties have the richest taste and thick aroma. Even in ancient times, it was believed that the darker the berry, the more healing the grapes and the more unique their properties.
Dunav
These red grapes ripen early and produce large clusters of approximately the same size and shape. The average weight of Dunav brushes is 550 grams. The berries of the table variety are elongated and rounded, they are colored in a rich red hue and have a crunchy, dense pulp.
The taste of the fruit is very rich, balanced, the grapes contain a lot of sugar. The Dunav variety can be stored or transported, but its stability is poor: it is necessary to treat the vine and cover the trunk for the winter.
Victor
The Victor table grapes ripen early, have a cone shape, and weigh up to a kilogram. The tassels are packed tightly. The berries have an elongated, rounded shape and are colored bright red. The peel on the fruit is dense, but chews easily.
The taste of the table variety, as expected, is excellent: moderately sweet berries with juicy and dense pulp.Victor is very stable, so it is successfully grown throughout the country.
Gorgeous
The density of the grape bunches is average; they are cone-shaped, elongated, and loosely packed. The table variety ripens early. Beauty's clusters are large and can weigh up to two kilograms.
The berries are long, pointed at the end, the skin on them is quite dense and elastic. The taste is very rich and pleasant. This type of crop is very resistant to frost and disease.
Cardinal
Early ripening grapes with flowers of both sexes, do not need pollinators. The clusters of the table variety are very large, cone-shaped, quite loose, and weigh about a kilogram.
The fruits are very large, the shape of the berries is oval. Covered with a delicate red peel. The pulp is juicy and crisp, the aroma is delicate, nutmeg. But the variety’s resistance is poor: frost and disease very often affect grapes.
Black dessert grapes
It has been proven that the blacker and richer the color of the grape berry, the healthier it is and the more antioxidants the pulp contains. It is not surprising that black-fruited grapes are very common, they are loved and willingly bought.
Codrianca
Table grapes with super early ripening. Kodryanka's clusters are large, weighing from 500 to 1500 grams. The berries are large, oval, dark blue in color, and have a slight waxy coating.
The taste of the fruit may seem too simple, but this is compensated by the delicate skin, minimum of seeds and elastic, tender pulp.The Kodryanka table also resists diseases and pests well and has high frost resistance.
Muromets
The variety is early ripening, high-yielding. The clusters are not very large - from 300 to 800 grams, but there are a lot of them, they have the shape of a cone. The fruits are large, oval in shape. The taste of Muromets table grapes is pleasant, delicate, and the flesh is fleshy.
This table variety tolerates frost well, so in most parts of the country it can winter without shelter. Resistance to disease is also high.
Moldova
But the Moldova variety, although it is considered a table variety, has a late ripening period. The clusters can be either medium or large, their weight varies from 300 to 700 grams. The berries are medium-sized, oval, their peel is covered with a thick waxy coating.
The flesh is fleshy, crispy, juicy, the taste is sweet and balanced. Moldova is different in that it can be stored for a long time in favorable conditions - up to three months.
The variety is not affected by viruses and diseases, but will not tolerate severe frosts without shelter.
Early Magarach
These table grapes ripen early and have good harvests. The clusters are large, loose, branched. The berries are also large, round or slightly oval, and the peel is covered with wax.
The pulp is juicy and fleshy, the skin is quite dense. The taste is good, table quality, but a little primitive.
The immunity of Early Magarach is average; the grapes do not tolerate frost well, so the vine needs to be covered.
Conclusion
Table grape varieties are more popular among winegrowers than technical ones.After all, it is these grapes that are usually eaten fresh; it is the table varieties that delight with their unusual taste and pleasant aroma.
Table varieties can be classified according to different criteria, but most often gardeners look for new grapes by the color of their fruits.
