Tetramythos Retsina Amphore Nature 2022

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 When I was 16 I have experienced my first literary obsession. 

During a summer job on an archeological site in Santarém, an archeology student has recommended me Franz Kafka. As soon as I have started reading the first pages of the Metamorphosis, it was clear for me that I needed to read all the other works as the doors to a completely new world  have just been opened and I felt my mind blowing with images and ideas that never occurred to me before. 

With José Saramago it happened exactly the same and till his death in 2010 whatever new book came to market, I would immediately run and buy it, only feeling truly at peace when finishing it. His death has hit me as if the one of someone close.  

In a much smoother way, the same has happened with Safran Foer, Sasa Stanisic, Valter Hugo Mae, Vila-Matas and Irvine Welsh among others.

But the question that I would like to make now is whether it is possible to feel the same about a certain wine.

During my college days, I did have a couple of favourites that I was always coming back to as they were quite affordable and pleasant wines. The likes of Terras do Pó or Quinta de Cabriz have played a vital role on my wine education and growth on what respects my personal relation with wine. 

But as I have started getting deep into the subject and enlarging my knowledge about different wine regions and styles, I soon realized that with wines it would happen exactly the same as with books as I tend not to reread a book as there are so many other works to discover. But I do recurrently go back to certain grapes or winemakers. 

About going back to a certain wine, except the ones that I often go back professionally during the wine tastings at the shop, I often don't. But now that I am preparing a special dinner next Saturday I have found myself rebuying this Retsina Amphore by Tetramythos as I believe it can be the perfect match for some risotto with wild asparagus and salt lemons. 

The natural sweetness of Retsina allied with the natural fermentation in a clay amphora confers it an extraordinary unique taste of rosemary and pines, with strong focus on its phenolic elements. Your nose will be really blown-up by it.  It is both full-bodied and elegant, being incredibly versatile for innumerous pairings. Its earthy notes are just amazing and fascinating, creating the feeling of always wanting to keep on smelling it and notice all the nuances that keep on appearing. In fact, this is exactly the kind of wines that make you travel, transporting you to different places.  Unlike traditional Retsinas this one has a decent acidity and freshness revealing a whole new world of Greek quality wines that are worth exploring.

This winery has been referred by Jancis Robinson in an interesting article that I do recommend and that it is available here. 



17/20
Country: Greece
Region: Peloponnes
Grapes: Retsina
12,5%
Winemaker: Panagiotis Papagiannopoulos
Website:https://tetramythoswines.com/en/white-wines/product/21-retsina-en

Location: Hamburg, Germany

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