Damien Casten

Damien founded Candid Wines in 2005 to connect Chicago and Illinois restaurants and retailers with organic, biodynamic, and family-owned wineries from around the world. Based in Chicago, he built Candid as a direct importer and independent distributor with a service-first approach and a long-term focus on sustainably farmed, terroir-driven wines. Before launching Candid, Damien lived and worked in France, working in the kitchen at Lucas Carton, Alain Senderens' Michelin three-star restaurant. When not cooking, he worked at in one of Paris' legendary independent wine shops, Les Ultra Vins, training with Allain Audry and visiting cellars across all regions. The experiences shaped his buyer’s eye and taught him how to build producer relationships.

After working with Fred Scherrer at harvest in Sonoma in 2006, he was inspired to begin filming producers' answers to his unending questions. This led to the creation of Ask a Winemaker, a YouTube library with 700+ interviews and vineyard clips that turns winemakers’ expertise into accessible education for trade and consumers. Today he leads portfolio strategy, producer partnerships, and training, helping Illinois buyers build profitable, distinctive wine programs rooted in authenticity.