Malamatina Retsina

Few wines taste as unmistakably of their homeland as Malamatina Retsina. This is Greece’s signature white — a dry, light-bodied wine made from native Savatiano and Roditis grapes and gently infused with resin from the Aleppo pine during fermentation. That resin is the whole point: it lends the wine its hallmark aroma of pine and fresh herbs, a scent that has been part of Greek tables for generations.

In the glass it’s pale and bright, leading with that resinous, slightly floral nose before turning crisp and clean across the palate. The body stays light and the finish is dry with a faint mineral edge — refreshing rather than weighty, which is exactly why it works so well alongside food rather than on its own.

And food is where retsina belongs. Pour it cold beside grilled fish and seafood, salty feta and olives, lemon-dressed chicken, or a spread of meze, and the pine notes cut cleanly through richness and salt. Serve it well-chilled, around 45°F, and let it do what it has always done — bring a little of a Greek summer to the table. Malamatina has been crafting this style as a family for five generations, and this 500ml bottle is the easiest way to see what the fuss is about.