Cyprus

The Cyprus mystique is as much a product of its legendary beauty as it is of millennia of competing empires, all unable to resist the island’s strategic allure.

Nestled into the eastern Mediterranean Sea and a veritable crossroads of three continents, Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean and an ideal starting point for the discovery of other exotic locales such as the Greek Islands, Egypt and the Middle East – in fact, mini-cruises set off for these places from Cyprus almost every day. But close as Cyprus may be to the world’s center stage, it is a distinctive place that can feel blissfully apart from it all. Many international cruise ships utilise Cyprus as a major port of call on their international European and Mediterranean itineraries. Every year more than 30 of the finest international cruise ships make more than 80 calls at the ports of Limassol and Larnaca carrying in excess of 100,000 passengers to visit the major attractions of Cyprus.

Writers, priests, explorers, soldiers and rulers delighted in the Cyprus “sweeties”. The cultivation of vines for dessert and wine is relatively recent, the grape first having been cultivated in the Black Sea area around 8,000 years ago.

From there it spread slowly south-eastwards to Mespotamia, Syria and Egypt, from where it travelled across the Mediterranean to Greece, on to Italy, continuing its development around the world and its waters to today’s highly acclaimed production of a universally social beverage.

The problems encountered with sealing vessels to protect wine from oxidisation from the air in the earlier days of production, resulted in most wines being sweet and the tradition of the Cypriot wine being of a sweet taste was founded on this premise, hence the term “sweeties”. Sweet wines not only oxidise more slowly, but they travel better than dry varieties. The two main grape growing regions in Cyprus, are on the southern slopes of the Troodos in the Lemesos district and the south-western, in the Pafos region.

The visitor may make enchanting tours ranging from half a day to a week, or even longer. There are many wineries open to the general public, where wine can be sampled and purchased. If you have visited vineyards in other countries, even the largest in Cyprus will seem relatively small, which adds to their charm and character. In some places, donkeys and oxen can still be seen ploughing the vineyards. Where possible, vineyards are being enlarged, especially by the big producers and mechanical methods of cultivation and harvesting introduced. As the demand for higher quality wines increases, so the degree of care and attention the wines and grapes receive grows too. Many old vines are now being removed and the vineyards replanted by advanced methods of growth and quality appreciation.

The most significant fact about today’s Cyprus wines is that they are unique; firstly Cyprus has never been subjected to the predations of the Phylloxera beetle, as has every other wine-growing country in Europe. Secondly, the vast majority of wine-grapes grown on the Island are indigenous varieties, whose origins are, literally lost in the midst of time. Indeed, several of these have only been re-discovered in recent years, nurtured and replanted. Most white wine is a 100% varietal of the Xynisteri grape, which makes a fresh wine that is best drunk young. Of the red grapes varieties, unique to Cyprus is the Mavro, a low-acid variety that unusually also serves as a table grape.

The Cyprus wine industry is built not only just on wine but on ancillary products which ranges from grape juice and concentrated grape exported in large quantities. Through every type of wine to liqueurs and distillates of all kinds, the export of these products includes the famous “Zivania”. The history of wine production in Cyprus reveals an interesting route. 4,000 years ago settlers from the mainland coast to the east came to Cyprus and, although there is no firm evidence to prove it, it is virtually certain they would have brought their wine-producing vines with them. When the Greeks settled in Cyprus around 1200 BC., it is likely they would have found wine already here, but of a very different style to the wines they were accustomed to. Thus, it is likely that there has been a wine industry in Cyprus continuously longer than anywhere else in the world. Facts are supported by legend and ancient history. The Song of Solomon praises Cyprus wines. In 800 B.C., Hesiodos described the making of Cyprus wines, the Greek poet Euripides writes of vast pilgrimages to Cyprus to taste the wine, or as it was then known “Cyprus Nama”. Legend has it that the first mortal to be taught to make wine was Ikarios, whose teacher was Dioonysos, the God of Wine himself. Minimal historical evidence exists to describe wines of Cyprus between the Greco-Roman periods and the Middle ages, when the Island endured drought, pestilence and regular wars, invasions and incursions. In the 11th century, when the Crusades commenced, from the sojourns of Richard the Lion Heart and those of various Orders of Knights, came the generic description of the “sweet wines of Cyprus: Commandaria”. In 1363 no less than five Kings met with the Mayor of London, in the building that today houses the Vintners’ Society, to talk of various matters, such as Crusades and wine. The wines served were in fact highly praised from Cyprus.

