Kourtaki Greece
Greek Retsina and Cretan reds, poured in Commack since the start.
The story behind Kourtaki
In 1895, Dr. Vassilis Kourtakis earned the first formal oenology diploma ever issued in Greece, then built a winery in Markopoulo on the Attica peninsula. Kourtaki still works from that Attica root, with facilities added in Ritsona, the Peloponnese and Crete. His son Dimitris moved the family wine into commercial bottling, which is why a bottle of Retsina reached a Commack shelf at all.
The house leans on native grapes: Savatiano for the Retsina, Muscat blanc a petits grains for the sweets, Mavrodaphni for fortified reds. For the Retsina, pieces of Aleppo pine resin go into the fermenting must, then get filtered out with the lees. That is the whole trick, and it has not changed.
Explore the Kourtaki range
Four bottles carry the Kourtaki line here, from a $7.99 Cretan red to a 1.5L dry white built for a table full of people.
| Expression | Type | Proof / ABV | Tasting notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kourtaki Retsina 750mL | Retsina white | 11.5% to 12% ABV | Aleppo pine resin, Savatiano, chilled, salty and sharp |
| Kourtaki Vin De Crete Red 750mL | Dry red | 11.5% to 12% ABV | Cretan fruit, light tannin, everyday pour |
| Kourtaki Dry Red 1.5L | Dry red, magnum | 11.5% to 12% ABV | Big format, grill and taverna food |
| Kourtaki Dry White 1.5L | Dry white, magnum | 11.5% to 12% ABV | Crisp, cold, mezze and fried fish |
| Kourtaki Retsina of Attiki | Retsina white | 11.5% to 12% ABV | Wine Enthusiast Best Buy, 86 points |
Which Kourtaki is right for you?
Nobody walks in expecting to spend much, and nobody has to. Kourtaki Vin De Crete Red sits at $7.99 for a 750mL, the Retsina at $9.99, and both 1.5L bottles, the dry red and the dry white, land at $10.99. That is a liter and a half of Greek wine for about eleven dollars, which is the kind of number that keeps a dinner party honest. Buy Kourtaki online here or grab it off the shelf in Commack.
One bottle covers a whole mezze spread and fried fish without a second thought.
The pine is the point. Start here and learn what Attica actually tastes like.
Magnum format, lamb on the fire, ten people, no decanting ceremony required.