As One Cru: Terroir-driven US wines with true cult pedigree

Radomski-with-Darius-Rucker-from-Hootie-the-Blowfish-@-Grindstone-Cowboy-Eagleville-TN.jpg — From left: Rodomski and fellow As One Cru partner Darius Rucker, of rock band Hootie & the Blowfish, at Grindstone Cowboy, Eagleville, Tennessee.

(Image credit: Whitney Dean, Mid Century Western)

Winemaker Chris Radomski is no newcomer to fine wine. For more than two decades, he has shaped epic Napa wines that have become legendary among connoisseurs. He has also channelled his expertise into standout spirits ventures, from La Adelita Estate Tequila to Duke Spirits. Now, with As One Cru, Radomski’s mission is to deliver wines with the same level of pedigree – cult-level quality and top-tier provenance – to a broader audience. ‘Wine is a shared experience and should not be intimidating,’ says Radomski; ‘The cru is all-welcoming.’

Putting a cru together

As One Cru began in 2016 as a passion project rooted in Radomski’s core belief: great wine should bring people together. Its name came from a group text among wine-loving friends: ‘The Crew’.

Radomski describes As One Cru as a community from all walks of life: ‘We love connecting with all kinds of drinkers and exposing them to cult-level wines at accessible prices.’

With this in mind, As One Cru focuses on small-production, single-vineyard wines sourced from top sites – including Napa Valley’s Los Carneros, Howell Mountain and St. Helena, Sonoma County’s Fort Ross-Seaview and Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

Each is made with a light touch, spotlighting terroir rather than any particular winemaking signature. Just a few hundred cases of each are produced per year – available in the USA at top restaurants or direct-to-consumer at $25-$175 per bottle.

Radomski-@-Rothchilds-Restaurant-a-historic-spot-in-Corona-Del-Mar-CA.jpg — As One Cru’s founder and winemaker, Chris Radomski, at Rothschild’s Restaurant, Corona del Mar, California.

America’s next top AVA

Radomski is particularly excited about Paicines, a lesser-known AVA established in 1982 in California’s San Benito County. With cool ocean breezes and deep alluvial soils, it’s building a reputation for balanced, expressive wines. ‘Paicines has world-class promise,’ Radomski explains; ‘We’re using As One Cru as a vehicle to help elevate it.’

Radomski has enlisted the help of renowned winemaker Ehren Jordan, known for his work with Turley Wine Cellars and his own label, Failla. The As One Cru wines are not only structured and detail-driven, they are soulful and delicious – intended to delight seasoned collectors and welcome newer wine lovers to the crew.

‘It’s still early days for the brand,’ Radomski observes, ‘but the critical success so far tells us we’re on the right path. We’re making wine that’s exciting, approachable and always grounded in quality.’