Pitys Ritinitis

PITYS was an Oread nymph who, being pursued by the satyr Pan, was changed into a pine tree by the gods for her escape. We could hardly conjure up a more appropriate myth for this traditional “Ritinitis,” or under its more common name, “Retsina” wine. Pine resin addition goes a long way back in Greece as it was used to protect the wines from oxidation during antiquity. Honouring that tradition, we vinify the most prominent Greek variety, Assyrtiko, with minimum intervention, following a 35-century old tradition in Greek winemaking. Herbal and mastika notes with an aftertaste of frankincense.

Katarrachi vineyard in Mantinia.

Cold winters, hot summer days with cool summer nights

Sandstone loam and heavier clay loam with good drainage .

Harvest on 9th of October 2022.

From our privately owned vineyard in the center of the Mantinia plateau, we harvest Assyrtiko grapes. We cool them before crushing and then a part of this must is fermented in oak barrels to add more complexity and ageing potential and the rest is fermented in concrete tanks. We add a small amount of resin during fermentation from the most common pine tree found in Greece, the Pinus halepensis. After waiting patiently for it to become clear by natural processes, we bottle it without any fining or filtration so as to preserve its rich character.

On its fine less and in concrete tanks.

Color