2013 Cupertinum Copertino Rosso Riserva DOCG

Cupertino, or Copertino, is a town within the province of Lecce. Initially established as a farmer stronghold against the Arab occupation in 950CE, the town developed under the Normans and became a significant commercial trading area. They left their legacy in the Castello di Copertino, one of the largest fortresses in Puglia.

This producer is a coop of 300 growers. Coops in Italy are actually a great way for a region to gain notoriety and throughout the country they are associated with high quality wine (Produttori di Barbaresco, Cave Cooperatives de Donnas...). For a small zone like Copertino, joining the coop may be the only way to actually get your wine  out there!

Based on Negroamaro with a (very) small percentage of Malvasia Nera, practicing organic, and lower yields in the vineyards, the Riserva sees 7 - 8 day maceration on the skins  followed by gentle pressing, and aging in stainless steel and cement. The Riserva is made only in the best vintages and released at the winemaker's discretion after several years of bottle aging.

Want to know how well an aged Negroamaro holds up? take a chance on this 2013, it's fantastic! soft tannin, medium+body, blackberry, plum, leather, cinammon