Description
Almeria is the old export name of Ohanes (also spelt Ohanez), the late white table grape of Almería province in southern Spain. Its very large, short-elliptical, green-yellow berries have a thick skin and firm, crunchy flesh with seeds. That toughness made its fortune: from the nineteenth century the grapes were packed in sawdust-filled barrels and shipped to Britain and beyond, and they were said to keep for months.
Characteristics
White (green-yellow) table grape; very large short-elliptical berries; thick skin; firm, crunchy, seeded flesh; female flowers with reflexed stamens; vigorous vine with low yields; very late ripening; low sugar and low acidity in the juice; outstanding keeping quality
Growing Tips
Ohanes has functionally female flowers whose petal caps cling to the stigma, so it sets badly on its own; Almería growers hand-pollinated the bunches, a job they called engarpe. Plant a hermaphrodite variety that blooms alongside it. The vine is vigorous but light-cropping, needs a long, hot season, and at home was trained on high parral trellises.