In ancient Roman times, one of the most famous white wines was known as Apianum, which was thought to be made from Fiano grapes (the name Apianum is a reference to bees, who love the sweet flesh of Fiano grapes). Anyway, this is anything but your usual Fiano - crafted from organically grown grapes, and matured in oak for over a year, it's a multi-layered thing of golden honey and marzipan notes and this lovely creamy texture. Fresh, but also generous, we're playing here in the more complex and mouthfilling end of the Fiano spectrum (and its delicious).

Gilles Lapalus makes two wine labels here in Australia, with the 'Bertrand Bespoke' name reserved for some of his most approachable drinks, while the Maison Lapalus line is where things get contemplative (and very serious). Gilles is quite a character too, part of a very rare breed of winemaker who decided to go from France to Central Victoria (yeah, it is quite a change). 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 both the Bertrand Bespoke and Maison Lapalus labels alongside his other, arguably even more famous, business, Maidenii (home to the country's finest Vermouth).