I’ve got another wine for you. Live-a-Little Really Ravishing Red. It’s an organic and fair trade certified wine from South Africa. There is no year or grape mentioned on the bottle, but on the Stellar Organics website there is information on the 2007 Live-a-Little Really Ravishing Red Shiraz, and when I tasted it, it tasted similar to a Shiraz to me.

Now and then a wine is required that doesn't need a ritual on opening, whose departure from a collection is not accompanied by nostalgic memories of its purchase. A wine that doesn't need glasses you don't have. Sometimes one wants a wine to be a song heard a thousand times, something to hum to, tap to, work with. A wine that's finished before you get to know it, a wine you begin to miss only when it's gone. A wine that realises there are other things in life, a lot of other things. (Wine geeks may read the fine print)

 

The "Live-a-Little" range was created to be that wine. Made from our more generously yielding vineyards, the grapes were given the same care in the cold rooms and the crusher as our more serious offerings. Yeasts specially selected for this style were used. Ferment temperatures were kept in check and pump-overs done less vigorously. Earlier pressing, racking and filtering have retained the vibrant colour and fruit, and have resulted in an entry-level wine that will surprise and revive you.

I love that it’s fair trade and organic. It also has no added sulfites (to be certified organic, it can’t have any added sulfites) that will appeal to those who concerned about added sulfites. If you come across this bottle in your wine store travels, pick up a bottle and see what you think. You may just end up picking up a few more on your next trip.