Xenoflor
Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera 'Sultana' from Greece syn. 'Thomson Seedless' - Calandstr, Leiden, NL 8 Sept 2009 Leo
syn. 'Sultanina', 'Sultaninini'
This was originally a race of seedless grapes grown to make raisins (sultanas) in Greece, Turkey and Iran. The legend goes that the Ottoman sultan fled his vineyards from a tiger, hence the grapes dried in the sun and he obtained raisins.
Now the funny thing is this: one William Thompson moved to southern California and promoted this grape as a table variety in the 1860's under the name Thomson's Seedless. The market penetration of that name has become so persuasive that the Greek suppliers (G. Giannakakis S.A.) of this produce supplied the grapes above under the American name 'Thomson's Seedless'! That's consumer brand recognition for you!
The grape has become one of the most widely grown in the world, although almost no wine is made from it. Australia, Turkey and California are the main producers.
Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera 'Sultana' from Greece syn. 'Thomson Seedless' - Calandstr, Leiden, NL 8 Sept 2009 Leo
syn. 'Sultanina', 'Sultaninini'
This was originally a race of seedless grapes grown to make raisins (sultanas) in Greece, Turkey and Iran. The legend goes that the Ottoman sultan fled his vineyards from a tiger, hence the grapes dried in the sun and he obtained raisins.
Now the funny thing is this: one William Thompson moved to southern California and promoted this grape as a table variety in the 1860's under the name Thomson's Seedless. The market penetration of that name has become so persuasive that the Greek suppliers (G. Giannakakis S.A.) of this produce supplied the grapes above under the American name 'Thomson's Seedless'! That's consumer brand recognition for you!
The grape has become one of the most widely grown in the world, although almost no wine is made from it. Australia, Turkey and California are the main producers.