This variety of raisin is produced from black wine grapes in Ilia prefecture, where they have been produced since the beginning of the 14th century. These raisins owe their special characteristics to the excellent soil and weather conditions in the region.
This sweet grape variety can be harvested in August, earlier than other grapes. They are also rounder, more uniform in shape and have a deep black color. There are two methods of drying used in Ilia – one is to directly expose the grapes to the sun on special surfaces called alonia, and the other is to dry them in the shade on special frames, which takes longer but produces raisins with superior color.
This variety of raisin has been produced since the 13th century in the ancient city of Aigio in the northern Peloponnese, on the hills overlooking the Gulf of Corinth. The Corinthian raisin is made from small, sweet, seedless grapes of the black Vostizza variety that have been dried naturally in the open air.
These raisins are sorted manually and cleaned several times before final packaging, and they are sometimes glossed with vegetable oil to make them shinier. Corinthian raisins are very small and have an intense flavor, with an almost 75% sugar content.
Internationally marketed under the name Zante currants and also known as Corinthian raisins, Stafida Zakynthou are dried berries of the small, sweet, seedless grape cultivar called Black Corinth, grown and sun-dried naturally on the island of Zakynthos from the 16th century.
The exceptional quality of these raisins is a result of the special soil and climate conditions on the island where long hours of sunshine and high temperatures during the summer contribute to their high sugar content and to their characteristic sweet flavor.
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