When is grape season?

StateGrapes in season
Alabamamid-July till mid-October
AlaskaJuly till August
ArizonaMay till September
ArkansasJuly till September
CaliforniaMay till December
ColoradoSeptember till October
Connecticutmid-August till October
DelawareSeptember till October
FloridaAugust till September
GeorgiaJuly till October
Hawaiimid-July till mid-September
IdahoSeptember till October
IllinoisJuly till October
Indianamid-June till mid-October
IowaJuly till September
KansasJuly till October
KentuckyAugust till September
Louisianamid-June till mid-October
Mainemid-September till October
Marylandmid-August till September
Massachusettsmid-August till October
MichiganSeptember till mid-October
Minnesotamid-August till September
Mississippimid-June till October
MissouriJuly till October
MontanaSeptember
NebraskaJuly till September
NevadaJuly till September
New Hampshiremid-September till October
New Jerseymid-August till September
New MexicoAugust till October
New Yorkmid-August till October
North CarolinaAugust till September
North DakotaAugust till September
OhioAugust till September
OklahomaJuly till September
OregonSeptember till October
PennsylvaniaSeptember
Rhode IslandSeptember till October
South CarolinaSeptember till November
South Dakotamid-August till September
TennesseeJuly till October
TexasJuly till October
Utahmid-August till September
Vermontmid-September till October
VirginiaAugust till October
WashingtonAugust till October
West VirginiaAugust till September
Wisconsinmid-August till mid-September
WyomingAugust till September

California is the biggest grapes producer in America (and a world-famous winery state). Grape season in California is between May and December. Washington has a shorter production, starting in August and finishing in October and Oregon has a two months season starting in September. If you like to purchase them seasonally and locally, you can find the right grape season in the following chart.

Another fruit full of art and symbolism, grapes are arguably the most honored fruit since ancient times. Present in religious symbols and tales, they are represented throughout art history in the hands of the victorious, beautiful, and strong characters in all sorts of paintings and sculptures. Some Latino countries keep the tradition of eating twelve grapes in the last 12 seconds of the year while thinking of good wishes to bring luck in the year to start. And of course, we owe them one of the biggest pleasures humankind has invented, wine.

From a general perspective, the grape season peaks from August through October. Grapes are primarily cultivated in the late winter or early spring, and by summer, they are grown. They start ripening in the late summer to early fall.

Identifying ripe grapes is as easy as ABC. The first sign is a color change. Like any other fruit, grapes change color when they are ripe. The only difference is that there is no standard color as it varies between the different species. Some varieties change to purple, while others change to red, green, or even black.

Another indication of ripening is the stems, where a change from green to brown indicates ripening. The seeds also experience the exact color change as the stems. Chewing the seeds can give you more certainty; ripe grapes have seeds that break easily. Chewing is only advisable when you are convinced the grape has a degree of ripening.

Ripe grapes are plump and juicy. The ripe ones are firm, while the overripe ones are mushy. The overripe ones also crush easily when touched, and some might even shrivel. Testing them for taste can also help evaluate ripeness. Most grape varieties are small, acidic, and bitter when unripe, but they swell and become sweet when ripe. Additionally, ripe grapes can easily be plucked from their cluster. 

Much thought is put into picking the fruit because of the numerous varieties. The fruits have over a thousand types on the planet, and of course, picking differs among clusters of varieties. 

These varieties also have different uses, mainly winemaking, eating, and the making of juices. For example, the Concord is used to make grape juice, jellies, and jam. The Concord, Lakemont, Venus, Interlaken, and Einset Seedless varieties are also sold for everyday eating purposes. The most widely used type to produce wine is the Riesling Grape. Other varieties, such as Muscat, are used to make raisins. 

Apart from the above uses, grapes also have health benefits. Grapes contain Vitamin C, K, potassium, and antioxidants, among many other nutrients. 

Some good reasons to eat organic grapes in season are:

  • Eating grapes helps boost your immunity. The vitamins in grapes help build a better resistance against diseases, bacteria, and viral infections.
  • The antioxidants present in grapes help reduce cancer risk by blocking the growth of cancer cells and reducing oxidative stress.
  • Grapes improve the heart’s health conditions. Intake of grapes helps reduce high blood pressure cholesterol levels and protects against diabetes.
  • They contain antioxidants that help maintain the brain’s health. Its powerful antioxidants reduce oxidative stress, which can help curb or prevent conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
  • Grapes contain Vitamin K and several minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and potassium, vital in bone formation. Thus easting grapes improve bone conditions.

Consider taking the fruits in their natural state to get the best out of grape season. Grapes are very versatile, and you can use them in making salad recipes, smoothies, and baking.

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