Sultana (grape)

The sultana raisin was traditionally imported to the English-speaking world from the Ottoman Empire. Turkey and Australia are major producers.[4]

American sultana grapes are almost invariably Thompson Seedless, a name that refers to William Thompson, a viticulturist who was an early grower in California and is sometimes credited with introducing the variety.[1][5][6] According to the US Code of Federal Regulations, the two names are synonymous.[7] Virtually all of California raisin production (about 97% in 2000) and roughly one-third of California's total grape area is of this variety, making it the single most widely planted variety.[6][8]

The Ottomans took the sultana grape variety to the island of Crete in the 19th century.[9]

Close-up of golden sultana raisins

Container of dark sultana raisins for a school lunch

In the US, most raisins, including those with the typical dark brown colour, are made from the sultana grape, the Thompson Seedless. The term "sultana" refers to golden-coloured dried grapes, which may also be called "golden raisins" (such as marketed by Sun-Maid, a California-based raisin grape growers' co-op and legacy brand). Any kind of grape may be used to produce golden raisins, and any kind of golden raisins from any kind of grape may be marketed as "sultanas". Moreover, the golden colour may come from a treatment with sulfur dioxide rather than traditional drying and preservation methods.[10] Most nonorganic sultana grapes in California and elsewhere are treated with the growth-inducing plant hormone gibberellin. In other grapes, gibberellin is released by the seeds.[11]

In some jurisdictions, seedless dried grapes are classified as sultana and Thompson raisins according to the drying method used. Sultanas are steeped in a solution of water, potassium carbonate, and vegetable oil to hasten the drying process. Thompson raisins are not treated with this solution, but are dried naturally, thus they require more drying time than sultanas. Because of this, Thompsons are a darker colour than sultanas.[12]

Sultana raisins are eaten as a snack food without further processing and are used in a variety of dishes, such as fruitcake and Bath buns, sometimes prepared by soaking in water, fruit juice, or alcohol.

The sultana grape is also used to make white wine, in which use it is known for its "sweet blandness".[5][6] It is referred to as a "three-way grape" because it is used as table grape, to make raisins, and to make wine.[13] In the United States it is the base for wine generically called "chablis".[13] This wine is named for the Chablis region of France, but it is not a true Chablis wine. In the EU, "Chablis" wine must be made from the Chardonnay grape produced in the region of the Yonne département.

End uses include:[14]

• Manufacturing industries such as bakeries and breakfast cereal producers
• Supermarkets
• Dairy products such as yogurt and ice-creams
• Salads and desserts

Its triple use has made the Thompson Seedless the most planted grape in California.[13]

Sultana grape juice was fraudulently sold as being of Chardonnay grapes in Australia for wine making, as Sultana grapes cost less. The fraud was discovered in 2003 by the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation. It was considered the largest case of wine deception in Australian history.[15]