The Best Time to Pick Concord Grapes for the Best Flavor

Growing Concord grapes takes a little effort and even less room and can produce fruit reliably for as long as 75 years. Let taste, not change of color, be your guide to know when to harvest. When the grapes are sweet and bursting with juice, cut off, do not pull, the entire cluster. Vines begin to bear fruit two to three years after planting.

Taste

Concord grapes have a slightly tart, strong musky flavor and are not as sweet as green and red grapes. This variety of grape is best suited for jams, jellies and juice and less so for wine.
When harvesting grapes, the taste test goes a long way in knowing when to pick; the grape is at its sweetest at peak harvesting time. Developed on the east coast and named after the town of Concord, Massachusetts, this variety of grape is cold hardy and grown throughout the United States.

Color

While knowing when to harvest Concord grapes is more about taste than color, Concord grapes will turn a telltale darker shade two to three weeks before peak harvest. The color can vary depending on where it is grown, with the standard deep blue-purple color slightly lighter in colder areas and darker in warmer climates.

Harvesting

The color of the vine also indicates when to harvest Concord grapes. Throughout the growing season, the vine and stems are a light to medium green. When the vine and stems begin to turn to a light then medium brown, it means the grapes are ripening and ready to harvest. When the vine and stems are a deep-dark brown to black, the window for harvesting is likely passed and the fruit has over-ripened.

Commercially Grown

A mainstay for grape juice, the Concord is often grown commercially because it is easy to grow, has a short growing season, is cold hardy and a "slip-skin" variety, meaning the skin is easy to remove. Commercial growers use color, taste, firmness, vine color and even weight to determine the best time to pick Concord grapes.



Source: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/time-pick-concord-grapes-flavor-36264.html