The Team
Ben Llewelyn
Ben has worked for 15 years for the wine trade. Starting at Oddbins in Manchester, he quickly learnt that to get on, you needed to be with a wholesaler, whose names were on the back of the many bottles he sold in the shop. He started working for Enotria Winecellars in London in 1999 and built up a client portfolio that consisted of many of the greats: River Café, Fifteen, and Hush, as well as handling the accounts of Carluccio’s and Strada. This work allowed him the opportunity to work and travel extensively in Italy...read more »
Ben Llewelyn
Ben has worked for 15 years for the wine trade. Starting at Oddbins in Manchester, he quickly learnt that to get on, you needed to be with a wholesaler, whose names were on the back of the many bottles he sold in the shop. He started working for Enotria Winecellars in London in 1999 and built up a client portfolio that consisted of many of the greats: River Café, Fifteen, and Hush, as well as handling the accounts of Carluccio’s and Strada. This work allowed him the opportunity to work and travel extensively in Italy, meeting the great winemakers of Barolo, Friuli and Tuscany, many of whom are counted as friends, and eating in some great restaurants. He went on to became the youngest director in the history of the company.Having learnt the ropes, Ben was integral in establishing a small independent wine wholesaler in London and after two years undertook a significant life change both at work, by starting the Master of Wine program, and with the family, by moving to France. Here he gained more detailed insight into the intricacies of winemaking and vineyard management or, as Rupert puts it, doing some proper work. He is fascinated by biodynamic viticulture, though not wholly convinced by non-sulphur winemaking. He adores wines made by people who connect with their terroir and is yet to be convinced that great wine can really be made without passion, and is still not weary from the fight to convince people of this and all that is great about hand-crafted wine. He was brought up in Wales, enjoys fishing and now lives in Hampshire with his lovely and ever expanding family.
Mark Bedford
Mark has been educated, lived or worked in Dorset, Wiltshire, Scotland, Spain, California - but for the last 22 years has been based in the county of his birth, Hampshire, working for Britain's oldest wine retailer, followed by what was seven years ago - its youngest. Having embarked on a Theology degree at St Andrews with the intention of pursuing a teaching career, he found himself enrolled into Sandhurst to join up with the Royal Green Jackets. He postponed his entry so he could 'get wine out of his system' through working for...read more »
Mark Bedford
Mark has been educated, lived or worked in Dorset, Wiltshire, Scotland, Spain, California - but for the last 22 years has been based in the county of his birth, Hampshire, working for Britain's oldest wine retailer, followed by what was seven years ago - its youngest. Having embarked on a Theology degree at St Andrews with the intention of pursuing a teaching career, he found himself enrolled into Sandhurst to join up with the Royal Green Jackets. He postponed his entry so he could 'get wine out of his system' through working for Bodegas Torres in Catalunya. He subsequently got the Army out of his system before reverting to wine. One of the many 'not quite Masters of Wine', he remains passionate about the ever changing world of grapes, vineyards and wines - and delights in unravelling its mysteries to enthusiastic and bemused customers. While his participation in sport is sporadic, he still claims to play golf, cricket, tennis and squash - but in reality just likes a good walk alongside one of the local trout streams or in his dream location of Pembrokeshire in West Wales. He is proud to be the only Caviste team member to actually live in Basingstoke - with his wife, teenage son and daughter, and a multibreed dog - where he cooks, sings and plays the guitar, though not all at the same time.
Peter Gentilli
Overton
Peter joined us in July 2011 after a long career in the wine trade working in variety of fields. Peter brings to the company passion for food and wine matching, considerable wine knowledge and excellent customer service skills. Peter said 'I'm very excited to be joining the company which has such a fabulous reputation not just locally but around the UK. I feel very honoured to be taking on this prestigious position within the company particularly in this period of evolution.
Stafford Trendell
Overton
Whilst Stafford has only been formally employed by Caviste since last October he had been a familiar face in the shop for many years before that, both behind the counter and helping with tasting events. Stafford’s interest in wine goes back more years than he cares to remember to when he first worked in retailing when even large stores had an early closing day mid-week. The store where Stafford worked opened a Harvey’s of Bristol concession and ...read more »
Barnaby Smith
Hungerford
Having spent over 20 years in financial services in the city Barnaby has returned to his West Berkshire roots to follow his true passions of food and wine. As well as his family he loves sport and the great outdoors enjoying Cricket, Tennis, Running and Mountain Biking. As a long term customer Barnaby was an early convert to Caviste, drawn to the business by the....read more »
Barnaby Smith
Hungerford
Having spent over 20 years in financial services in the city Barnaby has returned to his West Berkshire roots to follow his true passions of food and wine. As well as his family he loves sport and the great outdoors enjoying Cricket, Tennis, Running and Mountain Biking. As a long term customer Barnaby was an early convert to Caviste, drawn to the business by the amazing variety of incredible wines. When an opportunity arose to join the team he leapt at the chance and is now successfully promoting our offer throughout Hungerford and its surrounding countryside.
