grape

Green table grapes

A grape is the non-climacteric fruit, botanically a true berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, and grape seed oil. Grapes are also used in some kinds of confectionery.

Contents [hide] 1 History 2 Description 3 Grapevines 4 Distribution and production 5 Seedless grapes 6 Raisins, currants, sultanas and Kismis 7 Health claims 7.1 French Paradox 7.2 Resveratrol 7.3 Anthocyanins and other phenolics 7.4 Seed constituents 7.5 Concord grape juice 8 See also 9 Sources 10 External links

[edit] History

Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics show the cultivation of grapes. Scholars believe that ancient Greeks, Phoenicians and Romans also grew grapes for both eating and wine production. Later, the growing of grapes spread to Europe, North Africa, and eventually North America. Native grapes in parts of North America grew along streams; however, the first cultivated grapes in California were grown by Spanish Franciscan Friars looking to make a sacramental wine for the California Missions. The first table grape vineyard in California is credited to an early settler by the name of William Wolfskill in the Los Angeles area. As more settlers came to California, more and more varieties of European grapes were introduced: some for wine-making, others for raisins and some for eating fresh.

Today in the United States, approximately 98 percent of commercially grown table grapes are from California (California Table Grape Commission).

[edit] Description

Grapes grow in clusters of 6 to 300, and can be crimson, black, dark blue, yellow, green and pink. "White" grapes are actually green in color, and are evolutionarily derived from the red grape. Mutations in two regulatory genes of white grapes turn off production of anthocyanins which are responsible for the color of red grapes.^[1] Anthocyanins and other pigment chemicals of the larger family of polyphenols in red grapes are responsible for the varying shades of purple in red wines.^[2]