Then in the 19th century, 1844, the birth of the modern wine industry, saw the foundation of the House of Haggipavlu. The company exported wine in barrels all over the eastern Mediterranean. In 1893, Haggipavlu, by then making spirits as well as wines, built the first modern winery in Zanatzia in the Lemesos district. With presses and fermentation tanks of stone, the Cyprus wine industry was set to flourish. ETKO, which is part of the Haggipavlu group of companies is now a public company and around the same time, an English family, the Chaplins, built a large wine-making plant at Pera Pedi, just below Platres and started making wine in fairly large quantities. In 1927, KEO LTD was formed and bought the Pera Pedi winery from the Chaplins.

The third of the ‘Big Four’, LOEL formed in 1943, is a public company which was to develop and expand it business relations in the Eastern Bloc. The fourth company, SODAP is also a co-operative, founded in 1947 by the vine-growers themselves. These ‘Big Four’ Cypriot companies met the needs of the world with a mission theme – “fortified wines for Northern Europe”, supplying from the 1940’s onwards, bulk table wines for the partygoers of the 1960’s and all kinds of grape products for markets all over the world. In the early 1980’s the Cyprus Government encouraged small enterprises to establish and operate wineries of 50,000 to 300,000 bottles a year capacity from the hill villages of the grape growing regions alone, the first of these was at Chrysorrogiatissa Monastery in the Paphos District.

Today, there are more than 20 registered regional wines and their contribution to the diversification of style and development of new wines has been immense. Each year brings advances in quality and the introduction of exciting new wines using local as well as famous International varieties of grapes. During this celebrated time, the Big Four have also been very active, they have developed new vineyards of their own and through purchase, they have planted hundreds of thousands of new vines of well known varieties and re-discovered old Cyprus types.

They have built new and restored old wineries in the hills and enhanced their plants in Lemesos. Their laboratories have researched new production techniques and their Oenologists have introduced new styles and brands. The combined talents of the large companies and the smaller regional wineries are giving the Cyprus wine industry a bright and prosperous future, especially now since EU accession, May 2004.

THE SALT LAKES OF CYPRUS.

Once a valuable source of salt, today a refuge for birds and plants representing a treasure trove for nature lovers.Flocks of pink Flamingoes take respite on the lakes during March and November.

On the south shores of Cyprus, two areas of salt lakes can be discovered – Akrotiri, some 14km west of Limassol and proposed for inclusion in the list of ‘Wetlands of International Importance’, as it represents the largest aquatic system in Cyprus.

The second forms a group of salt lakes to the south of Larnaca, relatively close to the International Airport. Clustered on either side of the coast road serving the airport, this single large lake and three smaller interconnecting lakes are surrounded by natural countryside, stretches of woodland scrub and cultivated fields.

These two salt lake regions, found not far from the coast, are actually below sea level. The seawater naturally permeates the bedrock, collects in the lower basins on the coastal plain and during the hotter season, the water that has formed a lake throughout the winter evaporates at a faster rate than the permeation of the seawater, leaving the area dry with a thick layer of salt on the bed of the lakes.

From Medieval times the salt from the Larnaca lakes was harvested. In the Venetian era, the lake covered some 20km, Cyprus was then a major producer and exporter. Fulfilling local needs, there was still surplus salt to fill 70 ships.

During the 16th century there was a healthy trade between the Island and Venice. Ships bringing imported goods were then loaded with the precious cargo for the return voyage. Salt is a major community worldwide, not only for flavouring dishes, but for preserving methods too.

