Cyprus: Climate and geography

Most vineyards are on the south-facing side of the Troodos Mountains, where a combination of elevation and rain make viticulture possible on what would otherwise be too hot and dry an island. The best vineyards lie where the rains fall, in valleys at 600 m/1,980 ft up to nearly 1,500 m/4,950 ft. To bring the industry in line with the EU, a controlled appellation scheme has been developed for Commandaria, Laona Akama, Pitsilia, Vouni Panayia-Ambelitis, Krasochoria Lemesou, Krasochoria Lemesou-Afames, and Krasochoria Lemesou-Laona, all pdos, although the scheme has so far been little used. There are also four regions for pgi wines: Pafos, Lemesos, Larnaca, and Lefkosia, accounting for nearly half of production.