This is my current favourite...so much so I bought a dozen and at about $40-$50 a bottle at the bottle shop (if you can find it) it's what I consider "special occasion" drinking. Mind you a special occasion for me is the fact I got all my laundy dry over the weekend!

What can I say...life is too short to drink bad wine.

Peter Lehmann's fabulous website has this to say:

Tasting Notes - 2001
‘Eight Songs’ was inspired by an operatic work about the madness of King George visually expressed by Rod Schubert. The eight paintings comprise part of the Peter and Margaret Lehmann collection of Australian fine art and were specially selected to represent this exceptional Shiraz.

The Barossa is home to some of the world’s greatest Shiraz vineyards, some as old as 150 years. 2000 was a low yielding year with the resulting Eight Songs showing colour of a stunning deep reddish purple with a dense black centre. The bouquet is overwhelmingly rich with a soft, dark berry fruit and well integrated French oak. On the palate, dark berries and chocolate are enveloped in fine grained oak and subtle tannins. The 2000 vintage is a superb wine of incredible softness and opulence.

The Barossa Valley was settled in the 1840’s by German speaking Lutherans and English migrants, many of whom planted vines. These vineyards have been tended over many generations and today, the Barossa is the custodian of some of the world’s oldest and greatest Shiraz vineyards. Peter Lehmann Wines has an intimate knowledge of these vineyards, still nurtured by the descendants of the early pioneers. With an understanding of the qualities of specific low yielding vineyards and the flavour subtleties of Barossa Shiraz, Peter Lehmann Wines has crafted an individual wine that is both regal and stylish.

• Colour: Deep black red. Bouquet: Dark brooding chocolate characters, underlying ripe fruits and smoky overtones.
• Palate: An unmistakable Barossa shiraz with delicious mouth-filling black berry fruits, a good structure and superb integration of French oak. It is a very soft and rich wine of breeding and distinction and is drinking superbly now.
  Vineyards: Selected high quality, low yielding shiraz vineyards of the north western districts of the Barossa Valley.
• Oak: Fermented and thence matured for 18 months in new French oak hogsheads.
• Cellaring: Very approachable now, and will continue to develop in the bottle over the next 4-5 years.
• Alc/Vol: 14%
• Serving suggestions: Excellent with braised lamb shanks, rare beef, and richly flavoured casseroles. Naturally it is excellent with aged cheddar cheeses.

I think it tastes of creaming soda.....not the red one...the other one...and perhaps vanilla...but what would I know.