The saying about Grapery should be to expect the unexpected. I have had enough of their varieties by now that just about anything is possible. And I know every time I encounter a new variety from them that I am going to love it. They have a perfect track record with me so far. One of their varieties that I have been waiting to try ever since I knew they existed (found that out during my Grapery tour in March) were the Gum Drops grapes. I love gum drops especially the ones they sell at Whole Foods. Grapery taste tested this grape and people felt it was even better than Cotton Candy grapes. That just really got me excited. Thanks to my relationship with Grapery that moment came yesterday morning as they send me a clamshell package of Gum Drops for me to taste test and fill out a survey for them – a food blogger perk!
The label on the packaging of Gum Drops grapes says – “Enjoy a gummylicious flavor every time you bite into our new Gum Drop grapes. These tasty luscious jewels are naturally raised and then picked when they reach the peak of flavor”. That description is right in every sense. These grapes do immediately remind me of Gum Drops without the sugar crystals on the outside. They have a really fruit finish to them. The flavor can compete with Cotton Candy. I kind of want to stop writing right now and go buy some more Cotton Candy grapes so I can eat them together. Normally only Homer Simpson could would eat those kinds of sweets together (like when he made a giant ball of deep-fried, caramel-covered, cotton candy) but now anyone can enjoy the flavors of these sweet treats and not gain 50 pounds or make themselves sick!
The grapes are black seedless grapes with undertones of red in the color. They are a smaller black grapes when compared to the other black grapes I have had from Grapery, which all have been large sizes. A lot of flavor is packed into a small package!
The availability of these grapes is very limited right now. If you can find them they are available in the month of September. This is the first year they have are being packaged as Gum Drops. They were in their Flavor Pops line last season – which is their experimental varieties that have not been named yet. So in a way they graduated this year.
It is going to take some time for production to ramp up. Vines need to mature to produce more fruit. They will be slightly easier to find next season. In 2017, their availability will be closer to that of Moon Drops this year, but still not on the level Cotton Candy is right now. If you don’t get to try them this year, keep looking out in future Septembers. Trust me they will be worth the wait! I am very thankful to the people at Grapery for sharing them with me this year when they are so limited.
Did I get a bad batch? The grapes I bought had little, to no taste to them at all. They’re sister grapes, cotton candy far exceed the taste of gum drop and moon drops.
Pardon my grammar.
When did you buy them? They have been out of season for a while.
I just bought some of these today — Aug 4 — at Metropolitan Market in Seattle and was also disappointed. They didn’t have much flavor, with almost minty overtones. Much redder in color than your pictures.
That is a shame you didn’t like them. The reason they might look different than the ones in my picture is that they have a new variety that are now in the Gum Drop grape line. They are just coming out for the first time this season. I haven’t tried these ones yet. In September, the original Gum Drops grapes will come out, I would give those ones a chance.
I gave the gum drops another chance. Although they were still a bit lighter in color like the first batch I had (and purchased at the same place, Metropolitan Market in Seattle), these were great! I’m wondering if the earlier ones just weren’t sufficiently ripe. The latest batch were very good — very fruity!
I have to admit, from memory I think my favorite is still the moon drops that I had last year! I’ve also had tear drops a few time this summer, which are good, but not as good as the moon drops or the gum drops. I got the tear drops at Metropolitan Market earlier (no longer available there), and most recently (just this past weekend) at QFC (a Kroger-owned chain in the PNW) on Mercer & 5th Ave in Seattle.