Candy Hearts™ Grapes
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Candy Hearts™ grapes grow in medium to large, loose clusters, sometimes called bunches. Each cluster has a conical, slightly tapered appearance and averages 25.2 centimeters in length and 17.2 centimeters in diameter. Within the clusters, the round to oval grapes are uniform with a smooth, curved nature and average 2.1 centimeters in length and 2.6 centimeters in diameter. The grape’s skin is taut, supple, and tightly adhered to the flesh. Candy Hearts™ grapes showcase purple-red to pink-red hues, depending on their growing environment. Some bunches may be lighter colored than others, and the grapes can occasionally have a faint green coloring near the stem. It is common to see a powdery white-grey coating enveloping the bunches. This coating is called a bloom and is a natural, protective layer developed during cultivation. It is also edible. Candy Hearts™ grapes have a bursting, juicy, crisp sensation when bitten, giving way to a tender, succulent, and dense flesh. The flesh is semi-translucent and mostly seedless, seldom containing a few undeveloped seeds. The variety is known for its permeating, sweet, floral, and concord grape aroma and has flavors reminiscent of muscat and labrusca grape types. Candy Hearts™ grapes have a sweet, rich, fruity, and balanced taste. Consumers have commented that the variety has nuances likened to raspberries, strawberries, lychees, and other tropical fruits.
Seasons/Availability
Candy Hearts™ grapes are cultivated in both hemispheres, creating year-round availability in some markets. In the variety’s home state of California, the grapes are typically harvested in mid to late September.
Current Facts
Candy Hearts™ grapes are a Vitis Interspecific hybrid developed in California and released as a commercial table grape in the early 21st century. The mid to late season variety was chosen for its sweet, floral aroma, fruity flavor, and easy-to-eat nature. Candy Hearts™ grapes grow in large bunches and have a good shelf life, making them a popular choice among consumers worldwide. The variety is sometimes known under its breeding name, IFG Nineteen, but Candy Hearts™ is the primary brand name used in commercial markets. Candy Hearts™ grapes are a flavor-forward variety sought by consumers for their ability to be eaten fresh. The grapes are also versatile and can be incorporated into a wide array of sweet or savory culinary preparations.
Nutritional Value
Candy Hearts™ grapes have not been extensively studied for their nutritional properties. Red seedless grapes, in general, are a source of fiber to regulate the digestive tract and vitamins A, C, and K to maintain healthy organs, strengthen the immune system, and aid in faster wound healing. Red seedless grapes also provide calcium and phosphorus to support bone and teeth development, potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, and magnesium to control nerve functions. Other minerals that may appear in lower amounts include iron, manganese, copper, and zinc. The fruit’s red-pink coloring indicates the presence of antioxidants, which have been shown to reduce inflammation and protect the cells against free radical damage.
Applications
Candy Hearts™ grapes have a sweet and fruity flavor suited for fresh and cooked preparations. The variety is popularly eaten out of hand and is savored as a table grape. Candy Hearts™ grapes can be halved and tossed into salads or used as a topping over yogurt and granola. They can also be displayed in their bunches on charcuterie boards alongside cheeses, nuts, and dried fruits. Candy Hearts™ grapes provide a complementary sweet taste to savory, salty dishes. Try slicing and mixing grapes into a salsa variation, slaws, or adding them to fruit medleys. They can also be stuffed into chicken salad wraps. In addition to raw preparations, Candy Hearts™ grapes are often simmered into jellies and jams for spreading over crostini, sandwiches, and toast, or cooked into glazes and sauces for drizzling over meats. The variety can also be roasted and topped over bruschetta, tossed into pasta, served with pork and poultry, added to squash dishes, or incorporated into rice recipes. Beyond savory cooked dishes, Candy Hearts™ grapes are pureed and dried into fruit leathers, blended into smoothies and juices, or frozen into homemade ice cream and sorbets. Candy Hearts™ grapes pair well with other fruits like pears, apples, and peaches, nuts including pine, almonds, and peanuts, balsamic vinegar, and cheeses such as cheddar, brie, gouda, and goat. Whole, unwashed Candy Hearts™ grapes will keep for a few weeks when stored in their original packaging in the refrigerator. Grapes can also be kept in the freezer for extended periods.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Candy Hearts™ grapes are one of several varieties created by International Fruit Genetics, IFG, with candy in the chosen brand name. International Fruit Genetics was established in 2001 to develop table grape varieties through natural breeding practices with improved flavor and consumer appeal. Many new table grapes have been released through IFG since the company’s inception, and these varieties are sold worldwide and valued for their sweet, distinct flavors. Other varieties through IFG that have candy as a brand descriptor include the famous Cotton Candy™ grapes, and cultivars like Candy Drops™, Candy Snaps™, Candy Dreams™, and Candy Crunch™. One of the distinguishing practices of IFG is giving their grape varietals innovative brand names to attract consumer attention. Historically, grape varietals were named after a specific trait, like color or season, but IFG sought to give their cultivars memorable, whimsical names. The name Candy Hearts™ embodies the grape’s sweet taste and evokes the feelings of love that consumers have surrounding the variety. Some reviews of the grapes even claim it was “love at first bite.”
Geography/History
Candy Hearts™ grapes were created by International Fruit Genetics, a grape breeding company based in Bakersfield, California. In 2006, fruit geneticist and breeder Dr. David Cain hand-pollinated a cross between Princess grapes and A2798, an unnamed variety from the University of Arkansas. The plants created from this natural cross were sown in 2007, and a single grapevine was chosen in 2008. This grapevine was propagated in 2008 and planted in vineyards in 2009, where they were grown, studied, and evaluated for several years. By 2014, only around five acres were being grown in California, but production increased over time to create the first commercial crop, released to retail markets in 2017. Since their debut, Candy Hearts™ grapes have steadily risen in popularity worldwide, and production has expanded to both hemispheres for year-round availability. Candy Hearts™ grapes are also a protected variety, as a plant patent was submitted in 2014 and granted in 2015. This ensures that IFG has a say in who licenses and grows the variety to maintain quality control. Today, Candy Hearts™ grapes are grown in select countries worldwide and sold through supermarkets, wholesalers, and specialty retailers as a flavorful table grape.
