Barcelona By The Glass

Barcelona by the Glass: Caskadia

Established: 2016

Style of establishment: Importer and Distributor

Price by the glass: NA

Price by the bottle: €6 to €1000

Address: Carrer de Sant Vicenç, 33, Bajo 2, 08001 Barcelona

Phone number: 931 57 62 86

Website: Caskadia

Email: Tom@caskadia.es or Arthur@caskadia.es

Opening Hours: 10am – 7:30pm , Monday to Friday

Barcelona truly is getting to be a more exciting wine destination, year by year. As shops, bars, tastings and courses expand, the offerings coming into the city get more interesting and increasingly, I find myself not worrying about missing out on quite so many wines as a result of not living in London. Caskadia are a great example of such a business, opening barely 3 years ago and already a hugely welcome addition to the local scene.

Arthur and Tom started the business together in 2016, coming from very different backgrounds. Tom had worked at Bibendum in London for 3 years as a sales rep after completing a Masters in Wine Commerce at Montpellier University, whilst Arthur had come from a more service based background, having worked as a sommelier in Michelin starred restaurants in London since 2005. After meeting at a private wine brokers in Barcelona in 2014, they became friends and started to discuss business opportunities. Caskadia is the result of that happy accident and two years of planning. Ah, the magic of Barcelona!

Caskadia primarily sell to local businesses, particularly restaurants and hotels, but also work with private customers as well. I’m going to discuss their current selection below, but if you want to get in touch and go through their list, email them and it shall be sent to you! Note that listed prices are excluding IVA and orders of €250+ are delivered for free.


The Selection

Importers are so important to the health of a wine scene, and the more the merrier, as it usually entails a much broader selection of wines to choose from. Tom and Arthur both specialise in the wines of France first and foremost, with a strong interest in Italy and niche producers in Spain, though their portfolio has expanded a great deal in the last few years. A simple, admirable philosophy drives them: “We want to import what isn’t currently imported and bring new wines to the market. We’re predominantly selling wines we like to drink ourselves, with a strong focus on producers practicing sustainable viticulture.” They currently offer 300 different references across 40 producers.

I personally buy quite a bit from Caskadia, both for wines to be used in courses and tastings, and also for my own personal consumption. I’m very impressed by the breadth of their wines, particularly from France, which covers a host of famous names, up-and-coming stars as well as some very affordable wines. Tom and Arthur make regular trips visiting producers, usually around 3 times per year, and so it’s worth asking for a new list whenever you want to buy something, as you never know what might be on there! Whilst magnums of Chave Hermitage, Cristal and Grand Cru Burgundy are all part of the portfolio, below are some gems currently on the Caskadia portfolio that I think are keenly priced and excellent value:

Fazenda Pradio: I’ve been a fan of these wines for a little while now; vibrant, terroir-driven expressions of Mencia, Brancellao and Merenzao from Ribeira Sacra. The entry-level ‘Tinto’ is 100% Mencia from elevated, granitic slopes and a wine I can’t get enough of. At €9 excluding IVA, it’s a steal.

JC Bessin: It’s a proven fact; everything in life is better with a glass of Chablis. Jean-Claude Bessin is a producer I only discovered through Caskadia, and I’m delighted I did. Hand-harvested grapes, natural yeasts and long elevage on the lees are all hallmarks of Bessin’s style, making for textured, savoury Chablis. The basic village ‘Old Vine’ wine is delicious, but the Premier Crus are the wines that really turned my head. Worth the extra premium.

Jacky Blot: ‘The Maestro of Montlouis’ and rightly proclaimed to be so, Jacky Blot is someone worth discovering in the Loire Valley. Laser-sharp Chenin Blanc, earthy, smoky Cabernet Franc and my personal favourite, his ‘Triple Zero’ sparkling Chenin Blanc. Affordable, age-worthy wines that I haven’t seen anywhere else in Spain.

Robert Denogent: Easily my favourite producer in the Maconnais and a pure expression of southern Burgundy in a glass, these wines were another discovery through Caskadia. ‘Les Sardines’ is a terrific entry-level wine that spends a remarkable 21 months on its lees, giving it real depth and texture, all for a very fair price (Only magnums available at time of writing for €32 excluding IVA), and their individual cru’s are quite special indeed. Keep an eye out for the incoming 2017’s!

Montevertine: I adore Sangiovese and particularly transparent, tangy, herbal expressions of the grape. Montervertine are a producer I admire greatly in this regard, situated in the heart of Chianti but typically declassified to IGT Toscana, these are pure-fruited, expressive wines. Caskadia sell their entry-level ‘Pian del Ciampolo’, a zesty, dusty, firm Sangiovese that embodies what I love about Chianti Classico. €19.95 plus VAT makes it a little dear, but worth it for lovers of this style.

These are just a few of the producers that Caskadia have on offer (300 references across 40 producers), but dig deeper and discover the magic of Bernard-Bonin in Meursault, whose ‘Bourgogne Blanc’ is probably the best I’ve tried from the entire of Burgundy. Try one of Cornas’s top producers with Alain Voge’s structured, smoky ‘Les Chailles’, or perhaps splash out on some top Cote-Rotie from Stephane Ogier. Grower Champagne, top quality cru Beaujolais, excellent Rosso di Montalcino…. do yourself a favour and ask for the price list.


The Space

Caskadia are based in a quaint office in the Raval, with a tasting space for anyone who wants to organise events there, as well as regularly organised producer tastings. The real beauty of their operation though, particularly in Barcelona, is that they’ve invested in some serious, off-site, underground storage for their wines. Having been in their cellar, I can confirm that it’s impervious to the summer heat of Barcelona, which is so, so important to the longevity and health of wine. I always admire anyone who takes this seriously and so far, I’ve not had a single damaged bottle of wine from Caskadia. They don’t import wine during the hot summer months as an additional precaution, which makes for a flurry of activity in September!

This also means that their office space isn’t a shop as such, but do feel free to swing past and say hello. They’re lovely, friendly guys and they can guide you through their list with far greater accuracy than I can. If you attend my tastings, you’ll undoubtedly have tasted one or two of their wines, and if you read my reviews, there’s a good few coming your way from their selection!

Conclusion

If you’re working in the wine business in Spain (Caskadia happily ship across the country), or consider yourself a serious enthusiast, you should get to know Tom and Arthur. The selection of their wines is seriously impressive and after only a few years in business, they’ve got some of the most interesting wines on the market at present. One to watch and whether you’re buying for your own personal consumption or your business, get in touch with them! You won’t regret it.

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