Mary Allen
Grapes are small, round fruits. They can be eaten fresh. You can also dry them to make raisins. If you press them, there is grape juice. You can drink it fresh or preserve it. But you can also fill it in barrels and make wine from it. There are more than 8,000 different grape varieties. They were created by breeding wild vines.
Grapes grow all over the world where it is warm. In Europe, the largest quantities are growing in Italy, Spain, and France. Germany follows quite a way down the list. About 140 grape varieties are grown there. The most common are the white varieties Riesling and Silvaner. In Austria, the Grüner Veltliner is the main grape grown. In Switzerland, about the same amount of white wine is produced as red wine.
The grape plant is called a grapevine or vine. It can grow 17 meters or taller if not pruned by humans. However, pruning is necessary to allow the vine to grow properly and produce the best possible fruit. The leaves are large and round with jagged edges.
The flowers are small and green and occur in clusters. After fertilization, the Grapes grow from these. Insects are not needed for fertilization. The flowers are very small, so the pollen gets to the female parts as if by itself. Harvest time is in autumn when the grapes are ripe.
Grapes are different colors. There are light green, yellow, red, purple, or black grapes. Grapes consist largely of water, around 80 percent. Inside, most grapes have seeds and juicy flesh. There are also grapes that have no seeds. These are bred by humans that way. Grapes contain many minerals and vitamins.
Grapes have been around for a very long time. Wine vessels have been found in Egyptian tombs that are at least 5,000 years old. The ancient Greeks and Romans grew a lot of wine. From there, grapes spread all over the world.