By James Robinson, Your Co-op Sommelier

After months of shortages, wines from our favorite Argentine cooperative are back in stock this week, and just in time to help us celebrate national Co-op month.

As many Riojana fans know, supply comes and goes. One week, the shelves are packed with bottles and the next … they’re sold out, gone, not a bottle to be had. Sometimes, these dry spells go on for weeks. Sometimes months. And it’s not for lack of trying.

We love to sell Riojana wines. The fruit is organic and the wine produced by a co-op. Better yet, bottles sell for under $10 and they make for delicious daily drinkers. I work hard to keep the shelves full, but try as I might, there isn’t always product to be had.

Covid has caused significant global shipping delays, and although a fresh container has just arrived, all it will take is one large natural foods retailer to snatch up much of the inventory, and what was once a bounty will become a dearth. I’ve seen this scenario repeat itself over and over again.

So, long story short, if you like Riojana wines, now is the time to commit to a case and place your full case (sorry, no mixed cases) special order with the customer service desk. You can also send a special order request to my email at jamesr@foodcoop. coop. We have Malbec, Bonarda Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Torrontes arriving today. Special ordering now will ensure that you have Riojana wine in your pantry for weeks to come -- regardless of the supply at the store or at the distributor’s warehouse. At just under $8 a bottle, it’s about a $100 commitment, but there is no better deal on wine in the store.

Watch a short video on the Riojana Family