Greece is, in essence, the historical cradle of wine making, as it was from here that grape growing for wine spread throughout the Mediterranean.

Back in the day (we're talking 7th century BC and onwards) little was understood about the science of wine. But people quickly became fed up with drinking wine that tasted like super-market own brand malt vinegar. Thus was invented the wine additive in an attempt to preserve the wine in good condition and stop it oxidising on its way to the end user. Many different substances were tried and tested, including sea water. Pine resin worked pretty well, albeit leaving the wine with a distinctive flavour (I cannot remember the last time I tasted Retsina). It was sulphur, however, that was - and still is - found to be best for this job.

Greece is experiencing a real renaissance in wine production. Like Portugal they have a vast catalogue of indigenous grape varieties (ripe for plundering for future Daily Drinker samples) and, as we all know, they have the climate. Keep 'em peeled!