Oh yeah, it's spicy! This very French take on an Aussie Shiraz feels like a world away. It's medium-bodied, super savoury and peppery, and feels so much more complex than the norm. At just 13% alcohol, it's a wine that feels bright and lively, with black olive and red fruit before some spicy tannins that only make the finish even fresher.

Bertrand Bespoke is the label of Gilles Lapalus, the fascinating French winemaker who made a rare move to go from France to Central Victoria. Gilles grew up in a wine family based in Cluny, at the southern end of Burgundy, and after finishing his winemaking studies, Gilles travelled the wine world, from Bordeaux to Languedoc in France, and globally from Chile to Tuscany, and was even part of the 'Institut Francais du Gout' aka the French taste institute, before eventually landing in Australia circa 2001. For 15 years, Gilles then put the Sutton Grange winery at Bendigo on the map, before leaving to focus on the Bertrand Bespoke label alongside his other, arguably even more famous, business, Maidenii (home to the country's finest Vermouth). With the Bertrand Bespoke wines, Gilles makes thoughtful, minimal intervention wines sourced from across Central Victoria, with an emphasis on 'easy drinking, feasting and robust conversation'