Important to know that retsina is drunk almost exclusively with food. Mixed with meat, it’s actually delicious. In fact I think I’ve never seen anybody having just a glass of retsina on its own. But everyone has the cheap Malamatina in the fridge. Be more open minded - like olives, it’s acquired taste, but rewards the brave. It’s delicious ;-)
I also first tried retsina at Souvla. I don’t know what the bad stuff tastes like, but I liked the kind they had there. I now grab a bottle to take with me every time I get food to go.
Retsina seems to come with built-in geofencing for me: I like it when I drink it in Greece, and not when I bring it back home - even if I try to drink it in Greek weather and with similar food.
Same with ouzo and raki. Even in SoCal that has very similar climate and terrain, I find it hard to get the same enjoyment. Something about having it on the beach right by the crashing waves.
Not to mention that having 25cl of raki after lunch isn't really a sustainable day-to-day habit unless you are on the beach :)
Most retsina that makes it to the US isn't very good, but it's always been fine when I drink it overseas. Frankly even when it's bad it's pretty good. Like vinho verde.
The only association i have with the drink is Roald Dahl’s autobiography Going Solo, in which he alternates among flying against italians and germans in the battle of athens and trying not to die, getting strafed in his own airfield by germans and italians and trying not to die, and getting absolutely shitfaced with other RAF pilots on a hillside with retsina, and trying not to die.
Can we have a " (2019)" added to the title? It's not real news, but some have already read this 18 months ago.