Truth to be told, pine resin is not only an efficient preservative used in the past during the transportation of wine overseas. It is also good at hiding a wine’s faults or lack of character. It seems some of today’s Greek wineries have set their minds to disassemble all non-flattering perceptions about Greece’s resinated wine. Domaine Papagiannakos is certainly one of them. I invite you to read the wine review of their Retsina, made of 100% old vine Savatiano grapes [“Retsína,” n.d.].

Tasting Notes

Pale lemon. While not fully intense (the grape variety is Savatiano), the wine has a large aromatic palette. Lemon and orange peel, together with green fruit aromas of green apple, pear and grapes and riper fruit like peach, float over a mineral, stony layer. Sweet spices – cloves – and a remote honeysuckle scent complete the spectrum, while pine resin is perfectly integrated. The palate, marked by high acidity, is a little salty and adds a grassy edge to the fruity character, but mineral and floral notes are less obvious. The body is full and flavours last long.

This is an amazingly flavoursome and vivid Retsina, making the most of Savatiano grape variety.

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