Overview

The island has been renowned for its vineyards and production of quality wines since ancient times. In particular, the village of Omodos is famous for its selection of grapes and tasty wines. According to tradition, the exceptional quality wine of Afami, named after the mountain east of the village, inspired Sultan Selim B to conquer the island to obtain this eminent wine. The ancient method of pressing grapes for wine production was done using a Linos, a mill located near the Monastery of Honest Cross in Omodos. The Linos is a stone-built room with a length of about 13 meters and a width of 5 ½ meters, with a level roof made of a loft. The Linos used a lever system to press the grapes, and the bagasse was placed in vats for fermentation. The bagasse was then pressed, and the wine was transferred to other clean vats for storage. The Medieval Linos at Omodos has been declared an Ancient Monument and is now protected under the policy for the maintenance of cultural heritage in Cyprus.The existence of Linos confirms Omodos's status as a well-known wine producer since ancient times.