Georgas Family Retsina Black Label - Natural Greek Wine - Orange Wine (2023)

FAQs

Is retsina a good wine? ›

Retsina is the best known traditional Greek wine. Its reputation, not always positive, had long overshadowed that of other distinguished Greek wines and appellations.

The Taste of Retsina

Retsina wines made with Assyrtiko grapes tend to be more angular in their style (but age longer) whereas, Retsina wines made with Savatiano grapes have a more generous taste with ripe apple and peach flavors, as well as an oily texture on the palate.

Retsina is a wine process, really, not a wine—pine resin is added to a base of white wine (typically Roditis or Savatiano), thus creating a pine resin flavor and aromatic. This supposedly mimics ancient traditions, when ancient Greeks sealed wines with resin closures.

Greek retsina is a dry white wine made and drunk all over Greece with a distinctive pine and resin flavour that people usually either love or hate. For us, when we visit Greece, our first meal is very often kalamari (squid) and a bottle of retsina, perhaps preceded by an ouzo and some meze.

So, it was understandable that Retsina became synonymous with low-priced wines of poor quality. Much of these wines were sold in bulk, with resin added in order to mask any flaws from poor grape quality and dreadful winemaking, full of oenological “no-nos”.

Retsina is produced and bottled at specific locations in Central Greece: Attica (mainly the area of Mesogia), Boeotia and Evia. It is a traditional Greek wine, which has been considered for many decades as a cheap popular choice.

Though retsina is primarily a white wine (and occasionally a rosé), it goes beautifully with roasted lamb, its punchy flavors refusing to knuckle under to the savory meat. I have also found retsina to be a wonderful partner for spicy Indian food.

The general recommendation with Retsina is to drink it very cold and from a wide-open glass. This helps to temper the aroma of pine which can sometimes be overpowering. In a more acute glass, the odor will be trapped and can completely subdue the other elements of the wine.

Retsina is served cold and goes very well with fish, seafood, cheese and appetizers (or mezedes, as they call them in Greece). It comes in a bottle of 500 ml and unlike the draft homemade wine, we have never seen draft retsina in a taverna but it doesn`t mean you can`t find such.

What is the most popular wine in Greece? ›

Assyrtiko. Assyrtiko is one of the most popular Greek products and recognized wine varieties in Greece and can be found all across the country since its production is not limited to one specific region but rather covers the majority of the land.

Ambrosia was the drink of choice for the Greek Gods: a sweet and ethereal wine so magical that merely tasting it could make you immortal. Ambrosia appears often in classical Greek poetry, but the origins of the word are obscure.

Retsina has an alcohol content of 12 to 12.5 percent and is best served chilled at 10C.

Ouzo. Ouzo is considered the national drink of Greece. In technical terms, it is either produced by partial distillation or the admixture of plain alcohol with aromatic herbs.

Greek wine almost went out of existence during the 400-year rule of the Ottoman Empire. The Turks discouraged wine consumption and winemaking. Many winemakers were forced to abandon their vineyards and through the years, with a succession of different political regimes, Greece lost its status as winemaking power.

The most expensive Greek wine, LΛPO , is a Rose that you can find at the price of 1200.00 Euro / bottle, produced in very small quantity, about 700 bottles per year . LΛΡΟ dry rose wine, is an outstanding member of the wine club, created with true passion for wine trips, modern winemaking, beautiful aromas and nature.

Retsina Black Label is the purest expression of the most ancient Greek winemaking tradition, in a natural Savatiano vinification, with no sulfites or any additives, from biodynamic grapes.

Red, white, orange and rosé wines are made across Greece, in both still and sparkling format and at various levels of dryness or sweetness. Greece is also known for retsina, a traditional wine flavored with pine resin.

: a resin-flavored Greek wine.

What Greek wine tastes like pine needles? ›

Retsina (Greek: Ρετσίνα) is a Greek white (or rosé) resinated wine, which has been made for at least 2,000 years. Its unique flavor is said to have originated from the practice of sealing wine vessels, particularly amphorae, with Aleppo pine resin in ancient times.

Take a sip from your glass and let the wine sit in your mouth for a moment. At this stage, some people like to swish the wine around in their mouth, like they're using mouthwash. They're doing this so the wine touches all of their taste buds, but it's not necessary.

Turner emphasizes that it's these indigenous grapes, along with the terroir, that are responsible for Greek wine's most recognizable qualities: high acid, high tannins and lower alcohol (the average ABV runs between 12.5 to 13.5 percent).

Considered Greece's national spirit, ouzo (the anise-flavored liqueur) is a fairly boozy drink that is typically served neat in small skinny glasses. (Yes, it's the stuff you see in the infamous drinking scene in the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding, where they raise their glasses and say OPA!)

Drinking Wine

Wine was a common, relatively cheap, and everyday drink in both the Classical Greek and Roman cultures. It was drunk on its own and with meals. The Greeks diluted their wine with water (1 part wine to 3 parts water), although the Macedonians scandalously drank theirs neat.

