Retsina - anyone know how to make it?

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AH ! I was thinking of doing this as i have access to the pine leaves the locals use in their 'tea' here. In winter its quite common for them to infuse 'Mountain Pine' Leaves in boiling water to make a cay (tea) which they lace with tons of sugar, I have had some too and its quite a nice refreshing drink. I have not tried it yet but think i will get some going this winter by infusing with fresh pressed white grape juice in the fermenter.
The pine leaves used are not the normal type as far as i can work out - i'll have a word with my spice shop buddy and find out the correct species for you.
I would not use any pine wood or resin as its toxic ! due to the fact we use 'Magic wood' here to light our wood burners in winter - which is of course very heavily ladened pine wood with the resin/sap and burns like feck when lit !! :thumb:
 
Sounds like it could be worth a try - I have learned the real retsina is made with Aleppo pine resin, but as I don't have an Aleppo pine to tap, that won't work for me! However, these pine leaves might...

Dennis
 
Several decades ago on my first trip to Greece, I was enchanted by retsina and brought some home. Without that whole Greek ambiance, and the food, it tasted horrible. It's a bit like tasting Guinness in Ireland, single malt whiskey in Scotland, sherry in Jerez, port in Oporto, weissbeer in Bavaria, vodka in Moscow, rukse in the Himalayas, gammeldansk in Jutland, raki in Marmaris and, presumably, sake in Japan and bourbon in Kentucky, to name but a few, with the exception of slivovic, which tastes as disgusting at source as anywhere else, the drinks do not travel well and something gets lost in translation.
 
tony - I beg to differ: despite being Danish (and from Jutland), and therefore genetically pre-disposed to liking Gammel Dansk, I find it a disgusting drink anywhere! In contrast, I have had excellent single malt whiskey in Scotland AND elsewhere, and sake tasted equally nice in Tokyo as it did in Fort Lauderdale, Florida! I will concede that non-authentic approximations may leave something to be desired. However, part of the fun of home-brewing is recreating drinks you have had and enjoyed and tweeking them to your own taste. I know that to many retsina is a foul drink, but I happen to rather like it!
Oh, and I'll happily drink Guinness in my local here in the Peak Distract, but I wouldn't thank you for a pint of Black Sheep even in Yorkshire!

Dennis
 

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