DOUBLE GOLD TRIUMPH FOR ECOLOGICA

/

La Riojana was delighted to receive Gold Medals for its two popular Ecologica Fairtrade and Organic certified wines in the Gilbert & Gaillard International Challenge. The gold medals were awarded to Ecologica’s Bag in Box wines in March 2023 and were tasted blind by a selected panel of judges, made up of industry professionals including specialised journalists, winemakers, and sommeliers.

Ecologica Familias Torrontes Chardonnay 3 Litre Bag in Box 2022 (60% Torrontes / 40% Chardonnay blend) was awarded a Gold Medal and 86 points and perceived by the competition judges as a “beautifully fresh, rounded and persistent vintage”. 

Ecologica Familias Reserve Shiraz Malbec 3 Litre Bag in Box 2022 (60% Shiraz /40% Malbec blend) was also awarded a Gold Medal and 86 points and was perceived by the competition judges as having “a beautifully smooth palate, with an exotic aspect bringing to mind eucalyptus.”

“Winning gold for both of these Ecologica wines comes as wonderful news” comments Walter Carol, Export Director for La Riojana, “Ecologica has been one of the top selling Argentine wine brands in Sweden for a number of years now and we are delighted that these wines have received the recognition that they deserve. The fact that they are both Fairtrade and Organic makes it even better.”

LA RIOJANA LAUNCHES ARGENTINA’S FIRST FAIRTRADE ORGANIC OLIVE OIL

/

La Riojana has already got a reputation for being one of the world’s leading producers of Fairtrade certified wines, however it is probably a lesser-known fact that La Riojana co-operative also produces over 4.5 million kilos of olives annually and has been growing olives, alongside wine grapes, in its olive groves in the Famatina Valley for over 50 years.

Now, seven years on from receiving Fairtrade certification for its olive oil, making the co-operative Argentina’s and Latin America’s first Fairtrade certified olive producer, La Riojana is very excited to become the first producer from Argentina to be launching a Fairtrade certified olive oil in the UK.

The dry, sunny conditions found in La Rioja’s Famatina Valley, where the olives are grown, provide the ideal environment for organic cultivation and for producing naturally healthy olives.

The product, Co-op Irresistible Fairtrade Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a fruity blend of premium olives, including Arbequina, Arauco, Manzanilla among other olive varieties, is being sold in 25cl bottles (RRP £2.95), currently retailing in over 400 Co-op stores nationwide. 

Export Director for La Riojana, Walter Carol, commented “This is a real triumph for us as we have been working on this new product for a while and we are delighted that after all the hard work, we can finally see our Fairtrade olive oil on the Co-op shop shelves in the UK. Everyone who buys a bottle will be helping contribute to the Fairtrade projects that we are carrying out in support of our local communities in the Famatina Valley. Projects such as building a new water tank, a secondary school and more recently a health centre.”

LA RIOJANA INAUGURATES CONSTRUCTION OF FAIRTRADE FUNDED HEALTH CENTRE

/

On 30th June 2022, the day of La Riojana’s 82nd anniversary, a crowd of over 500 people, including co-operative growers’, workers, local dignitaries, and special guests, gathered to witness and celebrate the completion of Los Pioneros – Roberto Mantovani Health Centre, situated on the outskirts of Tilimuqui, whose construction was funded by the Fairtrade Social Premium generated by sales of La Riojana’s Fairtrade certified wines.

The new health centre, which spans 800 m2, will offer much needed medical care to mothers and children living in the local region, and will include consultation rooms, a laboratory, an Accident and Emergency unit, as well as telemedicine, a facility which will provide remote clinical services to patients. 

The Los Pioneros – Roberto Mantovani Health Centre has been named in honour of the world’s first ever co-operative, established in 1844 and known as the Rochdale Pioneers, as well as in remembrance of the recently deceased Roberto Mantovani, who held the position of General Manager of La Riojana co-operative for 35 years.  

During the inauguration, La Riojana’s President Mario Gonzalez commented “Our co-operative is able to provide work for over 2000 families and as such provides an important form of support to the local economy in the region, building important and useful community projects, such as the one we are opening today.”

Also present at the inauguration was Bjorn Wittmark, Director of Giertz Vinimport – a member of the Viva Wine Group, Sweden who commented “We feel very proud to be part of this Fairtrade journey together with La Riojana and The Co-op, UK”. Bjorn highlighted the fact that Giertz Vinimport has been working with La Riojana for almost 20 years and pointed out during which period the winery has exported approximately 60 million bottles of wine to the Swedish market alone. 

Representing and speaking on behalf of the Argentine government, Juan Carlos Vergara, Health Minister for La Rioja province, remarked “building a medical centre like this is very relevant to our health care system because it helps strengthen the primary level of care for the people who most need it, providing accessibility and equity.”

In addition to the inauguration of the health centre, La Riojana decided to celebrate its 82nd birthday with the unveiling of three different murals, located in three different locations. One located on the Health Centre, one on the oldest tank in the winery and one on the winery’s bottling plant. The murals were painted by the ONG Pinta Argentina, a foundation that works with wineries, and have been painted to represent the history and identity of the co-operative over the past 82 years. 

The inauguration of the health centre on 30th June 2022 represented the completion of the main building works. Once the health centre has been fully equipped and furnished and is ready to welcome its first patients, which is expected to be early 2024, there will be a full opening ceremony to celebrate this incredible Fairtrade funded project.