Greek Wines

Just got back from a week in Greece. Though my wife and I frequently had Greek wines with lunch and/or dinner we did not have any standard table wines that were very noteworthy.

Prior to the vacation I had read up on Retsina (wine) which I DO like. It mentioned that nearly every Greek city at one time had their own local Retsina. This was a time when most Greek wines were not very good and adding pine resin and other herbal flavorings could only "improve" the wine. I find that Retsina does go quite well with Greek foods especially those with goat and other cheeses.

I frequently asked for Retsina and sometimes I was not very sure that they were really giving me Retsina because it certainly did not have any taste of "resin". Those that did taste as I expected were very similar to "Kourtaki - Retsina of Attica", the only brand I have seen readily available in my local wine shops. The "mystic" behind the resin taste is that the ancient Greek wine amphoras were sealed using pine resin. Just for the one time experience I highly recommend you try it.

Other than Greek wines, I also tried to order, or buy to take home, local versions of Ouzo, a 40% beverage made from distilled grape juice (aka "grappa") flavored with anise and other herbs. This is a VERY popular beverage in Greece and, like Retsina, has many local versions. It is a clear, tastes like licorice, and served with a side glass of water or on ice. When mixed with water or ice it usually turns the liquid a cloudy white. This drink is also quite good with Greek appetizers such as squid or other fish dishes. Also worth trying once for the experience.

Enjoy!