Black Emerald Grapevine

Vitis vinifera L. ‘Black Emerald’

Black Emerald gives jet-black seedless grapes with a glossy look and firm, crisp flesh — clusters around 450 g that present well on the shelf. It ripens early, with or just behind Perlette, and the skin stands up to handling. It sets generously, though, and that is where it is won or lost: without cluster thinning you get compact bunches of small berries instead of the size that sells. An American variety from USDA in California, a 1994 selection, recorded with FPS at UC Davis.