WE ARE CANDID.
Candid Wines serves retailers and restauranteurs in Chicagoland with thoughtfully farmed and exquisitely made wines from around the world. We are a direct importer and independent distributor focused on value, quality, and customer service. Our team consists of restaurant and industry veterans with a penchant for sharing the joy we find in every bottle we sell.
And as a family-owned, independent importer, we strive to offer unmatched service and quality. For nearly 20 years we have championed high-quality, great-value wine estates with the belief that sustainability must be the standard and not the exception in the wine industry.
We welcome you to experience our portfolio and taste the fruits of our labor.
Damien Casten
Founder and CEO connecting Illinois buyers with organic wineries; lived in France; created Ask a Winemaker; leads strategy, partnerships, training.
Alex McNeely
Sommelier-turned-winemaker with on-premise pedigree; excels training teams, building lists. Founder Poetson Winery.
Stephen Kendall
North Shore Sales veteran of Alinea Group and Moody Tongue; listens first, suggests second, outstanding staff trainer.
Scott Rutkowski
WSET III specialist with on- and off-premise expertise; ex-Hart Davis Hart and Wally’s; connects Chicago buyers with terroir-driven, world-class selections.
Avi Gelfman
Northwest Sales rep blending distribution experience, music background, and digital storytelling to curate selections and energize retail and restaurant clients.
Maritza Campos
Office Assistant managing invoices, credits, and receipts; decade in food and wine; supports operations so everything runs smoothly for customers.
CIsco Ayala
Warehouse Manager and former beloved driver; safeguards every bottle, coordinates ordering; meticulous, cheerful fixer renowned for mischievous Chicago Malort ambushes.
Michael Martinez
Lead delivery driver celebrated for precision, reliability, and warmth; protects orders, reroutes intelligently; acclaimed vocalist appreciated by customers citywide Chicago.
OUR PASSION
"What is your favorite wine?" is a question we are often asked.
The answer is always the same. Our favorite wines are the wines that make our friends and colleagues happy. Introducing customers to new flavors, places and people is the best thing about importing directly. Our favorite wines are the wines that make other people smile.
Our lives have taken us all over the wine world and we will never tire of finding delicious, unaccustomed wines, telling the stories of those who created them, and constantly improving our business in order to better serve our customers.
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IAM A WINE DRINKER, NOT A WINE TASTER. WINE SHOULD BE SO DELICIOUS YOU WANT TO OPEN THE NEXT MAGNUM.
KLAUS PETER-KELLER
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