POLL: Retsina?

Retsina?

  • It’s delicious in the summer on a Greek Island in the hills overlooking the harbor, with a beautiful young girl/boy on your arm.
  • It’s not disgusting in the summer on a Greek Island in the hills overlooking the harbor, with a beautiful young girl/boy on your arm.
  • Marginally acceptable as an alcohol delivery system.
  • I suppose I would drink it if I were an alcoholic suffering from the DTs.
  • Shows how truly depraved a winemaker can be.
  • Never had it.
  • Ignore him. He’s just having a bad reaction to Michigan losing to Moo U yesterday.

0 voters

Yeah, yeah! I’ve heard it before. You have to drink it in situ, in the summer on a Greek Island high up in the hills overlooking the harbor, with a beautiful young girl on your arm. Been there, done that, and I was 17 years old so anything with alcohol was good, and it was still the most vile stuff I have ever had.

When I was in Hong Kong I went to private dinner and the host was reputed to be the PRC’s chief spy in the city. He insisted on us drinking this Chinese wine that was supposed to be buried in a crock in the ground when your daughter was born and then dug up and drank at her wedding. It was vile. Retsina was worse.

At Berserkerfest 2.5 in my back yard, my sister, who lives in Ithaca, brought a bottle of NV Silver Springs Winery Riesling Blueberry Bliss as a gag. Michel Abood and I both tried it. I claim he swallowed it and I spit it out, but he claims he also spit it out. It was awful. Retsina is worse.

I would drink it when in Greece if nothing else refreshing is available,
in fact I have drunk it there … and also recently when on visit with a Greek violinist - and it was the only beverage available except mineral water …
(and I´m still alive …)

I’m glad you recognize that drinking Retsina puts you life at risk.

I’ve been to Greece twice and somehow never encountered the stuff. Have had some very fantastic wines from (and in some cases visits to) Hatzidakis, Domaine Sigalas, Argyros, Gaia, and Kir-yianni (sp?).

Now Domaine Sigalas’s Assyrtiko, that’s not just delicious it’s delicious in the summer on a Greek Island in the hills overlooking the harbor, with a beautiful young girl/boy on your arm, it’s good anywhere.

I voted for the second choice. The experience, which I have never had, and have a difficult time even imagining in the future, would make Retsina tolerable. (I think, that is. I’ve only had a few sips in my lifetime)

I agree. The Siglas Assyritiko is excellent, as are some wines from Hatzidakis. That’s all the more reason to wonder why they produce Retsina. It’s like pushing Mateus and then wondering why people bad mouth wine from Portugal.

Agreed Jay.

Eric Asimov has been pushing it in his last couple year end columns.

I, on the other hand, channel Obi-Wan Kenobi when describing Mos Eisley.

Flawed poll: “It’s the only thing to drink while pine tarring your cross country skis”

:slight_smile:

A good reason to avoid Eric Asimov.

I am sorry about Michigan losing to Michigan State.

Years ago (at least 20) I was in southern Oregon (Jacksonville I believe) to show the new buyer for a place we had been selling wine to the new vintage of stuff. As I waited he was asked a question by a woman if they had any Retsina. He said they only had one Greek wine in the shop and he wasn’t sure if it was Retsina. He then took her over to a bottle of Mantanzas Creek wine. Yeah. Lowered my expectations considerably.

Is that stuff exposed to hemlock or…

Bought a bottle a number of years ago for the “experience”. Reminded me of my younger days oiling down a new baseball glove. I loved playing ball but I totally detested the retsina.

Oh, and don’t feel too bad for our boys in blue, they need a game like that once in a while to keep them grounded. They’re still in the top 10 and they’ll bounce back, thinking Nebraska this Thursday is gonna feel it.

Not me. I’ll take ouzo any day of the week over retsina.