2022. Cupertinum Wines (and Grappa!) Awards

Surprises and confirmations from competitions, awards, guides and international magazines

Confirmations and surprises for Cupertinum’s wines, this is how we could summarize the spoils of awards received also this year by 2022 Wine Guides and by prestigious international magazines. In rapid succession here are the main awards given to the labels of the historical winery of Copertino:

SlowFood’s SLOWWINE assigns the “TopWine/Vino Quotidiano” award to Cupertinum’s Spinello dei Falconi Rosato IGT Salento: “Excellent wine under the organoleptic profile with an advantageous quality-price ratio”. Moreover SlowFood’s guide assigns the “Coin” to all the wines of the winery for their quality-price ratio. VINIBUONI D’ITALIA of Touring Club awards Glykòs with the highest recognition: the Corona! And also assigns: 3 Stars to Primitivo and Spinello dei Falconi.

WINE SPECTATOR awarded 91 points to Cupertinum’s Copertino Riserva. This is the description of the critics of the world’s best-known magazine: “Wonderfully perfumed, with exotic spice, this full-bodied red is soft and velvety on the palate, with clear, fine tannins and flavors of ripe cherry and plum, candied orange, violet and graphite. This blend of Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera is elevated with grace.” Ian D’Agata – one of the top international critics – on VINOUS describes Copertino Rosso Riserva as follows: “Intense ruby red. Generous, well-focused aromas and flavors of red fruit, goudron, licorice and underbrush. Boasts a wonderful acid-fruit-tannin balance, with a long, smooth and fresh finish. A knockout wine and an exceptional buy for the price”: 92 points!

DECANTER, the famous and historical magazine in English language, awards Negroamaro Salento IGT with the Silver Medal and 92 points, whereas Primitivo and Spinello dei Falconi get the Bronze Medal. Last year it was Copertino Riserva to win the Silver Medal.

VITAE, the Italian Sommelier Association’s guide, rewards us with a beautiful report and excellent evaluations of the wines: “The wines produced have Negroamaro as their main grape variety and their stylistic character as their typicality… the constant commitment of this winery in culture and social issues deserves a special praise”, write AIS sommeliers. BIBENDA by Fondazione Italiana Sommelier awards Cupertinum wines with an interesting report and excellent evaluations: “the set of wines proposed satisfies for elegance and territoriality” and 4 Bunches for Settantacinque Copertino Doc, Negroamaro and Glykòs. I VINI DI VERONELLI also underlines the social and cultural value of the winery and assigns 2 Stars to: Glykós, Copertino Riserva and Copertino Doc, Squarciafico Rosato, Spinello dei Falconi and Primitivo. For I MIGLIORI VINI D’ITALIA/Luca Maroni, this year the top is represented by Spinello dei Falconi, 94 points, Glykòs with 93, Squarciafico Rosato with 91.

Last but not least. Grappa LE VIOLE has been awarded with the Gold Medal Alambicco d’Oro Award! Another result of excellence for Cupertinum. The Alambicco d’Oro award, now in its 38th edition, is organized by the ANAG (Associazione Nazionale Assaggiatori Grappa e Acquaviti).

From Cupertinum, Francesco Trono, president, and Giuseppe Pizzolante Leuzzi, enologist, declare themselves very satisfied with the results, but ready to new challenges and are already working to get even better awards.

“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!