TILIMUQUI FAIRTRADE ORGANIC MALBEC REVEALS NEW DESIGN

La Riojana Co-op, the world’s largest Fairtrade producer, is proud to reveal a refreshed look for its award winning Tilimuqui Fairtrade Organic Malbec, a popular product which has retailed through Waitrose for the past seven years. 

The new design delivers a contemporary twist while honouring the brand’s heritage, featuring a modern two-part label layout, a richer and more vibrant red, refined typography, and a clearly defined grape variety for enhanced clarity and shelf impact. 

Tilimuqui was once a forgotten village in Argentina, but thanks to Fairtrade and the investment of the Fairtrade Premium over the past decade and more, Tilimuqui is now a thriving community with a fully functioning drinking water facility, secondary school specialised in agriculture and a state-of-the-art health centre, all of which are projects which have been funded by the Fairtrade Premium.

The refreshed new label design is part of the Tilimuqui brand’s ongoing commitment to evolving over time, “We set out to create something timeless but still fresh - a design that moves with the times without losing sight of where the brand began” commented Walter Carol, Export Director for La Riojana Co-op.

The new packaging is being launched in Waitrose stores and online www.waitrosecellar.com this month, November 2025. 

LA RIOJANA LAUNCHES ITS FIRST FAIRTRADE 0% ALCOHOL WINE

La Riojana Co-op, the world’s largest Fairtrade wine producer, is proud to announce the launch of its newest product, Tilimuqui Fairtrade Sparkling Zero, a sophisticated 0% alcohol wine which has been produced to deliver all the taste, aroma and sense of occasion of wine, but without the alcohol.

Tilimqui Zero will retail at £5.00 and will be available exclusively in over 500 Co-op stores from 6th October 2025, giving shoppers nationwide a premium alcohol-free option in time for the festive season ahead. 

This light-bodied, alcohol-free sparkling drink is made from hand-picked Fairtrade wine grapes grown in La Riojana’s vineyards in the Famatina Valley, in La Rioja Province, Argentina. The grapes used for Tilimuqui Zero have been carefully de-alcoholised, using a state-of-the-art de-alcoholisation process, to preserve the maximum flavour. 

On the palate Tilimuqui Zero offers fine bubbles, zesty lime and juicy peach aromas, with a balanced sweetness and acidity. Making it the perfect aperitif and ideal for mindful drinking and special occasions. 

La Riojana’s Export Director Walter Carol commented, “We believe that choosing not to drink alcohol shouldn’t mean compromising on taste or experience. Tilimuqui Zero, in our opinion, makes no such compromise and has been created by us to be enjoyed by wine drinkers and non-wine drinkers alike.” 

Carol continues, “With the growing demand for mindful drinking and alcohol-free alternatives, Tilimuqui Zero offers great value for money and provides wine lovers with a sophisticated option that complements modern lifestyles.”

LA RIOJANA UNVEILS BRAND NEW LOOK FOR RIOJANA WINE RANGE

La Riojana co-operative has recently launched a striking new look for its popular Fairtrade Organic wine range, Riojana, designed to stand out on shelf and better reflect the quality and personality inside each bottle. 

The bold, modern new labels for both the Varietal and Reserve ranges are inspired by the valleys of La Rioja, framed by majestic mountains, with the village of Tilimuqui depicted in the foreground – a community where Fairtrade has played a vital role in local development.  

The rebrand, which uses vibrant colour palettes for the Varietal range and more muted colours for the Reserve wines, brings a fresh, visual identity to the collection while staying true to its roots. 

Alongside the rebrand, La Riojana has also introduced three new products to its Riojana Fairtrade Organic Reserve range, including a Red Blend Reserve (made from Malbec, Bonarda, Merlot, Ancellota); Chardonnay Reserve and Torrontés Reserve, as well as a new Fairtrade Sparkling wine. 

“We wanted the outside of the bottle reflect the same care and craft we put into our wines inside,” says Walter Carol, Export Director for La Riojana co-operative. “This is a contemporary update that captures the spirit of our Riojana wines.”

The rebranded range includes six wines within the Varietal collection: Malbec; Bonarda Malbec; Cabernet Sauvignon; Chardonnay; Torrontés Riojano; Rosé and five wines within the Reserve range: Red Blend; Chardonnay; Torrontés Riojano; Malbec and Pinot Noir, along with the Riojana Sparkling. The range is already available in over 300 stores and supermarkets across the USA and is set to launch in Canada in the coming months.

DOUBLE SILVER AT THE DECANTER WORLD WINES AWARDS 2025

Fairtrade co-operative La Riojana has reinforced its reputation for quality and value by once again impressing the expert panels at this year’s Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA), one of the world’s most influential and respected blind-tasting wine competitions, collecting two silver medals and six bronze medals, the results for which were announced on Wednesday 18th June 2025. 

The two silver medallists, which scored 90 points each, include Tilimuqui Fairtrade Malbec 2024 and Co-op Fairtrade Bonarda Malbec 2024, both popular wines which retail through Co-op. The judges described the Tilimuqui Fairtrade Malbec 2024 as having a “nice floral lift with notes of perfumed black and blue fruits on the nose” and as a wine of “serious character with appealing juiciness.”. Whilst they described the Co-op Fairtrade Bonarda Malbec 2024 as having a “generous and rewarding palate, nice texture, chocolatey finish.”

The wines from La Riojana’s stable that won bronze medals at this year’s DWWA include five wines produced by La Riojana exclusively for the own-label Fairtrade range for Co-op, including Co-op Fairtrade Torrontes-Chardonnay 2024 (88 points); Co-op Fairtrade Merlot 2024 (88 points); Co-op Fairtrade Pinot Grigio 2024 (87 points); Co-op Fairtrade Shiraz Rosé 2024 (87 points) and Co-op Fairtrade Cabernet Sauvignon 2024 (87 points). 

In addition, the DWWA awarded a bronze medal and 88 points to Riojana’s Tilimuqui Fairtrade Organic Malbec 2024, which retails through Waitrose, with the judges describing the wine as having “lovely bright red fruit aromas on the nose” as well as “juicy, with supporting tannins”. 

Commenting on these recent industry awards, Walter Carol, Export Director for La Riojana said “Medals such as these won at this year’s Decanter World Wine Awards not only reflect the hard work, passion and precision behind each bottle, they are also testament to the consistent quality that our winery produces year in and year out.”