mconnealy
Well-known
Glenn2
Well-known
A couple more from the archives. Around the Acropolis in 1971. 3g , 5cm Elmar
agentlossing
Well-known
I had Retsina wine for the first time over the holidays (impulse buy at a Greek shop in Seattle) and the flavor, with Aleppo pine resin, immediately reminded me of the smell of the air around Athens last January. It has a fragrance which probably isn't noticeable to natives, but I find scent-memories are some of the strongest for me.
Retro-Grouch
Veteran
An acquired taste, I'm sure. I sampled Retsina once, and was not pleased! It tasted like turpentine, to me.
But I understand. Being from southern New England, I often wax poetic over clam cakes. Those who've never enjoyed them react with disgust when they learn what they are. Non-natives who sample them for the first time also react with disgust. Having grown up with them as a summertime seaside treat, I regard them as celestial ambrosia. De gustibus non est disputandum.
agentlossing
Well-known
I wasn't expecting to like retsina, but the one I had was rather drinkable. The resin wasn't too overwhelming, there was a pleasant mineral taste, and the wine seemed somewhat young, so it had a hint of effervescence. I've only just started looking for Greek wines; most of what you see is assyrtiko, which isn't anything like the table wines we had in Greece, but which I quite like so far. The lighter reds (blends?) served all over where we went in Greece are impossible to find in the States, it seems. The tin pitcher of mellow, chilled red wine and small glasses for (almost) every meal was a very pleasurable wine experience.