The path to the title of wine academician does not begin with a diploma, but with sacrifice. Formally, the entry requirement is the completion of WSET Level 3, which I had, as well as the experience of teaching at the Wine Academy Croatia, which really helped me on that path. However, it quickly becomes clear that a diploma – the famous Level 4 – is not just a continuation of education. It is a completely different dimension. It is not enough to know wine. You have to live it. This means years of experience, breadth of knowledge and, above all, discipline. The rhythm of the academy is relentless: lectures, tastings, essays, study trips from dawn to dusk. At some point, you no longer learn only from books, but also from fatigue.
I chose the international program of the Austrian Wine Academy in Rust. I didn’t want to go to London, and I chose Austria partly because of the dynamics of the trip. Lectures in Austria, Italy, occasionally Germany or Hungary, and promotion in Switzerland – it was an education that didn’t take place in a classroom, but in the field. Right where wine is made. Of course, not all topics were equally close. For me, fortified wines were seriously far from my comfort zone. So far that I had to study in advance just to be able to follow the classes. And here we come to an important truth: Level 3 is necessary for admission but it’s far from enough.
The total cost is much more than the tuition
The less romantic side is the finances. The tuition back then was around 7,000 euros (it’s even more today), with additional costs for travel, accommodation, food and – often overlooked – wine samples for preparation. Realistically, the total cost is between 15,000 and 20,000 euros. My small personal success was a 1,000 euro scholarship, obtained thanks to a motivation letter, but it is still an investment that requires a serious decision.
And then there was my generation: the corona generation. If you think the measures in Croatia were strict, you haven't experienced Austria. Testing twice a day, face masks during all-day lectures... It was supposed to be the year of wine, and it turned into a test of endurance in part. However, when all the hard stuff is removed, what remains is what makes it all make sense. The most beautiful part of this journey is not the titles or diplomas. It's the people.
Different cultures but the same passion
In my group, there were colleagues from France, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Spain, Russia, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Poland, Romania, America, Switzerland, Italy... And, of course, Croatia. Different languages, cultures and styles, but the same passion. Wine was our common language. These friendships were not fleeting. They remain. There are also moments when you listen to a lecture by Frank Smulders, Master of Wine and one of the world's greatest authorities on sparkling wines, and you know that you are exactly where you need to be. For me, who shares the same passion for sparkling wines, these were moments of pure professional pleasure.
After DipWSET, the opportunity opened up for the Weinakademiker program, the second highest level of wine education in the world. This is where the story becomes even more personal. Work, research and even defending the topic. My choice was clear: Branding of the Zadar Wine Region. Not only because I come from Zadar, but because I believe in the potential of this terroir. Organic production, indigenous varieties, strong tourist infrastructure – all the predispositions for a serious wine-regional identity already exist. This topic was my way of turning knowledge into a contribution.
Travel and tasting are not the most beautiful
Unlike other exams, here there is no hiding behind paper. The paper is written, but also defended. Orally. In front of experts. And then you realize that everything that was difficult actually had a purpose. Because the most beautiful moments are not just trips, visits to some of the best wineries in the world or tasting wines that are unattainable for most. The most beautiful moments are those in which you see how much you have grown – as a professional, but also as a person.
In the end, if I have to be completely honest, there were many difficult moments. But there were far more beautiful ones, and they, like in any good wine, are what remain.