Overview

A grape is a fruiting berry of the deciduous woody vines of the botanical genus Vitis. Grapes grow in clusters and are non-climacteric, meaning they do not ripen after harvest. They are eaten raw or processed into wine, juice, jam, jelly, raisins, vinegar, grape seed oil, and grape seed extract.

Origin and history

The domesticated grapevine Vitis vinifera is believed to have originated in the region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. The oldest known winemaking evidence comes from the Areni-1 cave complex in southern Armenia, dated to approximately 4100 BCE [2][3]. Grapes spread through the ancient Mediterranean via Phoenician, Greek, and Roman trade routes. Spanish colonists introduced European grapevines to the Americas in the 16th century, and the fruit became central to California agriculture by the 19th century.

Varieties and aliases

  • Table grapes (eaten fresh): varieties include Thompson Seedless, Red Globe, Concord, and Muscat.
  • Wine grapes: hundreds of named cultivars including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel.
  • Raisin grapes: typically Thompson Seedless or Black Corinth (Zante currant).
  • Verjuice (ghooreh in Persian): unripe sour grapes used as a souring agent [4].
  • Grape molasses (rob in Armenian): concentrated grape must used as a sweetener and preservative.

Culinary uses

Grapes are eaten fresh as a snack or in fruit salads. They are pressed for juice and fermented into wine, the most economically significant use globally. Raisins are dried grapes used in baking, granola, and savory dishes such as pilafs and tagines. Grape leaves are brined and stuffed with rice and herbs to make dolma or sarma across the Levant, Anatolia, the Caucasus, and Iran. Verjuice (unripe grape juice) is used as a souring agent in Persian khoresh and in Levantine cooking. Grape molasses (dibs in Arabic, rob in Armenian) is used in sweets and as a syrup. Grape seed oil is pressed from the seeds and used in cooking and cosmetics.

Cross-cuisine context

Grapes appear across nearly every cuisine in the Yum corpus, but in distinct forms. In Armenian and Persian traditions, grape leaves are central to the dolma/sarma family of stuffed vegetables, and grape molasses is a key pantry item. In Persian cooking, unripe grapes (ghooreh) provide sourness in stews such as khoresh-e bademjan. In Arabic cuisine, grape molasses (dibs) is used in drinks like jallab and in mouneh preservation. In Peruvian cuisine, grapes are distilled into pisco, the national spirit, under Denominación de Origen rules that specify eight grape varieties and single-distillation in copper pots. In Korean cuisine, the presentation style podo-galbi scores short rib into a grape-cluster shape, though this is a visual analogue rather than a grape-based ingredient. In Russian and Georgian cooking, grapevine cuttings are used as skewers for mtsvadi (grilled meat). In Mexican cuisine, grapes have no deep pre-Hispanic root but appear in contemporary fruit cups and as a New Year’s Eve tradition (twelve grapes at midnight), a practice shared with Peruvian and Salvadoran households.

Notes for cooks

  • Table grapes should be stored unwashed in the refrigerator and washed just before eating to prevent mold.
  • For dolma, fresh grape leaves are preferred in spring; jarred brined leaves are a year-round substitute and should be blanched before use.
  • Verjuice can be substituted with a mix of white wine vinegar and water (1:1) or with lemon juice, though the flavor will differ.