Greek Wine Guide: Beyond Retsina and Into Something Extraordinary

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Most people’s experience of Greek wine begins and ends with a cold glass of Assyrtiko on a whitewashed terrace in Santorini, or (for the unlucky ones) a resinous sip of retsina at a tourist taverna. But Greek wine is far more interesting than that single encounter suggests. Greece is one of the most exciting wine countries in the world, and almost nobody outside the country truly knows it yet.

The Retsina Myth

Let’s get this out of the way first. Retsina, flavoured with pine resin, is a historical curiosity rather than a representation of what Greek winemaking can achieve. It dates to an era when resin was used to seal amphorae. Today’s serious Greek wine has nothing to do with it. Dismiss the memory and approach Greece with fresh eyes.

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Greek Wine Guide: Beyond Retsina and Into Something Extraordinary

The Retsina Myth