Concord (grape)

Concord (grape)
Concord grapes
Closeup.
Ripe grapes (foreground) and unripe grapes (background). Unripe grapes can be made into verjuice.
Concord grapes growing on Grape Island, Massachusetts.

Concord grapes are a cultivar derived from the grape species Vitis labrusca (a.k.a. fox grape) which are used as table grapes, wine grapes and juice grapes.

The skin of a Concord grape is typically dark blue or purple, and often is covered with a lighter colored "bloom" which can be rubbed off. It is a slip-skin variety, meaning that the skin is easily separated from the fruit. Concord grapes have large seeds and are highly aromatic. They are often used to make grape jelly, grape juice, grape-flavored soft drinks, and candy. Grape pie is a regional dish. The grape is sometimes used to make wine, particularly kosher wine, though it is not generally favored for that purpose due to the strong "foxy" (sometimes described as candied-strawberry/musky) flavor. Traditionally, most commercially produced Concord wines have been finished sweet, but dry versions are possible if adequate fruit ripeness is achieved.

Contents

History

The Concord grape was developed in 1849 by Ephraim Wales Bull in Concord, Massachusetts. Bull planted seeds from wild Vitis labrusca and evaluated over 22,000 seedlings before finding what he considered the perfect grape, the original vine of which still grows at his former home. The pollen parent is unknown. Although Concord is frequently considered to be basically a Vitis labrusca cultivar, some have argued that the hermaphrodite flowers suggest at least a small amount of Vitis vinifera in its pedigree. This trait has not been proven to exist in any native American grapes. However, Concord is definitely much more labrusca-like in its characteristics than vinifera-like. Many consider the likely male parent to have been Catawba, itself probably half Vitis labrusca, which Bull had growing nearby.

In 1853, Bull's grape won first place at the Boston Horticultural Society Exhibition. It was then introduced to the market in 1854. Dr. Thomas Bramwell Welch developed the first Concord grape juice in 1869. Through the process of pasteurization, the juice did not ferment. Welch originally introduced the grape juice to his church, to be used for communion.

Concord grapes are often used to make grape jelly and are occasionally available as table grapes, especially in New England. They are the usual grapes used in the jelly for the traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and Concord grape jelly is a staple product in U.S. supermarkets. Concord grapes are used for grape juice, and their distinctive purple color has led to grape flavored soft drinks and candy being artificially colored purple. Recently, white grape juice with a milder flavor and less ability to stain fabric, primarily from Niagara grapes, has risen in popularity at the expense of Concord juice. The dark colored Concord juice is used in some churches as a non-alcoholic alternative to wine in the service of communion. Concord grapes are also made into Kosher wine.[1]

In the United States, more than 336,000 tons are produced yearly, primarily in the northern regions and Pacific Northwest. The top producing state is Washington, followed by New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Missouri.[2] This is about 8% of the total U.S. grape harvest. However, Concord grapes are rarely seen on grocery store produce racks due to a preference for seedless grapes.

The Concord grape is particularly prone to the physiological disorder Black leaf.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ "The 11th Plague? Why People Drink Sweet Wine on Passover". http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/04/the-11th-plague-why-people-drink-sweet-wine-on-passover/73193/. Retrieved 2011-11-04. 
  2. ^ History, Concord Grape Association, 2010
  3. ^ R. Irvine & W. Clore The Wine Project pg 31 Sketch Publications 1997 ISBN 0-9650834-9-7

External links



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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Concord grape — gauruotasis vynmedis statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Vynmedinių šeimos daržovinis, dekoratyvinis, vaisinis augalas (Vitis labrusca), paplitęs Šiaurės Amerikoje. atitikmenys: lot. Vitis labrusca angl. Catawba grape; Concord grape; fox grape; …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • Concord grape — noun slipskin grape; a purple table grape of the northeastern United States • Hypernyms: ↑fox grape …   Useful english dictionary

  • Concord grape — /kong keuhrd, kon kawrd, kong / a cultivated variety of the fox grape, Vitis labrusca, used in making jelly, juice, and wine. [1855 60, Amer.] * * * …   Universalium

  • Concord grape — noun A cultivar of grapes from the species Vitis labrusca …   Wiktionary

  • Concord, Massachusetts —   Town   View of Concord s Main Street in December …   Wikipedia

  • Concord — Concord1 [käŋ′kərd] n. ☆ 1. a large, dark blue, cultivated variety of fox grape, used esp. for making juice and jelly: in full Concord grape ☆ 2. a wine made from this grape Concord2 [kän′kôrd; ] for 2 & 3 [ käŋ′kərd] [prob. alluding to the amity …   English World dictionary

  • Grape pie — A Concord grape pie Grape pie is a type of fruit pie. The Concord grape variety is prepared as part of harvest time traditions in parts of the United States. Contents 1 …   Wikipedia

  • Grape — This article is about the fruits of the genus Vitis. For the European grapevine, see Vitis vinifera. For other uses, see Grape (disambiguation). White table grapes Grapes, purple or green …   Wikipedia

  • Concord — /kong keuhrd/ for 1, 2, 5, 6; /kon kawrd, kong / for 3, 4; for 5, 6 also /kon kawrd, kong /, n. 1. a town in E Massachusetts, NW of Boston: second battle of the Revolution fought here April 19, 1775. 16,293. 2. a city in W California, near San… …   Universalium

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