Table Grapes vs. Wine Grapes: What’s the Difference?
📖 Read Time: Approx. 6–7 minutes
I’ve just returned from a two -week business trip in Roussillon, France during the harvest season, and if you’ve ever been in the vineyards at this time of year, you’ll understand why it feels so magical.
The days start early, mist still hanging low over the vines, the hum of tractors in the distance, pickers calling to one another as they move quickly down the rows. The scent of ripening fruit mingles with the crisp autumn air, and later in the day, when grapes are delivered to the cellar, the aroma of crushed berries and fermenting must fills the air. A living perfume of a new vintage in the making.
It is in these moments, standing among vines heavy with fruit that the grape itself takes centre stage. Not the bottle, not the glass, but the berry. Because without understanding wine grapes, we can’t truly understand wine.
And this brings me to a question a client asked me recently, one that might sound simple but opens the door to a fascinating conversation:
✨ “Is there really a difference between the grapes I buy at the grocery store and the ones used to make wine?”
They laughed nervously, thinking it was a silly question. But in truth, it’s one of the most insightful questions anyone can ask about viticulture and grape varieties.
A Tale of Two Grapes
The vine is incredibly versatile, but over centuries, viticulturists have developed grape varieties with very different destinies.
🍇 Table Grapes are bred and cultivated for beauty and immediate enjoyment.
Large, plump berries, often seedless.
Firm pulp and thin skins that snap crisply.
Balanced, refreshing sweetness but usually lower in sugar and acidity than wine grapes.
Durable for transport, with an emphasis on appearance and texture.
They are the grapes of fruit bowls, market stalls, and sunny summer snacking. Their job is to be visually appealing, delicious, and easy to eat.
🍷 Wine Grapes, by contrast, are less about glamour and more about intensity.
Small berries, packed with seeds.
Thicker skins and higher skin-to-juice ratios.
High natural sugar (for fermentation into alcohol).
Vibrant acidity (for freshness and balance).
Concentrated tannins and aromatic compounds (for complexity and age-worthiness).
They might not look impressive on a fruit platter, but their structure is what makes wine possible. Without the right balance of sugar, acidity, and tannins, fermentation wouldn’t yield complex, enjoyable wines.
In short: table grapes are bred for eating, wine grapes are bred for winemaking.
A Historical Perspective
This distinction isn’t new. Ancient civilizations already understood the difference.
The Egyptians cultivated Muscat of Alexandria over 3,000 years ago, eating the berries fresh but also fermenting them into sweet, perfumed wines.
The Romans classified grapes carefully, noting which were better for drying into raisins, which were pleasant to eat, and which produced wines worthy of trade across their empire.
In Greece, table grapes and wine grapes were sometimes the same variety, depending on climate and ripeness. Demonstrating that even in antiquity, some grapes could straddle both worlds.
So when we talk about table vs. wine grapes today, we are part of a conversation that spans millennia.
The Chameleons of the Vineyard
Here’s where it gets interesting: while most grapes belong clearly to one category, some are versatile enough to do both. During my trip, I was reminded just how delightful these “chameleons” can be.
✨ Muscat of Alexandria – An ancient variety, beloved for its fragrant, floral profile. It produces beautifully aromatic wines. Both dry and sweet, but its plump berries are equally cherished fresh or dried into raisins.
✨ Schiava (Vernatsch/Trollinger) – Grown in South Tyrol and Germany, this grape makes light-bodied, fruity reds. Yet locals also enjoy it fresh, thanks to its soft skin and juicy, gentle character.
✨ Chasselas – A delicate grape, best known in Switzerland, where it is vinified into crisp, dry wines. But across Europe, it is equally popular as a refreshing table grape.
And beyond Europe:
Isabella – Popular in Brazil, Eastern Europe, and Georgia. Rustic wines, but also eaten fresh for its distinctive aroma.
Concord – Iconic in North America for grape juice and jelly, but vinified into sweet wines as well.
Thompson Seedless (Sultana) – Eaten fresh, dried into raisins, or occasionally fermented into simple wines.
Lambrusco – Famous for Italy’s sparkling reds, but some local strains are enjoyed fresh.
These varieties remind us that nature doesn’t always fit neatly into human-made categories.
Why the Difference Matters
From a winemaking perspective, the differences aren’t just academic, they’re essential.
Sugar: Fermentation requires sugar to produce alcohol. Table grapes often lack the high sugar levels needed to make balanced wine.
Acidity: Acidity gives wine freshness, structure, and longevity. Too little, and the wine feels flat. Table grapes are bred to be mild and easy on the palate, so their acidity is often too low for winemaking.
Tannins and Phenolics: Found in grape skins and seeds, these compounds create colour, texture, and aging potential. Thicker-skinned wine grapes have plenty; table grapes, not so much.
This is why you rarely see supermarket grapes turned into fine wine. They don’t have the right balance of components for fermentation and complexity.
Lessons From the Vineyard
Spending time in French vineyards reminded me how much respect grapes deserve. Pickers don’t just gather fruit, they handle years of growth and care in every cluster. Winemakers don’t just crush berries, they translate the raw material into something that can last decades.
Standing in the vineyard, I realized that table grapes and wine grapes mirror two sides of life:
One is about immediate pleasure, beauty, and refreshment.
The other is about depth, transformation, and longevity.
And then there are the rare ones that manage to be both, reminding us that versatility can be just as valuable as specialization.
A Tasting Invitation
So yes, the distinction between table grapes and wine grapes is very real. But the next time you bite into a Muscat in a market, or sip a glass of Chasselas in Switzerland, you might just realize, you’re enjoying two worlds at once.
Now I’m curious: have you ever tasted a grape that’s both a table grape and a wine grape? Perhaps Concord in the US, Isabella in Brazil, or Muscat during your travels?
Share your story in the comments, I’d love to hear it 🍇🍷