Christien Hay
Odiham
Christien is the most recent addition to the team, having only been working been working for Caviste since December 2010. His background is in the hospitality trade, having managed the Michelin starred Black Rat restaurant in Winchester, where his interest in wine led to him putting their list together and taking responsibility for the staff wine training. His love of wine first started when, working at a popular gastro pub...read more »
Christien Hay
Caviste Odiham Manager
Christien is the most recent addition to the team, having only been working been working for Caviste since December 2010. His background is in the hospitality trade, having managed the Michelin starred Black Rat restaurant in Winchester, where his interest in wine led to him putting their list together and taking responsibility for the staff wine training. His love of wine first started when, working at a popular gastro pub, he was given wine training from the World Sommelier of the Year, Gerard Basset! Christien is a country boy at heart and loves to spend time outside, including the occasional day's fishing or shooting, if he’s fortunate enough to get an invite!
David Penny
Odiham
As a graduate of the top catering college in London where he studied Hotel Management David very quickly found more happiness in wine. Then as a Director of one of London's top independent wine merchants he spent over twelve years buying and selling wine and has traveled widely to most major wine producing areas finding exciting and often eclectic wines. Moving away from London he then assumed the position of buyer for...read more »
David Penny
Odiham
As a graduate of the top catering college in London where he studied Hotel Management David very quickly found more happiness in wine. Then as a Director of one of London's top independent wine merchants he spent over twelve years buying and selling wine and has traveled widely to most major wine producing areas finding exciting and often eclectic wines. Moving away from London he then assumed the position of buyer for one of the leading UK mail order wine companies before stepping back to add his considerable knowledge to Caviste on a part time basis. With more free time on his hands this has enabled him to travel to China and India where he has family but he also enjoys time on fenland rivers where he has a boat, or skiing in the less well known Alpine ski resorts.
Ian Barker
Operations
Ian had a relatively late introduction to the wine trade. As a frequent customer of his local wine merchant in Bath, he realised that his professional life lacked a certain spark. So in 2002, wrote a speculative letter to the managing director, suggesting he may be able to help with his twenty years of business experience in stores, buying and supply chain at Somerfield. This was just what the company required and after a period of consultancy...read more »
Ian Barker
Operations
Ian had a relatively late introduction to the wine trade. As a frequent customer of his local wine merchant in Bath, he realised that his professional life lacked a certain spark. So in 2002, wrote a speculative letter to the managing director, suggesting he may be able to help with his twenty years of business experience in stores, buying and supply chain at Somerfield. This was just what the company required and after a period of consultancy, he became Operations Director of Great Western Wines. Initially sceptical about the mystic surrounding wine, he soon learnt that growers who really cared about what happened in the vineyard made wine that tasted far superior to what was on the shelves of his supermarket employer. Further inspired by a visit to Vinitaly, he developed a passion for Italian wines, especially their luscious whites, and helped the company source a number of top Italian producers. Meanwhile the success of Great Western Wine was becoming recognised, and sadly for him, the company was bought and taken over by Enotria in 2010. Still eager to utilise his skills to help others, he has joined Caviste as Operations Director and is looking forward to making a significant difference to the development of the company, and will endeavour to introduce a few new Italian producers! He continues to live in Bath with his wife Emily, and in their spare time enjoys cheering for Bath Rugby, exotic gardening, visiting their cottage in Cornwall and wondering what mischief the two cats are getting up to.
Tina Devereux
Accounts
Tina qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1992, and spent 17 years working in the luxury watch industry for the Swatch Group, the owners of a basket of brands including Breguet, Blancpain, Omega, Rado, Tissot, Longines and of course Swatch. She joined Caviste in October 2009 as their part time Financial Controller when looking for a better work life balance and a job nearer to home. She has really enjoyed learning about wine from her...read more »
Tina Devereux
Operations
Tina qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1992, and spent 17 years working in the luxury watch industry for the Swatch Group, the owners of a basket of brands including Breguet, Blancpain, Omega, Rado, Tissot, Longines and of course Swatch. She joined Caviste in October 2009 as their part time Financial Controller when looking for a better work life balance and a job nearer to home. She has really enjoyed learning about wine from her expert colleagues, especially trying many new grape varieties, and understanding the importance of food and wine matching. So whilst she would still choose to drink a really crisp Sauvignon without food, she has become more adventurous with her boundaries now including Verdejo, Riesling and Chenin Blanc – and that’s just the whites. Outside of work, there is plenty to get passionate about – her family and friends, walking miles around Overton (which she does most mornings), cooking and singing.
