12 of the Best Grape Varieties in India | Different Types of Grapes

Juicy and refreshing grapes are relished by everyone. But, do you know about the Best Grape Varieties in India? Find them out here!

In India, the love for Grapes or ‘Angoor’ as they are popularly known, needs no introduction. Grapes are juicy berries with a sweet-tart flavor that grows on deciduous woody vines. Coming in a wide range of colors and flavors, grapes are also healthy, being rich in fiber, vitamins A, C, B6, and minerals. If you want to know about the Best Grape Varieties in India for commercial production, you are in the right place!

Check out our article on where the Grapes are grown in India here 

Best Grape Varieties in India

1. Thompson Seedless

Also known as ‘Sultana,’ this seedless variety produces pale green, oval-shaped, and mild-sweet grapes. Its vine has dark green foliage with escorted edgings. The variety features high sugar content and famous for producing raisins.

2. Anab-e-Shahi

This indigenous variety is grown as a table grape or raw consumption. The variety is cultivated widely in Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Hyderabad. Anab-e-shahi has an elongated shape with white seeds. Moreover, this variety’s fruits mature late but bear in bulk.

3. Dilkhush

It is a clone of Anab-e-shahi that shares almost the same features. The variety produces pale green, white seeded grapes with tangy flavor. Karnataka is the major producing state. These grapes are famous for table purposes or raw consumption.

4. Banglore Blue

The Bangalore blue is famous for its delicious, sweet berries that are mainly cultivated for wine preparation. The juicy and purple grapes come in an ovoid shape with multiple seeds. It is said to have anti-aging and anti-cancer properties. The fruit is the gift of Karnataka state, with Bangalore, Chikkaballapur, and Kolar as cultivation hotspots.

5. Sharad Seedless

This table purpose grape variety bears seedless, black-purple berries. The grapes have crisp textured in an oval shape, growing abundantly in the bunch. Rich in vitamin A, C, B6. This variety grows primarily in the state of Maharashtra in India.

6. Perlette

Its cultivation takes place in Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Western Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan states of India. This is a seedless variety having spherical to oval shape with green-yellow color. Perlette has a juicy and flavorful pulp that lingers a mix of tart flavor.

7. Gulabi

The pink-purple berries of Gulabi are luscious and juicy, grown for table purposes only. Also, the variety features small, spherical, and seeded berries. It grows in various states of India like Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.

8. Arkavati

The yellow-green grapes of Arkavati are sweet and seedless. The variety is the cross result Black Champa and Thompson seedless. Arkavati is an indigenous variety and finds great uses in both raisin and wine production.

9. Bhokri

Bhokri bears medium-sized, golden-yellow hued berries in bunch. The grapes have thick skin and popular for raw consumption. Although it is common in various states of India like Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Telangana, yet the major part of its crop comes from Tamilnadu.

10. Sonaka, Manik Chaman and Tas-A-Ganesh

All these three are clones of Thompson seedless variety. These mutant varieties are common in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka states. They have a similar feature as Thompson in terms of color, taste, and sizes, except for some slight variation. Also, these varieties play a significant role in the table, wine, and raisin production.

11. Arka Kanchan

This variety is a cross between Anab-E- Shahi, and Queen of the Vineyard’s grape varieties. The golden-green berries of Arka Kanchan are rich in flavor. These aromatic grapes find extensive use in wine-production, but people use it for table purposes as well.

12. Arka Shweta

Arka Shweta is a cross between Anab-E-Shahi and Thompson Seedless cultivars. The variety bears ovate, pale yellow-colored, and seedless grapes. Furthermore, the grape variety is worldwide famous for its table or direct consumption purposes. It has a significant demand in international markets.

The economic life of a grape plant is up to 13-16 years. You can harvest the fruits from the plant for up to fifteen years. Out of the above-mentioned grape varieties, Thompson Seedless accounts for a total of 55% of the grapes that are grown in India, followed by Bangalore Blue at 15% and Anab-e-Shahi & Dilkhush at 15% respectively.