retsina

Retsina, a traditional wine (white or rosé), dates back to ancient Greece (about 3500 years ago) when wine used to be stored in large clay jars (amphorae), which were porous. To keep oxygen from passing through and hence oxidizing the wine, the jars would be lined with resin from the pine trees near the vineyards. The resin mixed with the fermenting wine must, resulting in wines with a characteristic taste and aroma. The first mention of this practice was in De re rustica by Roman writer Columella (4 AD - ~70AD). Columella had advised against using resin as it would impart an unpleasant flavor to the best of wines). Columella's contemporary Pliny the Elder (23 AD - 79 AD) did not advise against it but advised mixing resin to fermenting wine from mountainous pines rather than lower lands for better aroma in his Naturalis Historia.

Today, retsinas are made by adding pine resin (usually from the Pinus Halepensis pine) during must fermentation (and then removed). Most retsinas are aged about 1 year, but there are also retsinas which can be aged much longer (like the Tear of the Pine from Kechris Winery made from Assyrtiko grapes, which is aged in barrels for up to a decade).

Retsina, is a "Traditional Appellation" wine protected by European law, and like champagne for the Champagne region in France, can only be produced in Greece.

Retsina songs

Ρετσίνα μου ρετσίνα μου ("My retsina, my retsina") - Μιχάλης Χελιώτης

"My retsina, my retsina" from the operetta I Apachides ton Athinon ("The Apaches of Athens") in 1921 by Nikos Hadjiapostolou (Νίκος Πνευματικός). Sing along with lyrics and chords here.

(very rough EN translation)
My retsina, my retsina

I despise money and pomp
And if it hurts, I'll joke about it
The whole world can burn -- I would not care half a penny
Retsina comes and find me

My retsina, my retsina, I will die with you
I am not putting all the good things of the world in front of you
All the good things in the world are not in front of you

And from her lips I long for sweet kisses
Breaking glass, getting drunk, defying death
In love's arms and wine's arms
I kiss fervently

My retsina, my retsina....

Με μιά γουλιά ρετσίνα μου ("With a sip of retsina"): written in 1937, music by Antonis Lerios (Αντώνης Λέριος) and lyrics by Pol Menestrel (Πωλ Μενεστρέλ), this recording sung by Orestis Makris (Ορέστης Μακρής) and Loundiana (Λουντιάνας)

Lyrics and chords here.

(very rough EN translation)
With a sip of retsina

For the madness of a chestnut-haired girl
In the tavern, alone in a corner
Drinking to forget two eyes of mine
That no longer smile for me

They're teasing me, telling me lies
I'm tormented by her crazy eyes
That's why I've turned to wine
I spend a golden moment and a half

With a sip of my retsina
I forget the world, my girl
As I take a sip, my darling
You make me forget

Sadness becomes joy
I'm a seductress
I won't deny you if I'm told to
The sky and the stars

Overall List

List of all retsinas tested with some info:

retsina

Retsina Tastings

We tasted different retsinas over different sessions with different tasters. Thank you, all of our willing tasters who partook in this effort -- Carmen, Claire, Liz, Nehama, Robin, Sophia, Tilly!