Thompson Seedless

Thompson Seedless, also known as Sultanina, is the most widely planted white seedless grape in the world and the backbone of the California table-grape and raisin industries. It traces to an ancient seedless cultivar from the Ottoman and Persian regions and was popularized in California in the 1870s by William Thompson. The vigorous vine produces long, large clusters of small oval, pale green to amber berries. Because natural berries are small, commercial growers girdle canes and apply gibberellic acid to increase size. It is the source of most golden and natural raisins and is also pressed for grape juice and neutral wine. In the home vineyard it needs a long, hot growing season and cane pruning to fruit well.