Concord Vs Crimson Seedless Grapes: Is There A Difference?

It's easy to imagine red grapes being interchangeable for serving, eating, making wine, or mixing into recipes. But with thousands of grape varieties across the world and at least 350 red grapes suitable for winemaking alone, it's much more nuanced than that. Whether table grapes, juice grapes, wine grapes, or those destined for jams and jellies, the type and variety of grape matters. That's why we're taking a closer look at the difference between two prominent red grapes: Concord and crimson seedless. 

The most obvious difference when viewing these two grapes side by side is that the Concord sports a deep blue-purple skin compared to Crimson Seedless with its lighter, namesake crimson-red hues. In addition to color, the skins also diverge texturally. Peeling Concords is relatively easy, making the juicy inner flesh accessible for primary commercial purposes, such as making kid-favorite purple grape juices and grape jellies. Crimson Seedless are instead the ultimate table grape, with taut skins that crunch with every bite, unleashing the succulent, pulpy, sweet, tartness within.  

Differentiating these two juicy beauties of nature happens on many levels, ranging from history to cultivation methods and regional identities. How that plays out in your own kitchen largely comes down to personal preference and what you really want from one of Mother Nature's most beloved fruits. 

Grapes in general appear in records dating back centuries, making the Concord seem relatively young, but in American time frames, it's much older than its Crimson Seedless counterpart. The Concord story evolved from experiments by a 19th century vitaculturist, who introduced this juicy cultivated grape in 1843 and named it after the city of Concord, Massachusetts. Its growing region has largely remained close to home along on the East Coast. 

Concord grape flavors range from simply sweet to musky and tart, accentuated by highly aromatic floral notes. Though seemingly desirable for table eating, that notion is mostly thwarted by large seeds nestled within the inner flesh. These grapes are instead highly prized for making grape jams and jellies, juice drinks, and jammy pies, as well as for flavoring soft drinks and candies. They're also known, on a lesser scale, for infusing custom vinegars, liqueurs, and even making kosher wines.

Concords are considered slip-skin grapes, so called for the thick, pliable skins that readily separate while leaving the insides largely intact. Because of these slippery skins, you'll rarely find Concords in a grocery store, as they're too easily damaged during travel and handling. You may notice a whitish powdery coating on the outside of Concord grapes, which is known in the industry as the "bloom." It naturally protects the grape from moisture, pests, and damage from cracking and degradation. It's perfectly safe but can leave an aftertaste, so feel free to wash or scrub it off with baking soda. 

Unlike the East Coast origins of Concord grapes, the much younger crimson seedless variety hails from the sunny West Coast, particularly the San Joaquin Valley of California. It's the brainchild of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which created the breed in its USDA Fruit Genetics and Breeding Research Unit, bringing those tasty, carefully cultivated beauties to market in 1989. That's almost 150 years after the humble farmstead-bred Concord grapes grew into a dominant culinary force.

crimson seedless is now the ultimate table grape, most likely the one labeled generically as "red grapes" in your local grocery venues and farmer's markets. The combination of tangy and sweet flavors created by high levels of natural sugars and acidity make this a desirable grape for snacking, mixing into fresh-fruit desserts, salads, and Greek yogurts, or tucking into lunchboxes and picnic baskets. It's also a good complement to wine and cheese platters. 

Not all grape varieties have the cloudy bloom, but crimson seedless grapes often do. The difference may be that you don't necessarily notice it coating the lighter crimson red skins. By contrast, the bloom on Concord grapes stands out like a ghost of nature against its deep blue, purplish-black grape skins. As with Concords or any other grapes harboring the foggy white film, the bloom is perfectly edible. Feel free to rinse or scrub it off if preferred — but wait until just before eating them. Once the bloom is removed, degradation may begin.