Zante Currants

Zante Currants (Botanical: Vitis vinifera 'Black Corinth', also known as Black Corinth Grapes, Raisin de Corinthe, or Zante Grape)

Zante currants are a small-fruited grape prized for their intensely sweet flavour and use in baking, snacking, and winemaking. Despite the name, they are not true currants but seedless grapes that dry easily into what we know as "currants" in the pantry. Originally from Greece, this ancient variety thrives in warm, dry summers and handles poor soils better than most table grapes.

Features

Ideal prune height: 1.5–2 m

pH range: 6.0–7.5

Sun: Full sun only

Minimum pot size year 5: 30 L

Time to fruit: 2–3 years

Harvest period: Late summer

Notable traits: Drought tolerant once established, small black seedless grapes that dry naturally, excellent for home drying

Zante currants need a strong trellis or support and perform best with yearly pruning to increase fruit production. Avoid overly rich soils. Light feeding and good drainage help maintain high fruit quality. In Perth, they thrive in dry summers with minimal fungal pressure.

A great choice for raisin lovers, food gardeners, and grape collectors wanting something different and ancient. Limited availability, grown in WA.

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