Comments on: The Smell of Greece http://thespiritworld.net/2007/03/20/the-smell-of-greece/ Quenching your thirst with sips, nips and tipples. Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:19:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: yosephus http://thespiritworld.net/2007/03/20/the-smell-of-greece/#comment-127431 Tue, 10 Jun 2008 02:29:14 +0000 http://thespiritworld.net/2007/03/20/the-smell-of-greece/#comment-127431 My first taste of Retsina was in a pension in the Pangrati in Athens. I was 19. We would go to a restaurant and they'd fill a one-and-a-half liter bottle with retsina from their keg for about 150 drakhmas -- about two bucks at that time. Drank it every night for three weeks. When I first got back to Detroit, the Greek restaurants had retsina that took me right back to those nights. Nowadays the strongest taste you can get in a bottle is probably Patratkis (?). It has a picture of what looks like Socrates being served Hemlock. Boutari is definitely weaker. The more you pay the weaker the pine taste, seems like. My first taste of Retsina was in a pension in the Pangrati in Athens. I was 19. We would go to a restaurant and they’d fill a one-and-a-half liter bottle with retsina from their keg for about 150 drakhmas — about two bucks at that time. Drank it every night for three weeks.

When I first got back to Detroit, the Greek restaurants had retsina that took me right back to those nights. Nowadays the strongest taste you can get in a bottle is probably Patratkis (?). It has a picture of what looks like Socrates being served Hemlock. Boutari is definitely weaker. The more you pay the weaker the pine taste, seems like.

]]> by: Paroshep http://thespiritworld.net/2007/03/20/the-smell-of-greece/#comment-86065 Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:18:03 +0000 http://thespiritworld.net/2007/03/20/the-smell-of-greece/#comment-86065 Let me tell you, it does make a difference where you are drinking retsina or any Greek drink. I wrote a whole article on "Taste the Place"--enjoying the sites, sounds and smells of a Greek island while imbibing. Search my blog to find it. Cheers, Let me tell you, it does make a difference where you are drinking retsina or any Greek drink.

I wrote a whole article on “Taste the Place”–enjoying the sites, sounds and smells of a Greek island while imbibing.

Search my blog to find it.

Cheers,

]]> by: Steve Galat http://thespiritworld.net/2007/03/20/the-smell-of-greece/#comment-63257 Thu, 22 Nov 2007 17:22:27 +0000 http://thespiritworld.net/2007/03/20/the-smell-of-greece/#comment-63257 In Astoria, Queens, 2 great restaurants, Kyklades and Agnanti, serve that watered-down Malamita stuff. Same here in Hallandale, Florida (Thira Greek Restaurant). In Astoria, they have CARAFES of House Retsina that's somewhat better. It's a real shame, though. STEPHEN GALAT Hallandale Beach, Florida ------------------------------ "...love Retsina, but I'm disappointed with the stuff exported as it seems to me they suppress the Retsina characteristics, presumably to suit foreign tastes. A pointless task as no-one who doesn't like Retsina will order it anyway, and those of us that love it want it to taste like Retsina. "Its a matter of opinion and taste, but I think Retsina is enjoyably dry - not "mouth puckering", and the Kourtaki, Retsina of Attica is so mild that it is barely indistinguishable from any dry white wine, whereas you think its has “industrial strength pure pine sap." "My favourite Retsina is the wine freshly made on the islands and served in 50cl beer bottles with crown caps. I have just returned from two week on Kos and had one of these 50cl bottles every day at lunch time. Heaven! It is really made for matching with the oily Greek food." In Astoria, Queens, 2 great restaurants, Kyklades and Agnanti, serve that watered-down Malamita stuff. Same here in Hallandale, Florida (Thira Greek Restaurant).

In Astoria, they have CARAFES of House Retsina that’s somewhat better. It’s a real shame, though.

STEPHEN GALAT
Hallandale Beach, Florida
——————————
“…love Retsina, but I’m disappointed with the stuff exported as it seems to me they suppress the Retsina characteristics, presumably to suit foreign tastes. A pointless task as no-one who doesn’t like Retsina will order it anyway, and those of us that love it want it to taste like Retsina.

“Its a matter of opinion and taste, but I think Retsina is enjoyably dry - not “mouth puckering”, and the Kourtaki, Retsina of Attica is so mild that it is barely indistinguishable from any dry white wine, whereas you think its has “industrial strength pure pine sap.”

“My favourite Retsina is the wine freshly made on the islands and served in 50cl beer bottles with crown caps. I have just returned from two week on Kos and had one of these 50cl bottles every day at lunch time. Heaven! It is really made for matching with the oily Greek food.”

]]> by: Auntie Kitty http://thespiritworld.net/2007/03/20/the-smell-of-greece/#comment-18507 Tue, 20 Mar 2007 20:56:06 +0000 http://thespiritworld.net/2007/03/20/the-smell-of-greece/#comment-18507 Interesting info on Retsina. Since growing up with a negative opinion of it, I never gave it a try. Now I will! I like gin so maybe the "Argonaut" will be a good introduction to Retsina. (I'll let you know if I think "Turpentini" better describes it!) Interesting info on Retsina. Since growing up with a negative opinion of it, I never gave it a try. Now I will! I like gin so maybe the “Argonaut” will be a good introduction to Retsina. (I’ll let you know if I think “Turpentini” better describes it!)

]]>