Wines

Bodegas Caro

Cédric Villars
Mendoza, Argentina

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Thursday, May 5, 2022 Winemaker Dinner Series

The idea of forming a partnership between Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) and the Catena family was born in 1999. Initial enthusiasm quickly became a concrete plan to produce a single wine that would combine French and Argentine cultures and the two signature grapes of each producer, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Catena family has produced wine for four generations. Consequently, it was able to draw on its vast knowledge of the high-altitude terroirs of the Mendoza region as well as its passion for Malbec to find the best vineyards. DBR (Lafite) contributed its centuries-old skills in growing, vinifying, and aging great Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as its know-how in blending different grape varieties to produce one wine that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Exchanges and selection work began in 1999 to produce CARO’s first vintage in 2000. The success of the early vintages resulted in the creation of another wine in 2003: AMANCAYA which, like its older brother, is based on a harmonious balance between Argentinian identity and Bordeaux style. Bodegas CARO then decided to celebrate the grape variety for which Argentina’s vineyards are famous by selecting a pure Malbec, ARUMA, starting with the 2010 vintage.

The Bodegas CARO winery, in the heart of Mendoza, has been producing the wines since the 2003 vintage and serves as the anchor of the CARO project. The renovation of the historic building and gardens in order to expand the winery and open the Bodega to the outside brings the final touch to the original project.

Cédric grew up near the Bordeaux region in Charente, France. He is a graduate of the Rennes Business School and received his MBA in Marketing from Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Cédric has over 15 years of marketing and sales experience in the global wine and food industry. He began his career as an Assistant Product Manager for Yoplait (General Mills) in the UK before returning to the United States and accepting a position with Sopexa USA, a marketing agency for food, wine and lifestyle. As Operational Marketing Director, Cédric represented clients such as Wines of France, Bordeaux, Burgundy and Piemonte. He was responsible for supervising, coordinating and executing all marketing activities.

In October 2014, Cédric joined Pasternak Wine Imports as the Portfolio Manager for Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), overseeing strategy, development and marketing activities for the entire DBR portfolio in the US market: Los Vascos (Chile), Bodegas CARO (Argentina), Domaines d’Aussières (Languedoc) and the renowned Bordeaux properties and Les Légendes wines. Following the acquisition of Pasternak Wine Imports by Taub Family Selections in December 2016, Cedric has proudly taken on the role of US Portfolio Director for Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), bringing to life the wines via compelling presentations and tastings at both trade and consumer events.

Cédric’s knowledge of the US wine industry has been of particular value throughout his career, especially his understanding of the three-tier distribution system. Cédric has developed extensive contacts and relationships within all distribution channels (importers, distributors, supermarkets, hotels and restaurants).