Sugar may be added before water dilution, which is done mostly with ouzo from Southern Greece. The final ABV is usually between 37.5 and 50 percent; the minimum allowed is 37.5 percent. Ouzo production itself does not involve fermentation.

Be prepared to always have your cup runneth over when having dinner with Greeks. Wine, Saltiel says, "always was and still is" served at every dinner.

As you'd expect from a Mediterranean cuisine, wine is the usual accompaniment to a meal in a Greek restaurant. Greece has been a centre of wine-making for its entire history and though there are few big name wines produced here, there are many very palatable wines perfectly suited to Greek food.

The most common drinks to accompany a meal are beer, wine and tsipouro / raki. Ouzo is also popular, but people tend to have it with specific dishes.

Is Greek wine expensive? ›

Yes, most of them are very expensive, but the quality inside the glass won't make you think for a moment if you're going to spit it out: "it's okay"! Only 8 barrels give the charismatic Cru to Afrati Evia, but even these are considered a lot for the country's top Syrah.

Drinking Culture in Greece

While Greeks consume incredible amounts of wine, beer, and ouzo, public displays of drunkenness are a rare occasion outside the seediest areas of big cities.

1 – It's relatively inexpensive, especially in Greece.

Red wine is often used to represent the Blood of Christ, but churches started leaning towards white wine to avoid stains on the altar cloth!

Wine is the most common alcoholic beverage mentioned in biblical literature, where it is a source of symbolism, and was an important part of daily life in biblical times.

For many fine wine lovers, Burgundy is the “holy grail,” the ultimate reference point by which all other great wine regions are measured. Almost all Burgundy ('Bourgogne') wines are either reds made from Pinot Noir or whites made from Chardonnay.

Since 1940 Retsina has been a traditional trade name and is only produced in Greece and Cyprus. This well-known, dry Restina white wine is a quality product.

Mylonas Retsina is a bright lemon colour with greenish highlights, and aromas of peach, mastic, mango and lemon along with white flowers and herbs.

Moschofilero. If you prefer sweeter, more aromatic Pinot Grigios, look no further than this Greek white wine. Moschofilero is found on the Peloponnese peninsula and is another great option for light-bodied, high acid, refreshing wines.

The official legal drinking age in Greece is 18 in public and you also have to be 18 to buy alcohol. In reality, these laws are not strictly enforced and in many tourist zones, they're not enforced at all.

Can you drink on the street in Greece? ›

Unlike other European countries, there is no official legal drinking age in Greece if you are drinking in private (like a house). However, if you want to purchase alcohol and drink in public, you must be at least 18 years of age. While that is the law, it isn't always strictly enforced.

Greece is 17th on the list of top coffee-consuming countries in the world. Greeks consume 5.5 kilos of coffee per capita each year. As the Greeks drink so much of the stuff, you would hope they know a thing or two about making it.

Traditional Greek drink for Christmas

Here in Greece, and specifically for Christmas day, we prepare a traditional drink. A special drink for Christmas with tsipouro, whiskey and cloves! It has a wonderful aroma and taste, and we are sure you will love it!

At one extreme, Ouzo Mini, is considered “mild and smooth” and is very popular around the country. Barbayannis is on the other end, with the strongest alcohol content, but is considered the “most popular” of Plomari Ouzo.

White wines are common in this cuisine. Retsina and Assyrtiko, for example, are very well-known wines for Greek food pairing. Malagousia and Spilitsa Argolida are other popular wines that taste great and pair well with traditional Greek dishes. All these wines are great options to sip on wine while enjoying your meal.

The Greeks have favored retsina since the earliest days of ancient winemaking, when they used pine resin to line and seal terracotta amphoras. Even after wooden barrels replaced amphoras as the preferred storage vessels, the Greeks retained their taste for retsina.

Retsina and Assyrtiko, for example, are very well-known wines for Greek food pairing. Malagousia and Spilitsa Argolida are other popular wines that taste great and pair well with traditional Greek dishes. All these wines are great options to sip on wine while enjoying your meal.

Retsina has an alcohol content of 12 to 12.5 percent and is best served chilled at 10C.

Retsina is served cold and goes very well with fish, seafood, cheese and appetizers (or mezedes, as they call them in Greece).

Ambrosia was the drink of choice for the Greek Gods: a sweet and ethereal wine so magical that merely tasting it could make you immortal. Ambrosia appears often in classical Greek poetry, but the origins of the word are obscure.

What alcohol do Greeks drink the most? ›

Ouzo is considered the national drink of Greece. In technical terms, it is either produced by partial distillation or the admixture of plain alcohol with aromatic herbs.

As you'd expect from a Mediterranean cuisine, wine is the usual accompaniment to a meal in a Greek restaurant. Greece has been a centre of wine-making for its entire history and though there are few big name wines produced here, there are many very palatable wines perfectly suited to Greek food.

Retsina (Greek: ρετσίνα) is a Greek white (or rosé) resinated wine, which has been made for at least 2,000 years.