Usually, when you combine a group chat with a couple of bottles of wine, all you end up with is blurry photos and typos. But if that group chat includes a wine industry veteran, a former NHL player and the ex-culinary director of Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star The Little Nell, the result is something else entirely: As One Cru, a portfolio of approachable, terroir-driven West Coast wines that is quietly shaking up the industry.

In 2016, renowned vintner Chris Radomski, co-founder of Hundred Acre and Layer Cake wines, launched the brand with a mission to bring cult-level wines to everyday drinkers. Then came 2020. With in-person gatherings off the table, Radomski and his fellow oenophiles turned to a group chat, swapping recipes and favorite bottles. When his friends learned about his project, they wanted in.

Six years later, As One Cru has grown into a lineup of highly rated, small-batch varietals, including cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir and chardonnay, crafted by stellar winemakers. It’s also evolved into a partnership with Radomski’s longtime friend and fellow wine lover Darius Rucker (the musician who fronted Hootie & the Blowfish), a YouTube channel and a forthcoming cookbook.

Forbes Travel Guide sat down with Radomski to hear more about the brand’s beginnings, what he wishes more people knew about wine and which bottle he’d reach for if the world ended tomorrow.

What’s the origin story of As One Cru?

The name comes from my crew of friends. During COVID, I had all my wine sitting in a barrel. We were all texting each other. Matt Zubrod, a dear friend of mine, was the culinary director at........

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