Cupertinum doc 2025. Special issue 90th anniversary

Budgets and relaunches, more culture, more quality, more pages, always under the banner of enhancing the territory, culture, wine. This special issue i “Cupertinum doc” is dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the founding of the winery, is divided into sections: Great Wines & Great Signatures: the best articles dedicated to our Wines (Hugh Jonshon, Luigi Veronelli, Francesco Muci, Gianni Mura, Franco Ziliani, Anna Di Martino, Luciano Ferraro, Ulrich Sautter, Francesco Falcone, Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast…); Becoming Cupertinum (interview with winemaker Giuseppe Pizzolante Leuzzi and speech by President Francesco Trono); Genius loci: Interviews with intellectuals and artists on the relationship between art and territory (Antonio Prete, Fabio Novembre, Giuliano Sangiorgi, Beatrice Rana and an imaginary meeting with Carmelo Bene); Protagonists & Roots (Mario Petito, Barbro Guaccero, Severino Garofano, Augusto Nestola, Giuseppe Venturi, Antonio Calò, Angelo Costacurta); History & Vineyard on the Castle. “Of course, to contain all the history and all the protagonists would take a whole volume, a project we are thinking about, for now-in this special issue-we take a quick stock of ninety years. We do this because roots give us strength and because being aware of our own history helps us identify the paths to take in the coming years,” says Francesco Trono, president of the historic Cantina.

“…a winery that publishes a beautiful cultural periodical, Cupertinum Doc. The Heart of Negroamaro, full of interviews and insights…,” Franco Ziliani.

Cupertinum DOC

“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!