Are strong red grapes delicious? A common misconception.

As the Shine Muscat grape trend, the leading grape, wanes, Kyoho grapes are on the rise. The Korea Rural Economic Institute forecasts that the Shine Muscat grape cultivation rate, which had been increasing annually from 31.6% in 2021 to 41.4% in 2022 and 43.9% in 2023, will fall to 42.6% this year. This marks the first decline since distribution of the variety began in 2014. Conversely, the Kyoho grape cultivation rate rebounded for the first time since the introduction of Shine Muscat, reaching 17.8%.

 

The Kyoho grapes you see in supermarkets are usually reddish. However, Kyoho grapes with a strong red tint are actually of lower quality. Ripe, high-sugar Kyoho grapes are dark purple in color.

The quality of Kyoho grapes can be determined by the color of the skin.

The Kyoho maturity color chart developed by the Rural Development Administration divides the Kyoho growth stage into 10 stages.

Appropriate peel color is determined by stage. Appropriate ripeness is determined from stage 8 on the color chart. If the skin of a Kyoho grape seen at the market is more red than black, it's at stage 6 or 7, meaning it's less sweet and of lower quality.

 

There are various reasons why the quality of Kyoho grapes declines.

When there are too many grapes on the tree during the ripening period when the sugar content rises rapidly,

A prime example is excessive growth of new branches on grapevines. This results in the tree's available nutrients being dispersed, preventing each bunch from achieving sufficient sugar content and preventing proper color development.

 

In fact, the Rural Development Administration stated in a past press release, “Although the color of Kyoho grapes is purplish black, some growers and consumers mistake them for red grapes,” and “This is because one fruit tree produces too many fruits or the fruit is exposed to excessively high temperatures during the ripening period, which prevents the fruit from ripening properly.”

 

 

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Ripe, high-sugar Kyoho grapes are dark purple in color.

I also thought Kyoho grapes were red.

 

I'll have to keep that in mind when I buy something next time.