DolcePuglia rewards the Glykós

Vino passito Salento Glikos

It is the Glykós Passito Negroamaro Igt Salento of Cupertinum, historic winery in Copertino, to win the Dolce Puglia Award 2018, the review of the Italian Sommelier Association designed for the international enhancement of sweet wines from Puglia and this year at its twelfth edition. The award was presented by actress Anna Falchi, testimonial of the event and by Vincezo Carrasso dell’AIS to Giuseppe Pizzolante Leuzzi, winemaker of Cupertinum.

It is the third time that Glykós takes home the coveted award, in the red wine grapes section. Glykós (in Greek means sweet), absolutely the first passito obtained from pure negroamaro grapes, is one of the labels wanted by the oenologist Giuseppe Pizzolante Leuzzi. The first vintage was produced with grapes from the 2012 harvest and immediately convinced critics and experts. Glykós, a meditation and dessert wine, is a deep ruby ​​red with garnet highlights, with hints of cherry, plum, myrtle and licorice root. The Negroamaro grapes with which it is produced are grown in the Copertino vineyards.

 

The Jury awarded “the superior quality of the Glykós, the majestic concentration of the compositional richness, the enveloping and expressive suadenza of this rich and sumptuous passito … the most magnificent gift of this wine is its rare, dense, pasty extraction and sugary concentration … A great wine of excellent viticultural qualities, of an enology of neat transformation “, the critics write. Great happiness at the historic Cantina di Copertino for a recognition that rewards the work of the partners and the entire team of President Francesco Trono.

The event took place in Gioia del Colle, hosted by the 36th Stormo Caccia Aeronautica Militare. During the presentation they have – among others – brought their contribution: Colonel Emanuele Spigolon, Commander of the 36th Stormo Caccia; Vito Sante Cecere, President of AIS Puglia; Giuseppe Baldassarre, AIS National Councilor; the senators Dario Stefàno and Piero Liuzzi; Leonardo Di Gioia, Regional Councilor for Agricultural Policies. Before the awards ceremony, it was enriched by technical meetings on sweet wines, and ended with tastings in which the labels that participated in the competition were proposed in combination with typical dairy products and confectionery in Puglia.

“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!