# Different Kinds of Grapes
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Vitis labrusca
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Concord grapes are named after the famous cultivar that was discovered in Concord, Massachusetts. This North American species is classified as a slip-skin grape. It got its name from the ease at which the skin separates from the pulp of the grape. The Concord grape is perhaps the best known of this type. Concord grapes are deep blue or purple and are used extensively for juices, jellies and preserves, and in some wines.
Vitis Vinifera
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The European strain, while less hardy than the North American strain, is very popular. This European species is classified as a tight-skin grape and is generally less hardy than slip-skins. Wines are made primarily from these grapes and some of the most popular eating grapes, also called table grapes, are of this species. Most European grapes are grafted onto North American grapevines to make them heartier and give them higher resistance to disease.
Wine Grapes
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Wine is named for the grape that made it. Red wines are made using colored grapes; white wines are made using white grapes or red grapes with the skins removed. Wines are usually named for the type of grape they're made of. A wine is considered a "varietal" if 75 percent of it is made from one type of grape, and it will be named for that grape, such as chablis, merlot, chardonnay, pinot noir and many others. If a wine is made from several different types of grapes, it's called a "blended" wine.
Table Grapes
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The most popular table grapes are seedless varieties. Table grapes are popular for eating; the most common can be seen in your grocery store, such as Thompson seedless and red flame seedless. There are, however, many more varieties that ripen at different times of the year and have different climate tolerances. For instance, blush seedless grapes are large in size and are cold-tolerant, while autumn seedless ripen in the fall, grow in small clusters and have a moderate cold-tolerance.
Raisin Grapes
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The most popular raisins are made from seedless grapes, but raisins with seeds are still cultivated. California grows more raisin grapes than anywhere else in the world. The most popular grape used for raisins is the Thompson seedless grape, which are harvested by hand, placed on poly paper trays in the vineyard and allowed to dry naturally in the sun. In the '90s, new varieties of raisin grapes were cultivated called dried-on-the-vine (DOV) raisins; one variety of grape has even adopted the name DOVine, and other DOV grapes are Selma Pete, fiesta, freedom, harmony, and Ramsey.
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