The Black Stump Durif Shiraz Magnum 2007 - £15.69Price on 16-Jun-08 from Laithwaites.Australia's most addictive velvety red returns ... and the new 2007 vintage is guaranteed to delight more than ever! That's because the drought affected the berry size, resulting in small berries of intense flavour which pushed concentration to levels we never thought possible. This is a wine with 'wow'! The Black Stump is handcrafted by John Casella, who practises his 'dark art' behind closed doors at his family's remote estate. The wine owes its name to an Aussie expression meaning 'the back of beyond', but its remote origins has not stopped it from winning medals at prestigious competitions around the world. Its secret is dark, captivatingly smooth Durif, a rare grape (''that takes no prisoners'' The Observer), used as a 'turbocharge' to add inky-black fruit to other reds. Here, it's partnered perfectly with another big Aussie red grape, spicy Shiraz. Deep purple hue. Black, brambly Durif given a spicy, blueberry edge by dark chocolate Shiraz and sweet oak. Velvety, voluptuous, and irresistible served in large glasses with char-grilled steak or Sunday roasts.