MEDAL SUCCESS AT THE INTERNATIONAL WINE CHALLENGE 2025

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We’re raising a glass in celebration after winning an impressive set of medals at this year’s International Wine Challenge, one of the world’s most influential and rigorously judged wine competitions. 

Announced on 20th May 2025, our wines, all of which are Fairtrade certified, took home a total of nine awards, including three Silver Medals, three Bronze Medals and a further three Commended awards, reflecting the hard work, passion and precision behind each bottle.

Now in its 41st year, the IWC is recognised worldwide for its rigorous standards, impartiality and credibility, with each wine tasted blind by panels of expert judges over multiple rounds. Thousands of wines are entered from around the world, making the competition tough and our medal win even more rewarding. 

La Riojana wines awarded medals by this year’s IWC include:

Silver Medals

Co-op Fairtrade Torrontes Chardonnay 2024 
Co-op Fairtrade Bonarda Malbec 2024 
Tilimuqui Fairtrade Organic Malbec 2024 

Bronze Medals

Co-op Fairtrade Merlot 2024 
Co-op Fairtrade Cabernet Sauvignon 2024
Co-op Fairtrade Irresistible Organic Malbec 2023

Commended

Co-op Fairtrade Pinot Grigio 2024 
Co-op Fairtrade Shiraz Rosé 2024
Tilimuqui Fairtrade Malbec 2024

Walter Carol, Export Director for La Riojana, commented, “Each of these wines showcase our ongoing commitment to crafting quality Fairtrade wines that not only deliver on taste but also support the people and communities behind every bottle.” Carol continues, “We are delighted with these results. An IWC medal is a recognised seal of quality, one that is trusted by the trade and consumers alike.” 

LA RIOJANA EXPANDS ITS NORDIC FOOTPRINT WITH NEW FAIRTRADE LISTINGS

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In a move to bring Fairtrade wines to the forefront of Nordic wine shelves, La Riojana is proud to announce the Spring launch of two new Fairtrade-certified wines into the national alcohol monopolies Systembolaget (Sweden) and Alko (Finland). 

Sweden, which has been a long-established and important market for La Riojana wines, has seen the addition of La Riojana’s dual variety blend, Raza Fairtrade Organic Torrontes Pinot Grigio to the current range of wines available from La Riojana. 

The newly launched Raza Torrontés Pinot Grigio, which retails through Systembolaget, is a youthful, white wine with 11.5% vol, featuring an enticing floral and fruity character, with hints of pear, honeydew melon, spice, and lime. This wine is packaged in a lighter style wine bottle, which means lower carbon emissions during transport. 

Finland, also a longstanding market for La Riojana, has welcomed the launch of Fair & Square Malbec. This new release joins two existing Fairtrade Organic wines from La Riojana co-operative, both available through Alko, including Fair & Square Red, as well as Fair & Square White, which is currently the best-selling Argentine wine in Finland. 

The newly launched Fair & Square Malbec is a rich and full-bodied Fairtrade-certified jammy red wine offering soft tannins and layered notes of blueberry, boysenberry, raspberry, and a hint of spice. This wine, which retails through Alko, is packaged in environmentally friendly packaging, a 1 litre Tetra Prisma container which is 100% recyclable.  

Both newly launched wines offer Nordic consumers a meaningful choice, by providing high quality wines paired with a commitment to fair working conditions and environmentally friendly practices. 

“Consumers in Sweden and Finland are increasingly making conscious choices,” says Walter Carol, Export Director at La Riojana Co-op. “By working within the framework of Systembolaget and Alko, we are making Fairtrade options more accessible where it matters most, for example the everyday dinner table.”

LA RIOJANA WINS BRONZE FOR CO-OP IRRESISTIBLE FAIRTRADE TILIMUQUI SPARKLING

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La Riojana was delighted to receive a Bronze Medal at this year’s People’s Choice Wine Awards for its Co-op Irresistible Fairtrade Tilimuqui Sparkling, produced exclusively for Co-op, UK. The results were announced at a ceremony in Manchester on 10th March 2025. 

Co-op Irresistible Fairtrade Tilimuqui Sparkling, ABV 10.5%, won Bronze in the Easy Weekday Fizz category of the competition, ranking as the overall 4th best wine in this group, after the category winner, gold commendation, and silver medallist. 

Unlike traditional wine competitions, the People’s Choice Wine Awards, launched in 2017, is judged not only by wine professionals - including respected buyers, importers, producers and sommeliers - but also, by consumers, primarily WSET qualified students, who make up 70% of the judging panel. 

Additionally, instead of judging wines by country, grape variety and region, this competition focuses on the occasion for which a wine is purchased, whether it’s a big night out, a weekend BBQ or in La Riojana’s case, an easy weekday fizz. 

The competition judges praised the Co-op Irresistible Fairtrade Tilimuqui Sparkling for its “Lively bubbles. Good finish. Great fun” *, noting its “Pleasant fruits on the nose and on the palate.” *

In addition to this, Matt Nixon of the Daily Express was shown a preview of some of best the wines from the competition to pair with take away food and commented “This Fairtrade sparkling wine from Argentina is great value with plenty of zing. Notes of blossom with a lively citrus-led acidity on the palate make the ideal pairing for fish and chips with plenty of salt and vinegar. Good value.”

La Riojana is thrilled to have received the Bronze Medal, particularly as only one wine is allowed to win each award. More importantly, this award reaffirms that this Fairtrade Sparkling, made from 100% Torrontés, is a wine that consumers truly love. 

*Source: People’s Choice Wine Awards 2025