KALLOS retsinas among the top wines of the Greek vineyard
Major distinction at the Great Greek Wines 2025 & top scores from Julia Harding MW on JancisRobinson.com
There are moments along a journey that light the way. In ours – a new wine making venture born out of commitment, seeking something truly original in a wine deeply rooted in a centuries-old heritage – such moments are precious. And for us, they came early.
The journey began with the great distinction awarded to our retsina Kallos Thalassino 2022 Ousia, which was included in the Great Greek Wines 2025 list. A prestigious platform created by Yiannis Karakasis MW, which each year showcases the finest Greek wines, offering them international visibility and recognition.
It was followed by a deeply honouring review by Julia Harding MW, senior editor at JancisRobinson.com, who described our work as "a new venture in which the purity of the resin – its source and extraction method – is taken to a whole new level."
Her scores and tasting notes:
•18.5/20 for Kallos Thalassino 2022 Ousia
“Pale citrus. Delicate but intense herbal and rosemary aromas, with a little more citrus than in the Stergiano (which is made with resin from inland). On the palate there's all that rosemary aroma but it's also intensely salty and mouth-watering. Piercing and pure, more linear than the Stergiano.”
• 18.5/20 for Kallos Stergiano 2022 Ousia
“A little richer and deeper than the Thalassino but still with a suggestion of stony minerality. Less salty and more golden. Powerful, intense and yet so elegant. Deep, rich and still with all the rosemary and herbal character of top-notch retsina, and finishes on a lightly chewy texture. Multi-layered and delicious.”
• 17.5/20 for Kallos 2020 Phos
“Mid gold. Toasty (but unoaked), golden, almost honeyed (without being in the least sweet) and still with the herbal intensity of the 2022 wines tasted. Intense, powerful, blasting with rosemary and so fresh. Broader than the Thalassino and the Stergiano, complex and long if a little less refined, more earthy. Shows how well retsina can age.”
The scores awarded to Kallos Thalassino and Kallos Stergiano rank among the highest ever given to Greek wines by the JancisRobinson.com platform — and are the highest ever awarded to a retsina.
At 1979WINES, we remain passionately committed to retsina’s potential. Through scientific research, deep respect for its core components, and a strong connection to the Greek landscape, we create wines with authentic identity and a clear international outlook.
