The sultana is a "white" (pale green), oval seedless
grape variety also called the sultanina, Thompson Seedless (United States), Lady de Coverly (England), and oval-fruited Kishmish (
Iraq,
Iran,
Israel,
Palestine
__NOTOC__
Palestine may refer to:
* State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia
* Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia
* Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East J ...
,
Pakistan,
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
,
India).
It is also known as İzmir üzümü (grape of İzmir) in
Turkey since this variety has been extensively grown in the region around
İzmir. It is assumed to originate from
Asia Minor
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...
, which later became part of the
Ottoman Empire.
In some countries, especially
Commonwealth
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
countries, the name ''sultana'' is used for the
raisin
A raisin is a dried grape. Raisins are produced in many regions of the world and may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking, and brewing. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia, the word ''raisin'' is reserved for the d ...
made from it or larger seedless grapes; such ''sultana raisins'' are often called sultanas or sultanis.
History
American sultana grapes are almost invariably Thompson Seedless, a name that refers to
William Thompson, a
viticulturist
Viticulture (from the Latin word for '' vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of '' Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine ...
who was an early grower in California and is sometimes credited with introducing the variety.
According to the US Code of Federal Regulations
In the law of the United States, the ''Code of Federal Regulations'' (''CFR'') is the codification of the general and permanent regulations promulgated by the executive departments and agencies of the federal government of the United States. ...
, the two names are synonymous. Virtually all of California raisin production (about 97% in 2000) and roughly one-third of California's total grape area is of this variety, making it the single most widely planted variety.
The Ottomans took the sultana grape variety to the island of Crete
Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cypru ...
in the 19th century.
Raisins
In the US, most raisins, including those with the typical dark brown color, are made from the sultana grape, the Thompson Seedless. The term "sultana" refers to golden-colored dried grapes, which may also be called "golden raisins" (such as marketed by Sun-Maid, a California-based raisin grape growers' co-op and legacy brand). Any grape may be used to produce golden raisins, and any kind of golden raisins from any kind of grape may be marketed as "sultanas." Moreover, the golden color may come from a treatment with sulfur dioxide rather than traditional drying and preservation methods. Most nonorganic sultana grapes in California and elsewhere are treated with the growth-inducing plant hormone gibberellin
Gibberellins (GAs) are plant hormones that regulate various developmental processes, including stem elongation, germination, dormancy, flowering, flower development, and leaf and fruit senescence. GAs are one of the longest-known classes of plan ...
. In other grapes, gibberellin is released by the seeds.
Other uses
The sultana grape is also used to make white wine, in which use it is known for its "sweet blandness." It is referred to as a "three-way grape" because it is used as table grape, to make raisins and to make wine. In the United States, it is the base for wine generically called "chablis." This wine is named for the Chablis region of France, but it is not a true Chablis wine
Chablis () is a town and commune in the Yonne department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in north-central France.
It lies in the valley of the River Serein.
Wine
The village of Chablis gives its name to one of the most famous French white wine ...
. In the EU, "Chablis" wine must be made from the Chardonnay
Chardonnay (, , ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For ne ...
grape produced in the region of the Yonne
Yonne () is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in France. It is named after the river Yonne, which flows through it, in the country's north-central part. One of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté's eight constituent departments, it is ...
département.
End uses include:
* Manufacturing industries such as bakeries and breakfast cereal producers
* Supermarkets
* Dairy products such as yogurt and ice-creams
* Salads and desserts
Its triple use has made the Thompson Seedless the most planted grape in California.
Sultana grape juice was fraudulently sold as being of Chardonnay grapes in Australia for winemaking, as Sultana grapes cost less. The fraud was discovered in 2003 by the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation
Wine Australia is an Australian Government statutory corporation that promotes and regulates the Australian wine industry. It was created as the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation (AWBC) in 1981 to replace the Australian Wine Board by the ...
. It was considered the largest case of wine deception in Australian history.
Sultaniye wines
Sultaniye wines are dry and semi-dry, light-bodied wines produced in Turkey.[ Sultaniye grapes used in winemaking are mainly grown at Denizli and Manisa in the ]Aegean Region
The Aegean Region () is one of the 7 geographical regions of Turkey. The largest city in the region is İzmir. Other big cities are Manisa, Aydın, Denizli, Muğla, Afyonkarahisar and Kütahya.
Located in western Turkey, it is bordered b ...
of Turkey. Sultaniye grapes are consumed as table grapes and raisins and used in winemaking.[ The Semillon and Sultaniye wines from the Marmara Region of Turkey attract attention not only in the local market but also in international markets.]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sultana
Table grape varieties
Raisins
Berries