Stefanos Tsitsopoulos The Journalist

A cinematic relationship from family tables and student gatherings to "Domna" and "Tsinari" in Ano Poli, "Giannoula" in Kassandrou street, the canteens where the crews eat in Giannitson streetand Stavroupoli and the cafes that also serve mezedes in Toumba or Evosmos: Stefanos Tsitsopoulos' relationship with retsina went through many waves – all musked grape and resin.

Retsina is our tradition and cellular memory

A MAN-MULTI-TOOL.

Some people can hardly be characterized by one quality. Like, for example, Stefanos Tsitsopoulos. Reporter? Yes. Author? Certainly. Radio producer? Absolutely. Journalist? One of the few so good. Above all, however, a flâneur, a lover of urban tours, but also of the good life, in general.

Some people can hardly be characterized by one quality. Like, for example, Stefanos Tsitsopoulos. Reporter? Yes. Author? Certainly. Radio producer? Absolutely. Journalist? One of the few so good. Above all, however, a flâneur, a lover of urban tours, but also of the good life, in general.

OUR CELLULAR MEMORY.

"At our family tables, the three sisters/aunts on my mother's side, along with their husbands and children (plus our own family), made the total number ofbanqueters always come to eighteen. This, I repeat, from my mother's side, because when my father's side also entered the game of holidays and national holidays(namely: three other aunts/sisters and a cartload of first cousins), then the dizzying number of those present rose to thirty-two" explains Stefanos Tsitsopoulos. “Wouldn't it make sense, then, that our rematch should take place in taverns or summer resorts? None of my relatives – not even us – had anything in a simple house/cozy palace of the Windsor dynasty, so my uncle Takis (on my mom's side) didn't open expensive wines that he had stored in his cellar for years: we, the adults, we’ll have ouzo with the fish and retsina with the meat.And, of course, you kids (ss: us), will only drink Fanta, Sprite or Coca Cola. Are we understood?'".

The sequel was written in the auditoriums: "During my student years I drank as many retsinaas I wanted to drink then, but they forbade me, but add a few more tones, thanks to taverns, guidance, revolution, and beautiful girls, whom we saw as Luxemburg Roses, those us as Mayakovskyand all good – so, let's not expand on what 'from good to best' means. A lot of retsina, therefore, a lot of taverna, a lot of fun, a lot of words and kisses, a lot of chattering, 'Eviva, rebetes', 'Graduation, children', good years and well.

The sequel was written in the auditoriums: "During my student years I drank as many retsinaas I wanted to drink then, but they forbade me, but add a few more tones, thanks to taverns, guidance, revolution, and beautiful girls, whom we saw as Luxemburg Roses, those us as Mayakovskyand all good – so, let's not expand on what 'from good to best' means. A lot of retsina, therefore, a lot of taverna, a lot of fun, a lot of words and kisses, a lot of chattering, 'Eviva, rebetes', 'Graduation, children', good years and well.

THE NEW GENERATION.

In recent years, this quintessentially Greek wine has been reinvented by creative winemakers, with an emphasis on the quality of the raw material and high-level winemaking. What does the well-known journalist think about these next gen retsina? "I have no opinion and cannot express an opinion regarding the daring and charismatic Greek winemakers you mention, because I have not tried the new 'blends'", he confesses. "On the other hand, however, I never snubbed traditional retsina, especially in the summer, which always gives me the same intoxicating effect as the foamy beer".

"MY THESSALONIKI, GREAT RETSINOMANA".

And if he has been living in Athens for the last few years (necessarily, due to professional obligations), Stefanos Tsitsopoulos keeps in constant contact with his second home, Thessaloniki (the first is Xanthi). This means contact with our own culture of retsina.

"Passionate, but humble, retsina will always remain" he explains. "Especially for Thessaloniki, an eternal student town and a poor motherland with high unemployment rates, for better or worse it will always be the drink preferred by those who are regulars the taverns 'Domna' and 'Tsinari' in Ano Poli, in 'Giannoula' in Kassandrou street, in canteens where the crews eat in Giannitsson street and Stavroupoli and in the cafes that serve mezedes in Toumba or Evosmos. Did you see that there have been so many years of retsina sommeliers, when today the specialty of 'water sommelier' is trending?". He's probably right...

"RETSINA AND HOLY GOD".

"Retsina is a wine. So, speaking of wine, what role do you think it plays in our daily lives? In the moments of company and loneliness, of joy and sadness, of extroversion and introversion?" we ask Stefanos Tsitsopoulos. "With the company, suddenly!" he answers. "Retsina only goes with company and chattering. For loneliness and interiority there are smoked whiskeys and aged rums (I speak personally). But for the feasts, the rewards, the trips to the islands or the winter snacks in Hortiatis or Florina, retsina and holy God, retsina only the good frenzy".

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