GUIDE 2023. AWARDS TO CUPERTINUM WINES

Excellent results in terms of awards, reviews in international guides and magazines.

“The entire production is a sort of hymn to Negroamaro, which is interpreted with a stylistic code of purity and authenticity and forged in different versions,” writes VITAE 2023, the guide of the Italian Sommelier Association (AIS), which rewards Cupertinum wines with a beautiful review and excellent ratings: AIS sommeliers underlight the convenient value/price ratio of the entire range and they award: Copertino Riserva (which receives the symbol of Scales), Settantacinque, Spinello dei Falconi, Primitivo and Cigliano. Also AIS awards Glykòs for the seventh time as best red raisin wine at the DolcePuglia 2023 competition.

“Attestations and surprises for Cupertinum wines” could sum up the haul of awards received this year from 2023 Wine Guides and prestigious international magazines. As it follows here, the main awards to the labels of the historic Copertino winery:

SlowFood SLOWWINE awards the “TopWine/Vino Quotidiano” prize to Negroamaro Igt Salento. In addition, SlowFood guide assigns the “Coin” to all Cupertinum wines: “Excellent wines from an organoleptic point of view with an advantageous quality-price ratio.” Touring Club’s VINIBUONI D’ITALIA instead awards Copertino Doc Riserva and Settantacinque with 4 Stars, Spinello dei Falconi rosé, Primitivo and Negroamaro with 3 Stars.

WINE SPECATOR in the last three years has been awarding Copertino Riserva with scores ranging from 90 to 92 points; VINOUS, furthermore, awards it 92 points with the following description, “A knockout wine and an exceptional purchase for the price”; DECANTER awarded Negroamaro Salento Igt with Silver Medal and 92 points, instead Bronze Medal for Primitivo, and Spinello dei Falconi.

BIBENDA, the wine guide by the Italian Sommelier Foundation, awards Cupertinum wines with an appreciative review and excellent ratings: “the battery of proposed wines satisfies for elegance and territoriality” and “4 Grapes” for Copertino Doc, Riserva Copertino Doc, Settantacinque and Negroamaro.

I VINI DI VERONELLI emphasizes the social and cultural value of the winery and it awards 2 Stars to: Glykós, Copertino Riserva and Copertino Doc, Squarciafico Rosato, Spinello dei Falconi and Primitivo. This year Giortì, the sparkling wine, enters the guide with the Flower symbol.

For Luca Maroni’s I MIGLIORI VINI D’ITALIA, this year the top is represented by Spinello dei Falconi, 94 points, Cigliano with 93, Negroamaro and Squarciafico Rosato with 92, Giortì with 90.

These awards confirm Cupertinum as a reality of excellence, a winery reliable over time, as well as dynamic in identifying new goals and achieving them!

“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!