Why do we love it?
If you see the awards of Tear of the Pine Kechris Winery, you will be really impressed. The countless gold medals and the highest awards at major international competitions fill out numerous pages. The wine lists it participates in worldwide will make you feel dizzy. And, yes it is a Retsina but not a usual Retsina, since it got 97pts and the Best in Show title from Decanter!
The base is Assyrtiko which is grown in Goumenissa. The alcoholic fermentation takes place in oak barrels of different types and origins. The composition of the barrels involved has emerged after several years of experimentation. There, the Tear of the Pine has aged for six months on its fine lees, acquiring enviable complexity and volume.
Stelios Kechris, a third-generation winemaker, is not sure why he decided to dive into the most difficult part of Greek wine. It might not be the most difficult wine to produce, but it definitely is the most difficult to win the acceptance of the wine world, mainly the Greek. The bet was big. How did he do?
The Tear of the Pine Kechris Winery is a wine that has impressed the world. A wine that ages beautifully (having tried vertically up to 2005 vintage) and one that is leading the battle to make Greek wine popular worldwide.
Tear of the Pine Kechris Winery makes us really proud!
Tastes Like
The Tear of the Pine Kechris Winery has medium lemon color and exceptional aromatic intensity with the light touch of the resin being expressed through mastic, pine and rosemary. Assyrtiko gives lemony character with grapefruit and lime notes. And then comes the barrel to really make the bouquet take off. Vanilla, toast, tobacco, and hazelnut complement the set in such a way that will make you forget everything you used to know about Retsina.
It has a medium (+) body, with high acidity and excellent balance. The resin simply flatters the palate without protruding out. Lemon, pine, rosemary and coriander are complemented by the beautifully integrated barrel which is expressed with toast, biscuit, tobacco, and butter. The long and enjoyable aftertaste asks for another bite of the smoked mackerel with fresh coriander and lemon.