The season for fresh grapes runs for about six months. It starts in November, peaks in February and March and closes in May.
Early season regions include the Northern Territory, Queensland (St George, Emerald and Mundubbera) and NSW (Bourke and Menindee). Late season grapes constitute 70% of production and come from the Sunraysia region of Victoria (Mildura and Robinvale).
Western Australia produces table grapes for the majority of the season.
Domestic Table Grape Varities and Seasonality
Variety
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Green Grapes
Seedless
Dawn Seedless (WA only)
Menindee Seedless
Thompson Seedless
Seeded
Calmeria
O'Hanez
Red Grapes
Seedless
Crimpson seedless
Flame seedless
Ralli Seedless
Seeded
Red Globe
Blue/Black Grapes
Seeded & Seedless
Autumn Royal
Black Muscat
Ribier
Midnight Beauty
Export Table Grape Varities and Seasonality
Variety
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Green Grapes
Seedless
Menindee Seedless
Thompson Seedless
Seeded
Calmeria
O'Hanez
Red Grapes
Seedless
Crimpson seedless
Flame seedless
Ralli Seedless
Seeded
Red Globe
Blue/Black Grapes
Seeded & Seedless
Autumn Royal
Midnight Beauty
Table Grape Varieties
Thompson Seedless: small to medium yellow-green oblong shaped grape with a soft berry skin, firm juicy pulp, and a sweet flavour. Available from January to May.
Menindee Seedless: light green to yellow oval-shaped grape with deliciously sweet, firm flesh and no seeds. Available from November to February.
Crimson Seedless: light red, oval-shaped grape with a thick skin, firm crisp flesh and a sweet neutral juicy flavour. Available from February to May.
Red Globe: pinkish-red grape that is very large, round and seeded. The berries have a crisp skin, fleshy pulp, and a very sweet taste. Available from December to May.
Growing Regions
Our warm, dry summers and deep, rich soils provide the perfect environment for Australian growers to produce world class table grapes. And because they are grown locally they are much fresher and tastier than overseas imports.
Australian Table grapes are grown in many different places – from the Northern Territory and Northern Queensland to southern Victoria and throughout Western Australia.
The season for fresh grapes runs for six to seven months. It starts in November, peaks in February and March and closes in May.
Warm, dry summers and deep, rich soils provide the perfect environment for Australian growers to produce world class table grapes.
Green, red and blue/black varieties of table grapes come from the major growing regions of Sunraysia and the Murray Valley in Victoria, the Riverina in NSW and south-eastern Queensland.
Other growing regions include Carnarvon, the Swan Valley and south-west of Western Australia, central NSW, the Riverland in South Australia and central Northern Territory.
Australia’s geographic expanse of grape production – and our diversity in climate and geology – means fresh Australian table grapes are available from November to May.
Early season regions include the Northern Territory, Queensland (St George, Emerald and Mundubbera) and NSW (Bourke and Menindee).
Late season grapes (which constitute 70% of production) come from the Sunraysia region of Victoria (Mildura and Robinvale).
Western Australia produces table grapes for the majority of the season.
Grapes are one of the oldest edible plants to be cultivated, along with olives. Fossils indicate that the consumption of grapes dates back as far as 5000BC.
Grapes were brought to Australia with the First Fleet in 1788 by Captain Arthur Phillip, founder of the colony of New South Wales. He planted a small vineyard with cuttings from South America and South Africa as one of his first ventures in agriculture.
There are more than 8,000 grape varieties worldwide.
Large growing regions for green, red and blue or black table grapes are Sunraysia and the Murray Valley in Victoria, the Riverina in NSW and south-eastern Queensland. Other growing regions include Carnarvon, the Swan Valley and the south-west of Western Australia, central NSW, the Riverland in South Australia and the central Northern Territory.