Grape

Archaeological evidence of wine which dates back to 5000 BC suggests that grapes have been cultivated for human use for at least 8000 years. The earliest evidence of winemaking and, by inference, grape cultivation, was found in the nation of Georgia. There are species of grape native to Asia, Europe, and North America. Types of grape were included in the diet of Native Americans, but large scale grape cultivation likely began in the Near East before spreading throughout the Mediterranean. Winemaking was a natural innovation because yeast occurs naturally on the skin of grapes, and fermenting grape juice was a straightforward endeavor for early civilizations. The Egyptians were the first literate civilization to leave records of grape cultivation. The Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans all grew purple grapes which are the result of generations of breeding, indicating that these ancient civilizations practiced careful and methodological cultivation of the grape.

Grapes are categorized as either American or European, with further distinctions that indicate their uses: Table, wine and raisin grapes. Table grapes are eaten raw on their own or in various recipes, both sweet and savory. Grapes used for winemaking are much higher in sugar content than other grapes and have very thick skin. Raisin grapes are used for making dried fruit. The majority of grapes produced in the world are wine grapes, and most wine grapes are grown in France, Italy, and Spain.  Concord grapes dominate the juice market. The most popular red table grapes include black Corinth, red globe and red flame, and popular green ones are perlette and Thompson Seedless (known as Sultanas outside of North America.)