Ciao Tutti!
This weekend we return to the heel of Italy’s boot to taste the Copertino DOC Riserva from the Cantina Sociale Cooperativa. Don’t let the “Cooperativa” dissuade you from tasting this wine-this is not bulk wine; rather, an endeavor by a group of 36 visionary winemakers on the Salento peninsula who came together in 1935. They shared a belief in producing high quality wine from the area’ s indigenous negroamaro, malvasia nera and primitivo. grapes Their success led to the establishment of the DOC Copertino appellation in 1976 that took its name from the small commune of Copertino and there are now 300 members in the cooperativa.
Puglia’s history began with the first settlers, Messapians, from the modern day Balkans and the region endured fifteen more invaders before the Risorgimento. Land speculators soon descended to seize property and making virtual serfs of the inhabitants resulting in a flood of emigration from this dry and barren region (“Apulia” is derived from the Latin “a pluvia”, “without rain”. The region did not begin to recover until Italy’s largest aqueduct was built in the mid-twentieth century. I once watched a PBS special “Italy from the Air” and when the shadow of the helicopter flew over Puglia, I saw how water had transformed the once barren land into fields of tobacco, vegetables and vineyards that now produce 60% of Italy’s table grapes. Puglia’s geography also includes beaches along its Adriatic coastline below hills dotted with farmhouses and the native “trulli”, round houses built of stone and capped with conical roofs.
The negroamaro grape was probably brought to this part of the Salento peninsula by the Greeks in the eighth century BC. The name negroamaro (black and bitter”) refers to the grape’s dark skin and its taste is more blackberry and plum than bitter. This Riserva wine is produced from only the best vintages and rests for several years of bottle aging. Its ruby red color, aromas of black and red fruits, medium to full bodied, palate of raspberries and black cherries are perfetto to pair with Piazza’s pasta with red sauces, lasagne and pizza, or your fave roasts and grilled meats.
I hope you can join me at the Piazza Italian Market on Friday from noon to 5:45 and Saturday from noon to 4:45 to taste my fave wine from Puglia.
Cin Cin!
Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a referral agent for Meredith Fine Properties. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.
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