Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast award the wines of Cupertinum

Wine Enthusiast - Copertino rosso Riserva Cantina Cupertinum

August 2024, Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator, the world’s most famous wine magazines have awarded Cupertinum’s Copertino Riserva and Primitivo Salento Igt. These are the descriptions that the two great tasters Danielle Callegari and Alison Napjus dedicated to the wines of the historic Copertino winery:

“92 POINTS | Best Buy Copertino Riserva DOC 2015: The nose is full of savory warmth, with aromas of tar, earth and tobacco, as well as bright, crisp black cherry and raspberry. On the palate, an undercurrent of blood orange intensifies and refines the fruit element. Elegant acid vein and electric tannins like a piece of new, untouched chalk. This is an absolute bargain,” Wine Enthusiast.

“91 POINTS | Best Buy Cupertinum Primitivo Salento IGT 2020: An exquisite, earthy nose offers aromas of new leather, balsamic and loam, but also a saline freshness. On the palate, more earth and salt, matching well the structure provided by lean tannins, but also the energy of tart blackberries, spicy pepper and a burst of acid. Another fantastic affair from this cooperative that sets a high bar for Puligese wine,” Wine Enthusiast.

“Cupertinum Primitivo Salento Igt 2021, 87 points: Fragrant notes of spice, pencil shavings, resin and coffee are the aromatic nuance to the ripe black cherry and blueberry scents in evidence in this well elevated, medium-bodied red with light, sculpted tannins,” Wine Spectator.

“Copertino Riserva DOC 2015 Cupertinum, 89 points: This medium-bodied red is perfumed, with notes of leather, dried sage and lavender. It layers light, soft tannins with a juicy mix of toasted plum, dried cranberry and cherry,” Wine Spectator.

Recall that Cupertinum’s wines are now stable in the high quality ratings offered each year by Italian and international wine guides and trade magazines.

Oenologist Giuseppe Pizzolante Leuzzi and President Francesco Trono share this satisfaction with the members: “these awards confirm the rightness of our quality project and enhance not only our wines but also our territory and its tourist and cultural riches.”

Wine Enthusiast - Copertino rosso Riserva Cantina Cupertinum
Wine Enthusiast - Primitivo Salento Cantina Cupertinum
Wine Spectator - Copertino riserva Doc Cantina Cupertinum
Wine Enthusiast - Premiato Primitivo Salento IGT Cupertinum

“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!