Michael moved to Western Australia in 1995 to take up the position of senior winemaker at Alkoomi wines at Frankland, one of the original vineyards in the emerging Great Southern wine region. He went to this most isolated of areas because it was one of the few places in Australia that could make Sauvignon Blanc with true varietal flavour similar to those from Sancerre in France, the home of Sauvignon Blanc. And if the Savauvignon Blanc was good then, surely other varieties would be too.