Until the end of the 20th century, it was possible to see the salt being collected in huge piles passed through wire mesh filters and then loaded into baskets born by donkeys. A relatively new addition to the area is the Larnaca Sewage Works which is proving to be a focal attraction to different types of gulls and waterfowl. The location and climate of Cyprus together with the two wetlands make the Island very popular with migratory birds.

Lying at the eastern end of the Mediterranean, Cyprus reaches a crossroads for migration as birds move between Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Russia. The Island hosts more than 350 species of birds, 50 of which are permanent residents and 32 of which are protected under the European Birds Directive.

Particularly during the seasons of spring and autumn, the Island is visited by great waves of bird life. Some stay only long enough to rest and then continue their journey on, others come to take advantage of the mild winters and stay for longer periods. Flocks of beautiful feathered pink Flamingos are a common sight on the lakes of Larnaca and Akrotiri between the months of November and March, perching on one-leg and feeding on the shrimp found in the salt lakes.

It has been reported that in some years more than 10,000 Flamingos came to reside temporarily. Amongst the bird population, the salt lakes are also popular breeding grounds for some 27 migratory species, such as the Black Winged Stilt, the Calandra Lark, the Cyprus Pied Wheatgear and the Cyprus Warbler, to name but a few. Numerous varieties of duck, together with geese, swans, cranes and herons, are frequent visitors to the wetlands. The high volume and diversity of flocks passing through is impressive by any standards.

In addition there is always the chance of discovering a rare visitor. Conclusively, geographical location of the Island together with the variation in climate, the Akrotiri and Larnaca lakes are a delight to Ornithologists. The habitat of the salt lakes boasts a diversity of flora too; the plant life has a distinctively eastern flavour. Many varieties of the western Mediterranean, Europe and Africa, plus a very strong endemic flowering element can be found. Approximately 1,800 species and sub-species of flowering plants, of which 136 are endemic. Cyprus is of great interest botanically, the Akrotiri site alone supports a significant number of rare plant species 13 of which are endemic.

The orchid flora of Cyprus is equally rich and diversified with 50 species flowering nearly all year round. Orchids grow everywhere on the Island, within the habitats of the Larnaca and Akrotiri salt lakes there are magnificent colonies of orchids growing together in numbers, including the orchis italica, orchis collina, orphys funereal and ophrys kotschyi. The orphrys kotschyi is endemic to Cyprus and flowers from February to April. By the end of April the grass dries and the land becomes desiccated and this is when the orchid palustris, reddish violet in colour, and orchis fragrans come into bloom between April and early June. The latter variety, as its name suggests, has a pleasant vanilla fragrance and can bear anything up to 100 pale pink flowers. The Akrotiri salt lake is of historical interest, nearby is the site of Ayios Nicolaos to Gaton, St Nicholas of the cats. St. Helena was the mother of the first Byzantine emperor, Constantine. Legend has it that she came to Cyprus landing on the Akrotiri Peninsular and found the Island swarming with snakes. She then arranged for cats to be transported from Constantinople to get rid of the snakes. To this day the promontory is called ‘Cape Gata’, or ‘Cape of the Cats’. St.Helena also gave orders for the construction of a Monastery in 325AD to mark the spot of her landing. At a later date, this Monastery was dedicated to St. Nicholas, who broke his journey to Myra here.

For centuries, on St. Nicholas’ day 6th December, fishermen would donate their daily catch to the Monastery. The Monastery continued to exist until 1570, when during the Ottoman rule all the monks were slaughtered. In 1983, after renovations, it became a convent of St George Alamanos situated on the other side of Limassol. A visit to either of the salt lakes at Larnaca or Akrotiri is an excellent opportunity to view the magnificent variety of birds and the unusual species of plants and flowers. These wetlands are two of the most major lakes in the Eastern Mediterranean which are still in a semi-natural condition. The ecological value of the wetlands and the need for conservation is a focal point for

Cyprus, indeed there are plans to underfoot for a nature reserve on the Akrotiri peninsular – after-all this is part of a natural heritage to be passed on to future generations.