Black currants

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Zante PDO

 Returning to Zante, apart from the olive orchards, the cultivation of grapes, both table and for winemaking, has been historically a traditional farming activity, with 10% of the lands of the island being dedicated to growing grapes. The Black Currant of Zante is exclusively derived from the berries of grapes of the species Vitis corinthica, which have been subjected to natural drying under the sun; a tradition that started to be applied intensively in the 16th century, and has been continued to this day. The fruit is picked by hand, after the berries have taken the characteristic dark purple color, the distinctive natural sweetness, and are easily cut.

On the same day, the harvested grapes are exposed to the sun to dry, in special, permanent formations of the ground – threshing floors, on paper or special plastic nets. During the drying, no chemical agent is used to assist it. After the completion of the drying, the berries are rubbed softly on the threshing floors, by plastic rakes, in order for them to be separated, and the stems to be removed, and then they are stored. The traditional processing of the dried product includes the removal of the drying residues, grading by size, wash by using only clean water, drying up, and final inspection, without using any foreign materials or other substances in any stage of the process.

The black currant of Zante has been recognized as Protected Designation of Origin since 2008. Its exquisite quality is due to the specific soil and climate conditions that prevail in the area, as well as the implemented traditional growing, drying, and processing methods, making the Zante Black Currant PDO a truly authentic natural product.

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