Q: What is the French Paradox and what does it have to do with grapes?
In the spirit of the NSW Wine Festival taking place in Hyde Park this weekend, our bulletin this week is dedicated to the world’s fifth largest fruit crop- grapes. While an estimated 71% of grapes are destined to become wine, an impressive 27%, equivalent to around 18 million tonnes, are consumed fresh each year (FAO, 2007).
Home grown grapes are available in Australia from November to May. There are hundreds of varieties available, so many stores categorise them based on their colour and whether they have a seed. However, the different varieties do have slightly different flavours, shapes and textures, so to help you choose the right grape to go with your cheese platter and glass of vino, here’s the lowdown on Aussie grapes.
Selection & Storage:
As a general rule, for a good grape look to the stem. If it is green, firm and well attached then the fruit should be sweet and juicy.
In red and black grapes look for a light white coat on the fruit. This coating is 100% natural and protects the fruit from damage- the less coating, the more handling and longer storage time the grape will have seen. (It is also present on green varieties, but hard to see)
If you see green grapes with an amber hue, snap them up. This indicated they were ripened on the vine for longer and as with tomatoes, the longer the fruit sits on the vine, the better the flavour.
Varieties:
Table grapes have been selectively bred to cater to consumer preferences for sweet, seedless varieties- below are our top 4 in terms of production.
MENINDEE SEASON: early season
Available: Dec – Feb
Colour: light green – yellow
Size/Shape: small to medium oval
Texture: firm flesh
Flavour: sweet, very slightly tart
Seeds: No
THOMPSON SEEDLESS:
Available: Jan – May
Colour: pale golden green
Size/Shape: medium oblong
Texture: delicate skin, firm flesh
Flavour: sweet, juicy
Seeds: no
CRIMSON SEEDLESS:
Available: Feb – May
Colour: light red
Size/Shape: medium oval
Texture: thick skin, crisp flesh
Flavour: neutral, juicy
Seeds: no
RED GLOBE:
Available: Dec – May
Colour: pink-red
Size/Shape: very large, round
Texture: crisp, fleshy
Flavour: very sweet
Seeds: yes
Other varieties worth a mention include:
MUSCAT:
Available: Jan – Apr
Colour: blue- black
Size/Shape: medium round
Texture: firm skin, soft juicy flesh
Flavour: excellent sweet, musky flavour
Seeds: yes
CARDINAL:
Available: Jan – May
Colour: red – purple
Size/Shape: large, round
Texture: soft skin, juicy flesh
Flavour: distinctively sweet
Seeds: yes
FLAME SEEDLESS:
Available: Nov – Mar
Colour: dark red
Size/Shape: medium, round
Texture: crisp, crunchy
Flavour: slightly tart
Seeds: no
RIBIERS: very popular dark grape variety
Available: Feb – May
Colour: black
Size/Shape: large, round
Texture: crisp skin, tender and juicy pulp
Flavour: sweet, tart
Seeds: yes
WALTHAM CROSS:
Available: Apr-May and Nov-Dec
Colour: golden green
Size/Shape: large, oblong
Texture: firm, juicy
Flavour: sweet
Seeds: yes
A: The French Paradox refers to the inconsistency between the high level of saturated fat in the French diet and their low rate of heart disease. It is believed that the French penchant for drinking red wine, helps protects them from the dangers of eating saturated fat.
Studies show that in moderation, red wine reduces blood pressure and other risk factors of heart disease. In particular, the antioxidants contained in grape skin (only used in red wine production) are proven to reduce constriction and blockage of the blood vessels.