Wine Spectator rewards Cupertinum’s Copertino Doc Riserva

Wine Spectator, the most famous wine magazine in the world, awarded with 91 points the Cupertinum’s Copertino Doc Riserva, the famous Winery from Copertino. The following is the description made by the critics of Wine Spectator (Thomas Mathews, Harvey Steiman, James Laube, Kim Marcus, Bruce Sanderson, Tim Fish, James Molesworth, Alison Napjus, MaryAnn Worobiec, Gillian Sciaretta and Aleksandar Zecevic): “Wonderfully fragrant, with exotic spices , this full-bodied red is soft and velvety on the palate, with clear and fine tannins and flavors of ripe cherry and plum, candied orange, violet and graphite. This blend of negroamaro and black malvasia is gracefully elevated”.

The appreciation by Wine Spectator joined those of Decanter and Ian D’Agata on Vinous! A wonderful international confirmation from the most popular magazines.

Ian D’Agata – one of the greatest international critics – on Vinous thus described the Copertino Rosso Riserva: “Intense ruby ​​red. Generous and well-focused aromas and flavors of red fruit, goudron, licorice and undergrowth. It boasts a wonderful acid balance- fruit-tannin, with a long, smooth and fresh finish. A terrific wine and an exceptional purchase for the price”= 92/100, stellar score!

The enologist Giuseppe Pizzolante Leuzzi and the president Francesco Trono share this satisfaction with Cupertinum’s members: “thanks to these awards we contribute even more to enhancing not only these wines but also our territory and its tourist and cultural heritage”.

We want to recall that Cupertinum’s wines have been appreciated by English critics for over half a century. Hugh Johnson, great old man of wine criticism and the contemporary author who more than any other contributed to wine literature, back in the ‘80s, for the Sunday Times Competition, awarded two wines from our Winery settled in Copertino: the Rosé and the Copertino Doc. On Decanter, Simon Woolf stated: “Cupertinum, one of the oldest and largest cooperatives in Salento, gives a brilliant example with its Copertino Riserva: truly delicious”.

And let’s not forget that: Glykós, the Passito from Negroamaro, has been awarded by L’Espresso guide and included among the 30 Best Passito wines in Italy; it has been awarded with the highest recognition by Vitae, the guide of AIS Sommeliers; and it has won the latest edition of the AIS DolcePuglia Award. On the other side, the Rosé Spinello dei Falconi has been awarded by SlowWine/ SlowFood: “Excellent wine from an organoleptic point of view with an advantageous quality-price ratio”.

“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!