LA RIOJANA ADDS A TOUCH OF SPARKLE TO THE WOFA ANNUAL TRADE TASTING 2011

La Riojana, the world’s largest producer of certified Fairtrade organic wines and Argentina’s largest producer of Torrontés, will be showcasing a host of new releases, including new Sparkling Torrontés and exciting Torrontés blends, all of which will be Fairtrade certified, as well as Moscato Frizzante at this year’s Wines of Argentina Annual Trade Tasting (table no. 7), due to take place at Lord’s Cricket Ground, London on 14th September 2011.

The tasting line up is led by the launch of two Fairtrade sparkling wines under the winery’s flagship Raza brand. Firstly, the European launch of the demi-sec Raza Fairtrade Dolce 2011 which has recently taken the US by storm, winning double gold and the “Best in Show Sparkling” award at this year’s San Francisco International Wine Competition, and supported by Raza Fairtrade Brut 2011. In addition there will be two new Moscato Frizzante wines, a white and rosé, called La Mia Vita.

La Riojana has also added further new Fairtrade certified products to its Raza range including four new dual varietal blends. The two new white blends on show will be Raza Fairtrade Torrontes-Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Raza Fairtrade Torrontés-Pinot Grigio 2011, and the two new red blends will be Raza Fairtrade Cabernet Sauvignon -Malbec 2011 and Raza Fairtrade Bonarda-Malbec 2011.

At the tasting, La Riojana will also show its new El Condor Fairtrade organic range, with two dual varietal blends; Torrontés-Chardonnay 2011 and Shiraz-Malbec 2011. As well as new vintage releases from its Fairtrade brand Solombra, including a Reserva Malbec 2011 and new for 2011, a Reserva Torrontés.

La Riojana’s commercial and winemaking team in attendance at this year’s Annual Tasting, will include Nick Day, sales director for UK and Europe, Walter Carol, export director and chief winemaker Rodolfo Griguol. They will be happy to answer any questions regarding La Riojana and the current wine ranges.

LA RIOJANA WINS GOLD AT VINANDINO 2011

La Riojana, Argentina’s largest producer of Torrontés, was delighted to win a gold medal for its Raza Argentina Bicentenario Torrontés 2010 and a silver medal for its Santa Florentina Tardio Otoñal 2009 at the 10th edition of Vinandino, the prestigious international wine and wine-based spirits competition held in Argentina from 9th to 17th September 2011.

Raza Argentina Bicentario Torrontés 2010 was awarded gold within the “aromatic varietal wine” category and La Riojana’s Late Harvest wine, Santa Florentina Tardio Otoñal 2009, was awarded silver within the “natural sweet wine” category. These two winning wines, like all Torrontés produced by La Riojana, were produced from Torrontés Riojano, the predominant sub-variety of the three different sub-varieties of Torrontés produced in Argentina.

Vinandino was first held in Argentina in 1993 and was the first international wine competition to take place in the southern hemisphere. It is organised every two years by the Instituto Nacional de Vitivinicultura (National Institute of Vitiviniculture) and the Consejo Federal de Inversiones (National Board of Investments) from the Republic of Argentina. In addition to which, it is sponsored by the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) and the International Union of Oenologists (IUO).

The judging for Vinandino 2011 took place in the provinces of La Rioja, San Juan and Mendoza, and for the first time the competition was held in Chilecito, the home town to La Riojana and its principal bodega. Judges for the competition included wine tasting professionals from different parts of the globe, including Argentina, Canada, France, Uruguay, New Zealand and South Africa.

RAZA DOLCE TORRONTÉS 2011 SCOOPS “BEST IN SHOW” AWARD IN US COMPETITION

La Riojana was absolutely thrilled to have won a Double Gold medal and the “Best in Show Sparkling” award for its Raza Dolce Torrontés 2011 in America’s largest and most prestigious wine competition, the San Francisco International Wine Competition. In addition to this, La Riojana was delighted to win a Silver medal for its Raza Reserva Malbec 2009.

This year celebrated the 31st year of the San Francisco International Wine Competition and was held at San Francisco's Hotel Nikko on 17th, 18th and 19th June 2011. It was at this hotel that 48 wine industry professionals convened to evaluate wines from 20 states and 29 countries. In total the tasting included 4,184 wines from over 1,200 wineries, including 392 new winery participants.

The total number of medals awarded included 153 Double Gold awards (a wine is elevated to Double Gold status when all judges on a particular panel agree that a wine deserves a Gold medal), 290 Gold medals, 1,102 Silver medals and 1,549 Bronze medals.

In addition to the medals, the competition awarded "Best in Show" awards, which included: La Riojana’s Raza 2011 Torrontés, Famatina Valley, $10 for Best in Show Sparkling; Turk 2009 Gruner Veltliner, Kremstal, $20 for Best in Show Dry White Wine; Lynmar Estate Winery 2009 Pinot Noir, Quail Hill Vineyard, Russian River Valley, $60 for Best in Show Red Wine; V. Sattui Winery 2009 Late Harvest Riesling, Napa Valley, $31 for Best in Show Sweet White Wine; and Pocas Junior 1976 Colheita Port, Douro Valley, $80 for Best in Show Fortified Wine.

LA RIOJANA WINS GOLD AT THE ARGENTINA WINE AWARDS 2011

La Riojana, currently the world's largest producer of certified Fairtade-organic wine, is delighted with its results in this year's Argentina Wine Awards, winning a grand total of 15 medals, including one gold and three silvers for its wines produced in the La Rioja province. 

The fifth annual Argentina Wine Awards took place in Mendoza between 21st and 25th February 2011, the judges for which included 12 of the world's best sommeliers from Brazil, Canada, Sweden, Italy, USA, China, UK, France, Mexico and Argentina.

La Riojana's gold medal was awarded to Finca Federada Fairtrade Reserva Malbec 2010 (RRP £8.99 – Laithwaites Wine), a full bodied Malbec aged in oak for six months. La Riojana's three silver medals were awarded to Tilimuqui Single Vineyard Fairtrade Organic Torrontés 2010, a crisp, fresh unoaked Torrontés with a citrus flavour (RRP £6.99 – Waitrose), The Co-operative Fairtrade Torrontés -Chardonnay 2010, a superb blend with 60% Torrontés and 40% Chardonnay (RRP £4.49 The Co-operative) and Raza Argentina Gran Reserva Malbec 2008, one of the winery's icon wines from La Riojana's flagship brand Raza Argentina.

In addition to these four medals, La Riojana won a further 11 bronze medals for Ecologica Fairtrade Organic Shiraz Malbec Reserva 2010, Ecologica Fairtrade Organic Torrontés Chardonnay 2010, Tilimuqui Single Vineyard Fairtrade Organic Cabernet Sauvignon – Bonarda 2010, Solombra Fairtrade Reserva Malbec 2010, Solombra Fairtrade Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, The Co-operative Argentine Fairtrade Shiraz 2010, The Co-operative Argentine Fairtrade Bonarda Shiraz 2010, The Co-operative Argentine Organic Fairtrade Reserva Malbec 2010, Santa Florentina Torrontés 2010, Raza Argentina Reserva Chardonnay 2009 and Raza Argentina Reserva Chardonnay 2010.

Walter Carol, export director for La Riojana, commented "This is a great achievement for La Riojana and we are extremely pleased with these results. We are fully aware of the great competition amongst Argentine wines today, and therefore winning some of the top awards helps prove our ongoing commitment to quality at La Riojana and the strength of our wines."