This is a seriously complex, seriously delicious expression of Margaret River Chardonnay, definitely in the modern style, but with enough savour and freshness to be wonderfully balanced. Time in older French oak barrels has lent the wine a wonderful creaminess, but the lemon and grapefruit accented acidity gives it drive and focus. There's some smoke and cashew underneath it all and the wine finishes fresh and bright.

Michael Hutton was born to be a winemaker. His parent Graham and Merilyn established and still own organically-run Gralyn Estate, where his brother Brad is chief winemaker. Both brothers were gifted a tonne of grapes each for their 21st birthday, to make a wine of their choice! Winemaking does really run in the family. Michael was only 6 when his parents planted grapes for the first time. After studying architecture in Perth and many years away, he returned to the Margaret River region and in 2005 made the first wine that would become Hutton Wines. The rest as they say, is history. Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon fruit, grown in the subregion of Wilyabrup, make up the majority of Michael's range, which is split into the new-wave 'Graffiti' and the classically styled 'Triptych'. Occasionally, when the vintage works out just right, there are Reserve wines produced, but the quality across the range is always superb. A small producer doing great things and certainly one to watch.