2017: Cupertinum wines: a year of awards

The quality of Cupertinum, amid Copertino DOC and Salento IGT

Cupertinum wines: a year of awards

“It has been a year characterized by prestigeous acnowledgments to Spinello dei Falconi Rosè and Copertino Doc Reserve, and by the increasing success of our project “the Vineyard on Copertino Castle” – a dream that brings together history and future, agriculture, culture, and tourism. These are Cupertinum leitmotivs, during its 81st anniversary.”. With these words Francesco Trono and Giuseppe Pizzolante Leuzzi, respectively Cupertinum President and WineMaker, describe 2016,

A beautiful set of awards has come from 2017 Guides as well as from high-quality events. Here you are a brief selection:
*   First Prize at Radici del Sud to Copertino Riserva Doc. A great result and a confirmation for “a sumptuous wine, with very high profile, which ‘speaks’ about its territory of origin” and that enhances in its label the Castle of Copertino. This prestigious prize has been awarded by the International Jury formed by famous journalists: Maurizio Valeriani, Pier Luigi Gorgoni, Remy Charest, Simon Woolf, Tomasz Prange-Barczyski, Warren Edwardes, William Zacharkiw, Erin Stockton, Maria Grazia Melegari, Francesco Soleti, Aneesh Bhasin, Arto Koskelo, Charles Scicolone, James Melendez, Mayumi Nakagawara, Elisabetta Tosi, David Sarcinella.
*  SlowWine Guide confirms that the “essential characteristic of all labels is their extraordinary ratio between quality and price” and acnowledges “Vino Quotidiano”, the award dedicated to excellent wines, to Spinello dei Falconi Rosé IGT Salento.
*   A deep gratification has been the inclusion of Cupertinum in Vignaioli e Vini d’Italia, guide edited by Luciano Ferraro for Corriere della Sera, praising Negroamaro, Copertino Doc, and Squarciafico Rosé.

*   The guide I Vini di Veronelli assigns 2 Stars to: Copertino Doc, Settantacinque, Reserve, Glykòs, Spinello dei Falconi, Negroamaro, Primitivo.

*   The 2017 Annuario dei Migliori Vini d’Italia by Luca Maroni, consistently with his “fruity wine” theory, likes “the really good” IGT Salento: Primitivo, Squarciafico Rosé, Spinello dei Falconi, Negroamaro and Glykòs Passito.

*   Vitae, Italian Sommelier Association’s guide, rewards with Three Screws the Settantacinque Copertino Riserva Doc and highlights the beneficial relationship quality/price of the entire range and vitality of our project.

*   Dolce Puglia, the contest organized by the Italian Sommelier Association, awards Glykòs Passito IGT Salento ( “wonderful smelling scents… rich, elegant and persistent taste, inlaid by silky tannins”).
*   Bibenda, the Italian Sommelier Foundation’s guide, praises Cupertinum overall quality project, assigning Three Bunches to Copertino Doc, the Negroamaro, Spinello dei Falconi and Cigliano.

*   Paul Massobrio and Marco Gatti, creators of “Il Golosario” reward Copertino Riserva DOC and Primitivo Salento IGT. Top wines. Hooray!

* During the 34th edition of the prestigeous European Award for the Tourism and Hospitality in Spalato, Cupertinum has been awarded for its committment and efforts for the valorization of wine-tourism and territory, as well as for its project “The Vineyard on the Castle of Copertino”.

 

“I see confirmation and surprises in the new 2026 wine guides for our wines. With these awards, Cupertinum confirms its status as a company of excellence, reliable over time, dynamic in identifying new goals and achieving them,” says Francesco Trono, president of Cupertinum. Winemaker Giuseppe Pizzolante Leuzzi, now accustomed to the awards that come flooding in year after year, is also satisfied: “The focus on quality and modern winemaking that respects tradition is understood and rewarded. These awards reward the members, the winery’s workers, and the territory.”

 Here is a brief list of recent awards and prizes received by Cupertinum wines:

  • Cupertinum has been included among the best Italian wineries in Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book guide to wines from around the world. The renowned guide, edited by Margaret Rand, recommends: Copertino Riserva, Settantacinque, Spinello dei Falconi, and Negroamaro!
  • Danielle Callegari of Wine Enthusiast award: 92 points to Copertino Riserva DOC; 91 points to Primitivo Salento IGT: “two fantastic deals from this winery that confirm the high quality of the company’s labels.”
  • Wine Spectator awards Copertino Riserva DOC 2015: 89 points and Aldieri Primitivo Salento IGT 2021: 89 points (“well-elevated reds, medium-bodied, with light tannins,” says expert Eric Guido).
  • As far as international recognition is concerned, another great result is worth mentioning: the Gold Medal at the International Wine & Spirits Awards for COPERTINO RISERVA and POGGIANI Negroamaro.
  • Guida essenziale ai vini d’Italia (DoctorWine Daniele Cernilli )awards Copertino Riserva 92 points and Spibello dei Falconi 90 points.
  • The VITAE guide published by the Sommelier Association awards 4 VITI to Settantacinque Copertino and 3 VITI to Copertino Doc, Copertino Riserva, Poggiani Negroamaro, and Spinello dei Falconi. The sommeliers write: “wines of recognized and appreciated quality; the Negroamaro, in its various forms, represents the jewel in the crown.”
  • SlowWine: Cupertinum is featured in the SlowFood guide with the TopWine award for Spinello dei Falconi and a beautiful description that highlights the advantageous quality/price ratio, with accurate and complimentary organoleptic descriptions of all the wines.
  • The Touring Club’s Vinibuoni d’Italia guide awards our wines 4 stars to Copertino DOC Riserva, Copertino DOC and Spinello dei Falconi and 3 stars to Squarciafico Rosato and Settantacinque.
  • Bibenda, the guide published by the Italian Sommelier Foundation, awards Settantacinque, Copertino DOC Riserva, Aldieri Primitivo, and Poggiani Negroamaro with 4 Grappoli.
  • The Veronelli Guide awards 3 Red Stars to Settantacinque Copertino DOC and 2 Stars to all wines, with special mention to Spinello dei Falconi and all Copertino DOC wines.
  • The Il Golosario guide by Gatti/Massobrio names Primitivo as a Top Wine.

“Wine is the song of the earth to the sky” wrote the master of food and wine criticism Luigi Veronelli. It is worth repeating this for the awards given to Cupertinum wines!