2023 Credaro 1000 Crowns Chardonnay, Margaret River

Tightly wound like a spinning wheel before it’s released – that tension! It needs more time to settle. Upfront citrus, all lemon juice and pith, some grapefruit, light florals wafting in and out. This has been aged for eight months in 30% new French barriques, with the oak barely making a mark, although acidity does. Come back to this in a year; hopefully, by then all its parts will have amalgamated as one.

91 points Jane Faulkner winecompanion.com.au

Credaro 1000 Crowns Chardonnay from Margaret River is a luxurious, finely crafted white wine that sits proudly among the region’s top-tier Chardonnays. Sourced from the Credaro family's prized vines in the cooler southern end of the Margaret River GI, this wine is a rich yet precise expression of modern Australian Chardonnay—layered, textural, and polished, with a strong sense of place and heritage.

The Credaro family has deep roots in Western Australia, having arrived from Italy in the 1920s. Four generations later, they remain one of the few pioneering families in Margaret River still managing their own vineyards and winery. The 1000 Crowns label is named in honour of their great-grandfather, who came to Australia with a pocketful of dreams and 1000 Italian crowns, symbolising the family’s journey and long-standing connection to the land.

The fruit is hand harvested and whole bunch pressed before fermentation in French oak barriques, with partial wild fermentation and extended lees contact. A portion undergoes malolactic fermentation to build depth and texture, while the use of fine-grained oak adds subtle complexity without dominating the wine’s core freshness.

In the glass, it opens with aromas of white peach, nectarine, roasted cashew, and struck flint. The palate is full and creamy, but with superb acid tension that brings clarity and drive. Stone fruit and citrus intertwine with hints of nougat, brioche, and saline minerality, finishing long, balanced, and impeccably refined.

This is a serious Chardonnay for lovers of precision and power, ideally matched with lobster, roast chicken, or creamy risotto. The 1000 Crowns is a fitting flagship—graceful, structured, and worthy of cellaring.