WHITE GRAPES: OPENING THE SEASON

Towards the end of May, the first grapes of the new harvest appear on sale. For Russia, Egypt is the main supplier at the beginning of the season, and the most popular varieties are early white boneless Thompson (Sultana) and Sugraone (Superior Seedless). Which one should I give preference to?

To begin with, a little theory. All grape varieties are divided into two large groups – table and technical (or wine). And this is the case when the names of the groups speak for themselves.
Table grapes are both the final and initial product. It was removed from the vine in the exact form, this is how the table is served. Therefore, ideally, such grapes have a minimum of seeds, a thin skin, and an optimal ratio of acid and sweetness. The flesh is more dense and fleshy.

But the technical grapes will go through many more stages before they get to the consumer in a completely changed form. It is softer, there is more juice in it and it does not tolerate transportation well (however, it does not need it). And the presence of bones plays only a plus, as it will affect the depth of taste of the drink.

Table and technical varieties are even grown differently. Wine ones are less whimsical. It is not so important to take care that the bunches are located at a distance from each other, and the berries are large. On the contrary - the smaller the brush, the better. But the table sorts are watched carefully: the bunches should be large and touch each other at a minimum, so as not to lose their presentation. The varieties are also harvested at different times. Wine – later, so that the grapes gain as much sweetness as possible and are ready for fermentation. The table  one is removed while it is dense, elastic, looks appetizing and will perfectly tolerate transportation.

The best soils for table grapes are in the deltas of rivers, which are saturated with nutrients. That is why grapes are so successfully grown on the fertile lands of Egypt. And early varieties that meet the main qualities of the ideal table grapes are available already in May.

The ROYAL FRESH company offers white boneless varieties Thompson (Sultana) and Sugraone (Superior Seedless) from Egypt.

• "Thompson" is one of the most common varieties in the world. The berries are large, round, yellowish-green, with a bright fresh aroma. The taste of the pulp varies from sweet with sourness to very sweet.
• Sugraone (Superior Seedless) is also a very popular variety that is grown in many countries that export grapes. The berries are large, slightly oval, white-green and translucent in the sun. The taste is very sweet and rich, the acidity of "Sagrayon" is lower than that of "Thompson".

In general, both varieties have high taste qualities and are ideal both as a dessert and as an addition to a cheese plate. But the variety of Egyptian grapes is not limited to this – in the coming months, deliveries of red and pink varieties are going to begin.