1000 Crowns from Credaro - Outstanding Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon from Western Australia

1000 Crowns from Credaro

'Outstanding Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon from Western Australia'

2021 Chardonnay, 1000 Crowns - £165 per 6 bottle case in bond
2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, 1000 Crowns - £180 per 6 bottle case in bond

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A new reviewer, Angus Hughson, who has recently started to see his articles published on Vinous recently commented that ‘Today Margaret River is liquid gold, particularly thanks to vineyards planted with Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, with the region’s curious climate making it one of the few regions in the world that has proven itself to be highly suitable to both Bordelaise and Burgundian grape varieties.’ I entirely agree; it is these two varieties that fascinate me most in the Margaret River and, while I may favour certain estates such as Moss Wood for their Cabernet and Leeuwin for their Chardonnay, or Voyager Estate for both varieties, I am becoming increasingly impressed by a wider group of producers, some of whose wines represent great value by comparison too.
 
One such property is Credaro; a new one on me that was introduced to me by an Australian friend. To be honest, I had no recollection of ever hearing the name of the estate, which is odd given it is considered one of the oldest family wineries in Western Australia. It was founded in 1922 by Cesare Credaro, the great grandfather of the current owner, who was originally, as the name may suggest, from northern Italy. Their vineyard holdings are extensive, with over 140 hectares under their ownership, covering seven sites with five key vineyards in Woolston (where the original block of vines was established on some 55 hectares), Carbanup, Wilyabrup, Yallingup and Treeton. Their top wines are marketed under the label ‘1000 Crowns’, so called as that is the price that Cesare paid for the land when he first arrived from Italy.

Both the Chardonnay and Cabernet have won plaudits over recent years as Robert Credaro and his sons look to push quality forward. In fact, their 1000 Crowns Chardonnay won Best Regional Chardonnay at the 2019 James Halliday Chardonnay Challenge – no mean feat given the competition of far more famous estates. Production of the 1000 Crowns range is limited as these wines represent the finest selection of fruit from across the estate. I was seriously impressed by both wines, as well as the Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon under the Kinship label, the next tier down. Kudos to winemaker, Trent Kelly, as the quality is strong up and down the range.
 
Now, I have included the reviews below from Erin Larkin, whose Australian reviews now appear on The Wine Advocate. Erin is not a relative; had she been, I would have used my family connection to have a word about the 1000 Crowns Chardonnay score as I rate it just as highly as she chose to rate the Cabernet. I include her notes in full alongside my own, so you can see where we agree and where we differ. Interestingly, she comments on longevity on the Cabernet but offers much shorter drink dates than she does for the Chardonnay. And in comparing views on the Chardonnay, I didn’t feel any lack of acidity – I found it an energetic style with ample fruit to balance, hence my suggested drink dates.