Thompson Seedless is a white grape that was been the mainstay of the seedless grape industry for many years. At its best it is irresistibly sweet with a lovely crisp texture. Unfortunately, it is too often harvested slightly early which impacts on the level of sweetness, but this can be detected by a deeper green colouration. The berry has a distinctively elongated shape, with an attractive pale green-yellow skin. There is no rudimentary seed in the berry.
Good Fruit Guide Rating: ***
Thompson Seedless is an attractive seedless white grape for consumers looking for good levels of sweetness and an attractive texture at good prices.
Sweet, crisp, elongated
Names: Thompson Seedless; Sultana
Origin: Thompson Seedless is a Sultana grape, belonging to the Sultanina family. This is the modern name given to the fruit in honour of William Thompson, the first man to cultivate the variety in the California (circa 1872). Rootstocks and advanced growing techniques are used to produce the fruit as we know it, rather than the smaller, more straw-coloured original Sultana.
Grown in: Most table grape producing countries grow Thompson Seedless. It is the main white grape grown in Greece, but is declining in importance in most countries as improved varieties become more widely available.
Harvest & Availability: Supplies to the UK are as follows:
- January: Namibia
- February: South Africa, Namibia
- March: South Africa, India
- April: South Africa, India
- May: India
- June:
- July: Greece
- August: Greece
- September: Greece
- October:
- November:
- December: Peru
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