On the steep slopes around Madari, Papoutsa and the north-western part of Machairas, Pitsilia's vineyards sit among traditional villages in Cyprus's Troodos range, east of Mount Olympus. The ground is shallow, rocky and eroded, with soils from diabase and gabbro.
At altitude, grapes ripen slowly, while cool winds are associated with excellent acidity. Goblet-trained vineyards are still scattered through the region. They are worked by hand and yield little. Some had been abandoned before newer growers took them on, while newer plantings use modern techniques.
Local grapes remain central. Maratheftiko, a rare ancient red variety, grows here. Pitsilia also makes richer dry wines from local grapes, rather than fitting a single sweet-wine identity. It has been a registered PDO wine name since 17 February 2006.
Inside the region
1 named area
Each guide keeps its place within Pitsilia clear, with a direct route back to the map.