Grape

Grapes are one of the oldest cultivated fruits. As we have all seen in drawings and on canvas, the ancient Greeks and Romans cultivated grapes and enjoyed them just as we do today—eaten fresh and used to make wine. After spreading throughout the Roman Empire, grape cultivation soon advanced to Asia, northern Europe, and south Africa. The European grape (vitus vinifera) made its way to the New World following Columbus’s expeditions. European settlers also encountered the American type of grapevine (vitus lambrusca). American grapes differ from the European varieties in that they are classified as slipskin grapes (the pulp slides out of the skin with ease), the flesh is soft, and they have a distinct sort of musty flavor. American grapes are also very hardy and resistant to disease. The European varieties, besides being less resistant, have a firmer flesh and do not have the slipskin that characterizes the American grape. Hybrids that produce table grapes are still ranked for the most part as vitus vinifera, the European type.