Cantina Cupertinum, Puglia, Salento, Italy

CANTINA CUPERTINUM: MILESTONE IN OENOLOGICAL HISTORY

The year 1935 represents a milestone in the history of Salento's oenological economy: thirty-six wine producers started the Cooperative of Copertino 15 km southwest of Lecce . The aim was and still is to vinify and market their wines together. A second ambition of the founders is to broaden the cooperation and thus emphasize the individual character of the Salento region. Today there are 350 producers who deliver their annual harvest to the cooperative. The vineyards are located around Copertino. About 400 hectares are cultivated as grape trees and are spread over different areas with their own name and unique terroir and climate . With the wisdom derived from tradition, innovation, grapes, unique terroirs and 'gobelet' vineyards, excellent wines are produced, which will surprise experts and enthusiasts!

LECCE; THE PEARL OF THE SOUTH

Lecce is located in the province of Salento, which of course belongs to the wine region of Puglia. But the inhabitants prefer to call themselves 'salentini' instead of 'pugliesi' . This is probably because Lecce, the capital of Salento, but actually also the entire area, can be called unique for a region in Southern Italy. Salento mainly produces red wine , from two types of grapes. The most famous is the Primitivo, which is the same grape as the (Californian) Zinfandel . The 'Primitivo di Manduria' is the most important DOC of this type. The primitivo wines are usually made from only this grape type. The other important variety is the Negroamaro that you find everywhere in Puglia. The most important DOC is Salice Salentino; but there are countless other DOCs. Exactly the problem of the wines of Salento, there are too many DOCs with the result that actually only the Primitivo di Manduria has gained international fame. There are plans to give Salento wines a uniform qualification so that they can be sold more easily. Except of course for Primitivo di Manduria which undoubtedly wants to maintain its acquired status.