Black and red table grapes can look alike on the shelf, but for wholesale buyers the differences matter. Colour, size, shape, seeds and season window all affect how a variety presents, how long you can supply it and how well it suits your customers.

Lazzara Fruits is a family-owned and operated table grape business in Robinvale, Victoria. Joe and Frances Lazzara and their four sons, Josef, Stevan, Dean and Brien, look after the growing, packing and marketing of the grapes we supply to domestic and export markets. Here’s how our red and black varieties compare, so you can plan your sourcing with confidence.

What’s the difference between black and red grapes?

The most obvious difference is skin colour. Red grapes range from bright pinkish red to deep crimson, while black grapes are so dark they often look blue-black or deep purple.

That colour comes from anthocyanins, natural pigments in the grape skin. Darker grapes generally carry more of them, which gives black grapes their rich, even colour.

Beyond colour, most of the differences come down to the individual variety. Size, shape, texture, seeds and harvest timing vary much more from variety to variety than between the two colour groups.

Are black grapes sweeter than red grapes?

Not necessarily. Sweetness depends on the variety and how ripe the fruit is at harvest, not on skin colour alone. A red grape can be just as sweet as a black one.

For buyers, the more useful question is which variety suits your customers and how they’ll use the fruit. That’s where comparing specific varieties helps.

Are black grapes and purple grapes the same?

Usually, yes. “Purple grapes” is an everyday name for dark-skinned table grapes, and it generally describes the same fruit that’s sold as black grapes. In the table grape trade, “black” is the standard colour category.

Which red and black grape varieties does Lazzara Fruits grow?

We grow eight red varieties and two black varieties. Every one of them is seedless except Red Globe.

Red grapes grown on our Lazzara Fruits farm:

Flame: med-large, round, crisp. Jan–Feb. Seedless.
Ralli: med-large, round, crisp. Jan–Feb. Seedless.
Itumn 7: med-large, long and thin. Feb–Apr. Seedless.
Long Crimson: med-large, long and thin. Feb–Apr. Seedless.
Red Globe: very large, round. Feb–May. Has seeds.
Magenta™: med-large, cylindrical. Feb–Jun. Seedless.
Crimson: med-large, cylindrical. Feb–Jun. Seedless.
Allison™: med-large, cylindrical. Feb–Jun. Seedless.

Black grapes grown on our Lazzara Fruits farm:

Melody: very large, crisp. Feb–May. Seedless.
Sweet Sapphire™: large, tubular, crunchy. Feb–May. Seedless.

A few things stand out for buyers:

Red offers the most shape choice. You can choose round grapes (Flame, Ralli, Red Globe), cylindrical grapes (Crimson, Magenta™, Allison™) or long, thin grapes (Long Crimson, Itumn 7).

Black varieties are big. Melody is very large and crisp. Sweet Sapphire™ is large and crunchy, with a distinctive tubular shape.

Red Globe is our only seeded variety. If your market prefers seeded grapes, it’s the one to ask about. See seeded vs seedless grapes for more on the difference.

How do the red and black grape seasons compare?

Our red varieties give buyers the longer window. Flame and Ralli open the season in January, and Crimson, Magenta™ and Allison™ carry supply through to June.

Our black varieties, Melody and Sweet Sapphire™, are available from February to May.

If you need consistent red supply, staggering varieties across the season is the way to do it. If black grapes are a key line for your customers, plan your orders around February to May. Our Australian table grape season guide covers the full picture.

How do I choose between red and black grapes for my market?

Start with these four questions.

How will the grapes be presented? Round red grapes offer a classic look, while long, cylindrical or tubular varieties stand out on the shelf.

Do your customers want seeds? Seedless suits snacking and most retail. Red Globe is the option if seeded grapes are preferred.

When do you need supply? Red covers January to June. Black covers February to May.

Do you want a full colour range? Pairing red and black with white grapes gives your customers more choice across the season.

Whatever you choose, the fruit is handled the same way. Every box is traceable, recording the date of picking and packing, the farm and patch where it was grown, and who picked and packed it. Our grapes are cooled immediately after picking in high humidity cool rooms. As a DAFF accredited business, we conduct on-farm inspections and load export containers directly from cool storage.

Frequently asked questions

Do black grapes have more antioxidants than red grapes?

Black grapes generally contain more anthocyanins, the pigments that give dark grapes their colour. Anthocyanins are a type of antioxidant, so darker grapes tend to be richer in them. Both red and black grapes are a nutritious choice. Read more about the benefits of Australian grapes.

Are red grapes seedless?

Many are. Seven of our eight red varieties are seedless. Red Globe is the exception: it’s a very large, round red grape with seeds.

When are Australian black grapes in season?