Originally Posted by
TMOliver
My long time Greek restaurateur/neighbor always claimed that the basis for adding the Aleppo pine resin to the wine dated to an era when the cheap, not very popular white wines from a part of Greece were fermented in barrels made from pine. uncured and rather "resinous". The tale always sounded credible.
But then, think of Vermouth, traditionally in parts of Italy produced from otherwise unpalatable and unpopular local "vintages". The additions such as quinine, citrus peelings, etc. altered the flavor, and dosage with the cheapest available brandy guaranteed almost endless "shelf life".
Traveling in Italy as a poorly-paid Navy Ensign, I even learned to drink vermouth as many Italians do, the cheapest available alcoholic beverage. During the same period, I recall Retsina being among the cheapest of tipples in parts of Greece, although hardened Navy personnel on Liberty/Shore Leave (Officers do not go on "Liberty", but take "Shore Leave".) usually chose Ouzo, cheap back in the early 60s, and a reminder of childhood doses of Paregoric.
Some further research has altered my "take" to agree with the contention that the resin came not from the casks/barrels, but from the resin used to seal the amphorae/clay containers used to store the wine. By "modern times' (Christian era), wood for barrel staves in Greece had become a high priced and scarce commodity, and most local wine makers continued to use unfired clay. Sealing the stoppers, clay themselves in the case of museum examples I've seen, commonly depended upon resin (Aleppo or not?), likely enough to "flavor' the contents.
Makes sense, if nothing else, especially noting the scarcity of sizeable trees (except olive) in Greece today. I'm glad that the Greeks managed to avoid using pines and other evergreens for cooking lamb and goat. Better that the wine taste of turpentine than the lamb and goat.
I find the current US practice of using mesquite for cooking fires in the US to be overdone. There's a lot of mesquite in my vicinity, and a lot of places restaurants which employ it for grilling and smoking. Give me hickory or pecan. Even green oak can impart a harsh flavor, diminishing the natural flavors of the meat.