007 Drink: Retsina wine

Drink: Retsina wine
Bond book appearance: James Bond: The Authorized Biography of 007 (1973) 
Experience of 007 Travelers: @ home

Retsina (Greek: Ρετσίνα) is a Greek white (or rosé) resinated wine, which has been made for at least 2000 years. Its unique flavor is said to have originated from the practice of sealing wine vessels, particularly amphorae, with Aleppo Pine resin in ancient times. Before the invention of impermeable glass bottles, oxygen caused many wines to spoil within the year. Pine resin helped keep air out, while at the same time infusing the wine with resin aroma. The Romans began to use barrels in the 3rd century AD, removing any oenological necessity for resin, but the flavor itself was so popular that the style is still widespread today.

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"In the evening Andreas was late, like Greeks do everywhere. Bond had already eaten the dinner, when he arrived with nice letter package. Bond thanked him and offered a drink and they sat on hotel's wonderful terrace drinking retsina and watching the twinkle of lights of Athens on the valley. Andreas talked a lot and enjoyed the opportunity to show his own English skills. It didn't happen everyday, that someone offered him a drink in a luxury hotel and he made the most of it. Finally Bond turned the discussion to Southern Greece and Andreas mentioned a small harbour town. He described its market with love, bysantine church that was from 700s and the beauty of the local girls. Andreas implied to be some kind of expert in Greek sex."

John Pearson: "James Bond: The Authorized Biography of 007" 

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