The 1996 Shiraz Eight Songs (named after a production called "The Eight Songs for a Mad King - the story of King George III") is an exuberant, concentrated effort sold only in eight-bottle cases. A dense opaque purple color is accompanied by flamboyant scents of roasted coffee, cedar wood, cassis, blackberries, and sweet new French oak. In the mouth, flavors of prune liqueur and black currants are backed up by abundant glycerin, extract, and sweet tannin, giving the wine a weighty yet pure, concentrated impression. The French oak provides some restraint in this forward, super-concentrated Shiraz. Consume it now and over the next 10-15 years. Importer: Appellation Imports LLC, Annapolis Junction, MD; tel. (410) 880-4790