Vitis vinifera Centennial - Seedless Grape vine

Vitis vinifera Centennial Seedless is a vigorous variety of vine, capable of reaching up to 5m (16ft) in height when trained on a trellis or arbour. This variety produces a sweet, muscat-flavoured, golden yellow table grape, ready to be harvested as early as August in warm southern regions. The large clusters of medium to large berries are resistant to rot but susceptible to powdery mildew. In addition to being delicious, these grapes have the advantage of being seedless. This vine thrives in most neutral to limestone, well-drained soils in sunny locations. It is also hardy.

The wine grapevine (Vitis vinifera) grew wild over 5000 years ago in North and Central America, Europe, and Central and Eastern Asia. The subspecies sylvestris still exists as a climbing liana, growing on the edges of forests and capable of reaching great heights in trees. The current varieties, called grape varieties in the case of the vine, are classified under the vinifera subspecies (although there are other cultivated species, but they are very minor). Economically, wine grapes dominate over table grapes, with over 200 authorised grape varieties in France, the result of centuries of selection work.

'Centennial Seedless' is an American variety obtained in 1966 by Professor Harold P. Olmo, a viticulturist and teacher at the University of Davis in California. This specialist in the genus, with a doctorate in plant genetics, worked extensively on American viticulture during his long life (he died at the age of 97, perhaps a good illustration of the benefits of grapes on the body?). A vigorous climbing bush, the Centennial Seedless vine requires long pruning, ideally of the Guyot method, and training on wires. It can also be grown on a trellis or arbour that it can cover. It is capable of reaching 5m (16ft) in height and 4m (13ft) in width if left unpruned.

Its deeply cut foliage, with 5 to 7 deeply toothed lobes, is very characteristic and quite decorative, especially since the young leaves are reddish, while in autumn they turn yellow-orange. Flowering occurs in June depending on the year and region, offering very small greenish flowers gathered in fairly large conical and cylindrical clusters. Like most grapes, it is a self-fertile variety.

The inflorescences develop into large clusters of medium to large berries, which turn golden yellow at maturity from early to mid-August in sunny southern regions (a few days after Chasselas). With thin skin and firm flesh, these berries are sweet, slightly acidic, and have a slightly muscat flavour. They have a distinctly elongated shape (about 16 x 20mm (1in)), with each grape weighing from 3 to 5 grams and clusters weighing from 400 to 500 grams. These succulent berries have the advantage, as indicated by the variety's name, of being seedless. It is useful to do green pruning to remove certain leaves so that the grapes are well exposed to the sun and can acquire their beautiful golden colour, a sign of their taste quality. However, be sure to provide them with some shade in warm regions to prevent the fruits from browning in the sun. This variety is somewhat susceptible to powdery mildew, less so to downy mildew, and not very susceptible to grey rot.

Centennial Seedless grapes can be consumed fresh or made into juice, for example in a vitamin-packed fruit cocktail at breakfast. In general, grapes are rich in B vitamins, a source of fibre and manganese, and well-supplied with antioxidants. They are also believed to play a role in preventing cardiovascular diseases, and most importantly, they are a healthy, natural, and delicious dessert. Plant Centennial Seedless alongside other vines, especially black grape varieties like the famous Muscat de Hambourg, to multiply the flavours and the pleasure.