Grapes are one of the fruits most closely associated with late summer and autumn in Italy. From large golden bunches to red, purple, and increasingly popular seedless varieties, Italian table grapes come in many different shapes, colors, and flavors.
Italy has a long tradition of growing grapes, but not all grapes are destined for winemaking. Many varieties are cultivated specifically to be eaten fresh and are known in Italian as uva da tavola, or table grapes.
In this guide, we’ll look at the main types of Italian table grapes, where they are grown, when they are in season, and how to choose and store them at home.
Table Grapes vs. Wine Grapes
Table grapes and wine grapes may both come from Vitis vinifera, but they are selected and grown for different purposes.
Table grapes are intended to be eaten fresh. Characteristics such as attractive bunches, berry size, texture, sweetness, and resistance to handling and storage are particularly important.
Wine grapes, on the other hand, are grown for winemaking. Their balance of sugars and acidity, as well as the characteristics of their skins, seeds, aromas, and other compounds, are important in determining the style and quality of the resulting wine.
This guide focuses on Italian table grapes. The grapes used to make Italian wines are a fascinating subject of their own and are covered separately in the wine section of Micaela’s Kitchen.
Where Are Table Grapes Grown in Italy?
Italy is one of Europe’s major producers of table grapes, with production concentrated particularly in the south.
Puglia and Sicily account for around 90% of Italian table-grape production, according to CREA, the Italian Council for Agricultural Research and Economics.
Both regions also have table grapes protected by the European geographical indication system.
Uva di Puglia IGP can be produced throughout Puglia, within the geographical and cultivation requirements established by its specification. The designation includes the Italia, Regina, Victoria, Michele Palieri, and Red Globe varieties.
In Sicily, Uva da Tavola di Mazzarrone IGP is produced in designated municipalities in the provinces of Catania and Ragusa. Its principal varieties include Italia, Victoria, Red Globe, Black Magic, Black Pearl, and Michele Palieri.
Main Types of Italian Table Grapes
Italy grows both traditional seeded grapes and modern seedless varieties. CREA lists Italia, Victoria, Red Globe, Michele Palieri, Black Magic, Regina, Crimson, Sugraone, Thompson Seedless, and Regal Seedless among the country’s most widely cultivated table grapes.
Here are some of the traditional varieties you may encounter.
Italia Grapes
Italia is one of the best-known white table grapes grown in Italy.
Its berries range from pale straw-yellow to golden as they ripen. Among Uva di Puglia IGP grapes, the Italia variety is particularly noted for its pronounced aroma.
Italia is a relatively late variety. Under the Uva di Puglia IGP specification, its harvest period begins in early September and can continue until December 15.
Victoria Grapes
Victoria is another important white table grape cultivated in Italy.
The berries have a pale straw-yellow color, while the bunches tend to be more compact than those of Italia grapes.
It is also one of the earlier traditional varieties. For Uva di Puglia IGP, harvesting can begin during the first ten days of July and continue through the end of August.
Regina Grapes
Regina is a traditional white table grape and one of the varieties included in the Uva di Puglia IGP designation.
Its berries have the pale straw-yellow coloring characteristic of the white varieties included in the designation.
In Puglia, Regina is harvested from around the second week of July through the end of September, making it another variety associated with the summer and early-autumn grape season.
Red Globe Grapes
Red Globe is easy to distinguish from the pale varieties because of its red to pinkish-red coloring.
As its name suggests, it produces large, rounded berries and is cultivated in both Puglia and Sicily. It is included in the specifications for both Uva di Puglia IGP and Uva da Tavola di Mazzarrone IGP.
For Uva di Puglia IGP, Red Globe is harvested from around mid-August through the end of September.
Michele Palieri Grapes
Michele Palieri is a dark table grape with an intense, velvety black color.
It is grown in both Puglia and Sicily and is included in the specifications for Uva di Puglia IGP and Uva da Tavola di Mazzarrone IGP. In the Mazzarrone designation, its bunches are described as cylindrical-pyramidal and winged.
Its harvest period can extend well into autumn. Under the Uva di Puglia IGP specification, Michele Palieri can be harvested from late July until the end of October.
Black Magic Grapes
Black Magic is another dark-skinned table grape grown commercially in Italy.
It is among the varieties CREA identifies as widely cultivated in the country and is also one of the principal varieties permitted for Uva da Tavola di Mazzarrone IGP.
The Mazzarrone specification describes Black Magic as having a pyramidal bunch, while its dark berries have the deep bluish-black coloring characteristic of the designation’s black grapes.
What About Seedless Grapes?
Seedless grapes are known in Italian as uve apirene, and they have become increasingly important in Italian table-grape production.
Among the widely cultivated varieties identified by CREA are Crimson, Sugraone, Thompson Seedless, and Regal Seedless.
Italy is also developing its own new seedless table-grape varieties through breeding programs. CREA has introduced Italian-bred varieties including Maula, Daunia, and Egnatia as part of its work to expand the range available to growers and consumers.
For home cooks, the distinction is particularly useful when choosing grapes for recipes. If you don’t want to remove seeds individually, look for grapes labeled senza semi or apirene.
When Are Grapes in Season in Italy?
There isn’t a single Italian grape season because the harvest period varies considerably according to the variety, growing region, and cultivation method.
In southern Italy, the table-grape season can extend for many months.
The Uva da Tavola di Mazzarrone IGP specification, for example, allows harvesting from June to December, depending on the variety. Growers can also use protective coverings to encourage earlier ripening or extend the harvest later into the year.
The differences between individual varieties can be considerable. Under the Uva di Puglia IGP specification, Victoria can begin in early July, Regina follows from mid-July, Michele Palieri from late July, Red Globe from mid-August, while Italia begins in September and can continue until mid-December.
For shoppers, this means that Italian-grown grapes can be available from summer well into autumn and even early winter, with different varieties appearing as the season progresses.
How to Choose Fresh Grapes
When buying fresh grapes, look for plump, intact berries that are firmly attached to the bunch. Avoid packages with many split, leaking, shriveled, or damaged grapes.
Check the bunch carefully for signs of mold or excessive moisture, especially around damaged berries.
You may also notice a thin, pale coating on the skin of fresh grapes. This natural waxy layer is called bloom, or pruina in Italian, and is a normal characteristic of the fruit. The official description of Uva da Tavola di Mazzarrone IGP, for example, specifically notes the presence of pruina on its white grapes.
Don’t confuse this natural coating with dirt or assume that grapes displaying it are poor quality.
How to Store Fresh Grapes
If you’re not going to eat fresh grapes immediately, keep them refrigerated and as dry as possible.
Don’t wash the entire bunch before storing it. Instead, wash only the amount you plan to eat or use in a recipe shortly before you need it. Keeping excess moisture away from the fruit helps reduce deterioration during storage.
Before refrigerating the bunch, check it and remove any berries that are split, leaking, or beginning to spoil.
Storage life varies according to the grape variety, its condition when purchased, and how it has been handled before reaching your kitchen, so check the bunch regularly rather than relying on a fixed number of days.
What’s Next: Cooking With Italian Grapes
Fresh grapes are wonderful eaten straight from the bunch, but their role in Italian food doesn’t end there.
Grapes can also be used in breads, desserts, preserves, and savory dishes. One of the best-known examples is Tuscan schiacciata con l’uva, but there are many other ways to bring fresh grapes into the kitchen.
Rather than squeezing all of those uses into this guide, we’ll explore them separately in How Italians Use Grapes: Traditional Dishes and Cooking Ideas, where we’ll look at traditional preparations, sweet and savory uses, pairings, and practical ways to cook with grapes.
