Original Thompson's Seedless Grape

[thistlebloom]

Joz, congratulations on the progress you made sleuthing out the current owner of your grandpas grapes. I think it's so neat that you will be able to start some and keep the line going.

 

[bobm]

The Thomson's seedless grapes grow in S. San Juaquin valley in vineyards as far as the eye can see. row A friend has 800 acres of them. ... nice light yellow grapes and very sweet ... they are the raisins that one buys all over the country as well as other countries ... " Sun Maid " brand raisins :coolsun

 

[joz]

Well, the owner says the vines are thriving, and the pic from a couple years ago sure looks good, so I'm guessing that if I screw up the first batch of cuttings, I can probably get more.

I can't imagine this is the ONLY VINE LEFT EVER, particularly if Bob's friend has 800 acres in. But they're sure not readily available.

Are there objective tests to determine what variety these actually are? Or is it a subjective "looks like, tastes similar, must be"?

My grandmother used to take them off the bunches and freeze them in ziplock bags. During the summer she'd give me a little dish of grapecicles.

Edit: Apparently there's one proper grape that thrives in South Louisiana:

http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=14014518&clienttype=printable

I don't know if it matters that it's on the North side of Lake Pontchartrain and I'm on the South, but...

Would this be the rootstock I'd be looking for?