11,000 references between wines and spirits, almost 400 workers, and a logistics center capable of moving up to 50,000 bottles daily. These are the figures behind the success of Vila Viniteca, one of Europe's most influential wine distributors, based in Barcelona's Born neighborhood (Agullers, 7), but operating in more than thirty countries worldwide. Its success story, however, is not explained by numbers alone. It is built, above all, on passion, century-old businesses, and family legacies. Specifically, it all begins with two Catalan family projects: the Vila grocery store, founded in 1932 in the same Born neighborhood, and the Ca N'Estruc wine estate, at the foot of Montserrat —documented since 1574—, which in 1993 converged to form the current Vila Viniteca.
The history of Vila Viniteca is, in essence, the story of two wine enthusiasts who become partners and, over time, good friends. On one hand, that of Quim Vila, third generation at the helm of the grocery store in the Born neighborhood, who from its beginnings, in addition to basic products and food —they were the first, for example, to sell Dutch Edam cheese in Barcelona— supplied wine and spirits to the restaurants in the area.
On the other, that of Siscu Martí, born, raised, and still residing in Ca N'Estruc, who continues a family legacy documented since 1574. The records that today adorn the walls of the estate show an agricultural property with diverse uses, from agriculture to livestock, located at an altitude of 165 meters, at the foot of Montserrat. The turning point came in 1983, when Martí convinced his father to abandon the sale of bulk wine and opt for quality, thanks to an alliance with various experts in the wine sector.
Following this change of direction, the estate located in Esparreguera achieved important milestones, such as becoming the first winery registered in the DO Catalunya, created in 1999. Today, Ca N'Estruc has 22 hectares of vineyards and produces 11 references, including whites and reds, produced under the principles of organic and biodynamic viticulture. "Producing a wine every year and making it good is simply an exciting pleasure," confesses Martí, with a passion, a conviction, and a way of understanding the profession that seem to be in his own blood.
The meeting point of these two family stories occurred in 1993. After an initial commercial relationship —Martí already sold Ca N'Estruc wines to the Vila grocery store—, both had the ambition to reinvent their respective businesses and decided to join forces to make them prosper. Thus, Vila Viniteca was born, acting both as a wine distributor and owner of the Ca N'Estruc winery (in addition to other wineries acquired over time), and which would be the spark of a business that would end up becoming a global empire within the sector, without losing its essence, tradition, or family passion. The name chosen for the project perfectly reflects this philosophy, integrating the three concepts that define the company's spirit: Vila, in homage to family tradition; vini, for wine; and teca, for food.Today, Vila Viniteca, through its different stores, offers wines to individuals and, above all, to restaurants throughout Spain, as well as in Europe, Asia, and the United States, in addition to exclusively representing some 350 wineries from around the world. But these establishments don't just have wine: the distributor also markets a carefully selected gastronomic range, with more than 400 cheeses at their optimal point of maturation —including an exclusive project to adapt a Catalan Oaxaca cheese—, as well as hams, preserves, and other gourmet products.
Two partners, a well-defined alliance
These two family traditions are thus united under a single project managed with a clear structure that remains to this day: each partner retains 50% of the ownership. With a clearly delimited distribution of functions: Martí, from Esparreguera, handles finance, administration, logistics, personnel, and wine production for Ca N'Estruc, while Vila, from Barcelona, leads the commercial and communication aspects. "It's a beautiful relationship, but also complicated," Martí acknowledges alongside Vila, reflecting a complicity that now spans over thirty years. "We could almost say we invented teleworking," he adds with humor, highlighting the mutual trust that has existed between them from the beginning, even without sharing the same physical workspace.
The two partners are, in reality, two sides of the same coin. Vila Viniteca (with Vila at the helm) is the visible and commercial face —with stores in Born, Illa Diagonal, outlets in Barcelona (València, 277 and Villarroel, 209) and establishments in Madrid—. Ca N'Estruc (under Martí's direction), on the other hand, is its logistical heart: a central warehouse where up to 50,000 bottles are managed every day.
Entering this warehouse allows one to understand the magnitude of the company's growth in just over thirty years: from four employees in 1993 to almost 400 today. In these Ca N'Estruc facilities, in Esparreguera, more than a million bottles rest in an underground warehouse that resembles a bunker: 12 meters deep, air-conditioned and computerized down to the last detail to ensure maximum efficiency.
"We constantly have space problems; we always need more. That's why, a decade ago, we had to build this underground warehouse," recalls Quim Vila. In these facilities, activity never stops: three consecutive eight-hour shifts, with a system that Martí compares to that of a pharmacy: "if I don't have it today, you'll have it tomorrow morning."
Innovation as a maxim
Vila Viniteca's logistics are thought out to the smallest detail. The routes within the warehouse are computerized, as are the delivery drivers' routes on the street, to ensure that orders arrive in 24-48 hourss, even as far as Madrid. Trucks depart daily for destinations such as Madrid, Malaga—with a stop in Alicante—and Bilbao, ensuring fast delivery to customers, many of whom are restaurants that do not have their own large warehouses. Despite having clients in more than thirty countries, the national market remains the main growth engine, withonly 5% of the business coming from exports.Innovation, in fact, has been a constant since the group's beginnings, and not only in logistics. Already in 1997, Vila Viniteca was the first company in the sector in Spain with a website, when the Internet was still incipient. Three years later, in 2000, they introduced the sale of wines en primeur (to buy wines as a preview), a common practice in regions like Bordeaux but still unknown in Catalonia.
In defense of wine
Beyond distributing and producing wines, Vila Viniteca plays a central role in the dissemination of wine culture. Its annual catalog is a global reference and is illustrated by renowned artists such as Javier Mariscal, Jaume Plensa, or Miquel Barceló. But not only that: the company organizes tastings and presentations with international enologists to bring wine closer to both professionals and amateurs.
Without a doubt, its most outstanding event is the Vila Viniteca Wine Tasting by Couples Award, one of the most prestigious competitions in the sector. Created in 2007 by Martí and Vila with the aim of consolidating itself as a "democratic" contest: not only aimed at great sommeliers, but also at amateurs and enthusiasts. Of course, the contestants face a major challenge, not suitable for all palates: blind tasting and, in pairs, agreeing on country, region of origin, designation of origin, variety, vintage, producer and brand, with a scoring system supervised by a notary.
The competition stands out not only for its careful selection of wines, but also for its economic endowment: 50,000 euros in total, with 35,000 for the winners, 10,000 for the second couple, and 5,000 for the third-place couple. Its success is so great that registrations—which require a payment of 200 euros per couple—sell out in a matter of minutes; this year, in just 2 minutes and 54 seconds, setting a new record.
Just as there is a meticulous selection of wines, the competition involves rigorous organization and a level of secrecy only comparable to official exams such as the Selectividad or civil service examinations. The wines that participate are chosen by Quim Vila, who shares this information only with a small group of employees, obliged to sign a strict confidentiality agreement, under the condition of losing their job if they breach it. Vila selects about twenty bottles, and it is not until the day of the competition that he decides which ones will be the definitive ones, taking into account even the weather conditions, which he believes can affect the taste of the wine.
Neither the waiters know the wines they serve, nor does the other partner of Vila Viniteca, Siscu Martí, who is part of the jury along with professionals from the sector. In its 18th edition, 125 couples will meet on February 22 in the Gothic building of the Llotja de Mar in Barcelona, as the competition is held alternately each year between Madrid and Barcelona. In parallel, and in the same space, more than 30 wineries exhibit their products in a showroom attended by about 1,500 visitors.
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