Copertino

Copertino
—  Comune  —
Comune di Copertino
Copertino Location of Copertino in Italy
Coordinates: 40°16′N 18°03′E / 40.267°N 18.05°E / 40.267; 18.05Coordinates: 40°16′N 18°03′E / 40.267°N 18.05°E / 40.267; 18.05
Country	Italy
Region	Apulia
Province	Lecce (LE)
Government
- Mayor	Provisional commissar: Vincenzo Calignano
Area
- Total	57.76 km2 (22.3 sq mi)
Elevation	34 m (112 ft)
Population (31 December 2004)
- Total	27,145
- Density	470/km2 (1,217.2/sq mi)
Demonym	Copertinesi
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	73043
Dialing code	0832
Patron saint	St. Joseph of Cupertino
Saint day	September 18
Website	Official website

Copertino is a town and comune in the province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy.

History

Following Charles of Anjou's successful campaign in 1266, the Hohenstaufen tower of Copertino was held first by the de Pratis family and then by Walter VI of Brienne, Duke of Athens, Duke of Lecce and Grand Constable of France.

Copertino became the centre of a County under the Enghiens, who were sovereigns of the land of Galatone, Leverano and Veglie. With the marriage of Mary of Enghien, Countess of Lecce and Copertino (later Queen of Naples and titular Queen of Sicily, Jerusalem, and Hungary), with Raimondo del Balzo Orsini, the county became part of the principality of Taranto. The French knight Tristan Chiaromonte (de Clermont-Lodeve) led the development of the county capital, having assumed power over the territory on his marriage to Caterina, daughter of Mary of Enghien. Tristan's daughter Isabella of Taranto, heiress to the Brienne claim to the Kingdom of Jerusalem, married Ferdinand I of Naples. With the conquest of the Salento pensinsular by the Aragonese dynasty, effected jointly by the Spanish army and knights from Albania, the county was gifted in 1498 to Alfonso Castriota Scanderbeg, in gratitude for military support.

The Princes of Belmonte gained the Castle through the Squarciafico Counts of Copertino, to whom the feudality passed from 1557.

Copertino DOC

The area around Copertino is permitted to make red and rose Italian DOC wine. The grapes are limited to a harvest of 14 tonnes/ha with the finished wines needing a minimum of 12% alcohol. The wines are predominantly Negroamaro with no more than a 30% blend component of Malvasia, Montepulciano and Sangiovese (which is further limited to a maximum of 15%). Wines labeled Riserva must be aged for a minimum of 2 years prior to release and have a minimum alcohol level of 12.5%.^[1]

Main sights

• The Castle, one of the most massive fortifications in Apulia.

Twinnings

• Cupertino, United States (named after St. Joseph of Copertino)

Notable people

Saint Joseph of Cupertino.
Giuliano San Giorgi, (January 24, 1979) singer of the Negramaro.
Rosalba De Carlo, (October 14, 1939) Italian head chef.

References

1. ^ P. Saunders Wine Label Language pg 154 Firefly Books 2004 ISBN 1552977200