![\"resin](\"https:\/\/www.travel-zone-greece.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/resin-pine-tree-3602871-e1555403960678.jpg\")
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Meanwhile, as 20th<\/sup> century Greeks left the countryside for the cities and stared to travel more extensively, they developed a taste for fruity, unresinated wines, which they deemed more sophisticated.<\/p>\n Retsina, long associated with the \u201ccommon folk\u201d culture of tavernas \u2013 where it was mainly sold and consumed \u2013 was no longer considered acceptable at the dining tables of the country\u2019s aspiring Western – minded bourgeoisie. This, in turn, caused a downward spiral, not only for retsina but for the Greek wine industry as a whole. With few exceptions, retsina became a terrible wine \u2013 rough, harsh, lacking in flavor and character \u2013 that was served only at tourist traps.<\/p>\n In the mind of both foreign and domestic consumers, all Greek wine became associated with bad retsina, and early efforts to produce good-quality unresinated wine were unable to overcome this obstacle of public perception.<\/p>\n Eventually, high-quality unresinated Greek wine did manage to win over the public, but retsina, which, thanks to its unique flavor, could have been a leading ambassador for Greek wines, was left behind. This abandonment was a cruel fate for the humble but long-lived retsina. This is particularly true when one considers that it is only thanks to the ability of the resin in retsina to mask inferior taste characteristics that Greeks remained wine drinkers at all, when in fact they could turn to other alcoholic beverages.<\/p>\n Lately, however, things have improved; there has been a revival of this very special wine, with a number of visionary producers investing in its \u201cGreekness\u201d. They are hoping to put retsina back on the path of success, both in Greece and abroad. They have taken on this rather cantankerous wine, experimented with it and performed a daring but successful leap of faith. They have achieved harmony between the varied fruity tones of the grape and joined it with distinctive yet discreet flavor of pine resin, underlined with hints of mastic gum, rosemary and sage, the slight bitterness of the pine needle and a peppery finish.<\/p>\n Good quality retsina features a balsamic quality imbued into the wine by the pine resin which nonetheless allows the grape aromas to come through. An almost indiscernible bitterness gives it a refreshing finish, as though the wine were aerated, making it the perfect companion for the heavier or more complex traditional Greek dishes.<\/p>\n A number of excellent retsinas have emerged in the market, satisfying contemporary demand for sophistication while maintaining their own traditional character. These retsinas are also making inroads at distinguished competitions, forums where it would have been inconceivable to send a retsina just a few years ago.<\/p>\n Historically, the main production regions have been Attica, Viotia, and the island of Evia; in recent years, Macedonia, the Peloponnese and the island of Rhodes have all been making strides in production as well. The more common white retsina is most often made using Savatiano grapes, as they are robust enough both to stand up to the resin and to participate in the wine\u2019s complex flavor structure. In recent years, the Assyrtiko and Xinomavro varieties have also been used in white and ros\u00e9 retsinas respectively.<\/p>\n When making retsina, the grapes are processed in the usual manner, but a small amount of resin (always taken from the Aleppo pine) is added at the start of the fermentation and then removed once it has released its flavors. The best resin is still sourced from pine tries in the Attica region, although Evia, Ilia and Corinthia are now emerging as significant producers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Source:\u00a0Meropi Papadopoulou, \u201cRetsina is Back\u201d,\u00a0Greece is Wine,\u00a02016 Issue<\/p>\n <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"retsina\"](\"https:\/\/www.travel-zone-greece.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/retsina-e1555404080393.jpg\")
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