Dried vine fruit is the category name for the dried fruits that come from grapes — raisins, sultanas, and currants. The distinctions are varietal and geographical: raisins are dried from dark grapes, typically sun-dried; sultanas from pale seedless grapes, often golden from special drying; currants — the small Black Corinth type, not the fresh berry — from tiny dark grapes of Greece. All are made the same way: the grapes’ water is evaporated by sun or artificial drying until the sugars concentrate and the water activity falls to safe, shelf-stable levels. The result is the baker’s and cereal-maker’s staple — sweet, chewy, long-keeping, rich in natural sugars and fibre. From Christmas puddings to muesli to trail mix, dried vine fruits are among the oldest processed foods, preserving the grape harvest for year-round use.