Retsina, Wine Tree

Wine has always been linked to Greek culture in the literary works of the Greek classics, quoted in innumerable occasions to wine and their god Dionysus, however, despite its longevity and good weather, wine of Greece has not reached international fame.

"Retsina is said that a resinated Greek wine, white or pink, which has been making for at least two millennia, born from the tears of the forest nymphs, but of course this is false. Its unique flavor originated in the practice of sealing wine vessels, particularly amphorae, with Aleppo pine resin ( paste of plaster and resin) in ancient times. Before the invention of waterproof glass bottle, oxygen, being in contact with the wine, it was shortly be damaged. Pine resin helped to block entry of the air in the containers and, in turn, conveyed to the wine the flavor of the resin. The Romans began to use barrels in the third century, thus avoiding the use of the resin wine as a preservative, but the taste had become so popular that its consumption is still today a widespread and common.

In Greece, the local retsina occurs throughout the country. Important production centers are located around Attica, Boeotia and Euboea. The European Union calls the retsina as PDO and Traditional Designation of Greece and parts of the southern regions of Cyprus. This protection means, for example, that an Australian wine made in South Australia, can be called " resinated wine ", but not " retsina ". It comes from the Greek strain Savatiano, the largest amount planted in this country, characterized by its remarkable resistance to drought.

This type of wine is usually light, fresh and easy to drink, and combines very well with spicy foods due to its flavor and spicy aromas, but also accompanies fabulously seafood dishes. Its main feature is its intense perfume of pine resin, giving the wine a great personality and strong character. This wine is different, so it is not liked by everyone, even labeling her ugly, but those who learn to appreciate this wine become lovers of their individuality.

When purchasing a retsina, worth investing in a bottle of intermediate or high price, because most wines of this type have lower priced artificial pine notes that many associate with certain household cleaners.