Winemaking Flashcards
How was wine traditionally made in Greece?
Grapes were crushed by foot and then fermented in old casks, made mainly from oak or chestnut, which were then simply stopped up and the wine left to mature for a few months before being drawn off and consumed.
How did most wineries modernise since Greece’s accession to the EU in 1981?
Virtually all wineries now use modern presses, temperature control and stainless-steel vessels for fermentation. Significant increase in the use of new oak barriques, mainly French in origin.
What are some more traditional winemaking practices that some modern producers are returning to?
Naturally-occurring yeasts, shorter extraction, maturing wines in amphorae like the Ancient Greeks, etc.
Before being used as an additive, what was pine resin used for in the context of making and preserving wine?
It was originally used to seal amphorae.
What are some of the changes put forward in the making of Retsina that are helping to improve the reputation of this wine style?
Some premium bottlings are made with Assyrtiko instead of the regular Savatiano and Roditis. The amount of resin used has fallen and is added to the must (in the past added to the wine). The wine is then left on the lees for no more than a week after fermentation (much longer in the past), both leading to a more subtle, integrated pine resin character.
