The biggest wine lover’s community is gathering in Zagreb #SeeYouInZagreb
Passion for wine connects more than 23.000 wine enthusiasts in the biggest online #winelover community. In September, Zagreb will host its first #winelover meetup but the community has stopped exploring and traveling together for years, now. Interesting people, wine trips and tips and the shared passion for wine, sounds like a group you want to follow, right?
Next year #winelover community is celebrating its 8th anniversary, so we had a chance to talk with Luiz Alberto, the founder of the biggest wine lover’s community.
“You don’t need to learn much about wine to enjoy it”
People are often intimidated by wines, thinking they need to know much about the topic to be able to enjoy a glass of wine. Chances are that if you start enjoying, you will invest your time in learning more about the amazing world of wine, but what do you need to start?
Since Luiz is a wine educator, we started by asking him what is the first thing to learn about wine?
To learn that you don’t need to learn much about wine to enjoy it. If you just learn what you like to start… that should be enough. If that “liking” becomes a passion (like it happened to so many of us who “caught the bug”), then there are many roads to take (books to read, courses to take, wine regions to visit, etc). But, first and foremost, one needs to learn what he/she likes (or dislikes). That makes all the difference in the world.
#winelover community is open to everyone
You are the founder of #winelover group of more than 23.000 wine enthusiast, one of the largest group of people into wine, on one place. How did the story about the wine community start?
The idea was born exactly because of what you proposed on your question: A group of people who were passionate about the wine being able to meet in one place: The #winelover community.
How does the #winelover community work? Can everyone join
The #winelover community is open to everyone. All that is required is that you are interested in the subject. If you enjoy what you see, we invite you to start sharing your own wine-related experiences.
Traveling with a group of wine lovers
Traveling to wine regions and wine countries is the best way to learn about tradition, people and the wines, of course. Do you also organize trips for fellow wine lovers?
Correct. Every year we have several trips to different countries. The most important one is the celebration of our anniversary on February 14th (Valentine’s Day). This represents the day that I founded the community in 2012. Next year we will celebrate our 8th anniversary in the Republic of Moldova.
#winelover hangout, the first time in Zagreb
On 14th September, #winelover community is coming to Zagreb. The official party is taking place at the Pod Zidom Bistro & Wine Bar, Michelin recommended bistro for modern interpretations of traditional Croatian ingredients paired with wines. Croatian organizer and #winelover ambassador, Saša Špiranec and his company Vinart, are taking charge of the event and organization.
For the first time, you’ll be organizing the first #winelover gathering in Zagreb. How do #winelover hangouts usually look like?
Our hangouts come in all shapes and forms… the only thing guaranteed is that we have a wonderful time together. The common theme is that they are BYOB dinners where we all have the opportunity to see old friends, to meet new ones and, of course, taste/drink many amazing wines.
Do you already have some favorites, among the Croatian grape varieties?
It would be unfair to name only one grape variety… so what about I give you my top 5varieties? Those I had in the past and that I absolutely love? They are Plavac Mali, Tribidrag, Babic, Posip, and Malvasija.
#winelover is growing bigger and bigger
Can you share some plans for the #winelover community in the future?
We have a few trips scheduled: As mentioned earlier, we will be in Croatia in September, Serbia in October for the now traditional (3rd edition) Of #ProkupacDay in Belgrade, and then in November our annual visit to the Rovinhud wine show in Timisoara, Romania.
But the big plan (and you’re hearing it from me first hand!) is that we will nominate an “Executive Director” to oversee our goals and strategies. This is a need we have for a long time and now we’re getting closer to making of it a reality. Stay tuned!
And as you say in your group, see you in Zagreb soon! Thank you for the time and effort took to tell us more about #winelover community!
My pleasure! Thanks for the opportunity!! #SeeYouInZagreb! 🙂
