TCN spoke with company owner Romana Jurec and project manager Leon Vlahović to find out what this app will do for both wine lovers and wine producers
As owner of the Estricto company, Romana Jurec is in charge of the finances and marketing, while Leon Vlahović, a sommelier and passionate wine aficionado with a strong background in entrepreneurship, found himself and his purpose in wines. Using wine education and touring Croatia winemakers, they seek to leave a trace in Croatian wine tourism and successful branding of Croatia as a land of wine and wine tourism.
What is Terravin?
Terravin is a wine project which will bring together in one place wineries, winemakers and their cellars with tourists and admirers of Croatia, Croatian beauty and Croatian wines. Vineyards, sunsets, good company and a great wine is everything you need to enjoy pure hedonism. The project is mirrored in the application open to all wineries in Croatia. Users will be able to find them easily. In order to reach desired destinations, users will receive Google Maps directions. They will be able to share their experience with other app users, as well as rate the winery and hospitality and add constructive criticism.
It should be noted our app is the only one of its kind in Europe, and the only one offering complete service to the end user. By complete service, we mean information, offers, prices, web wine shop with global delivery, with integrated credit card purchases. Everything can be done through the app, the user only needs to show up at the winery and enjoy. On the other hand, winemakers can join forces and prepare certain offers.
Why are you using ‘Croatia is becoming a land of wine’ as the campaign motto to promote the platform?
We are using it from a very simple reason, the desire of all of us for Croatia to be listed among wine nations, wine destinations worth visiting even from the other side of the world. Our goal must be to brand Croatia as a quality wine and service destination, as a specific wine nations where the Mediterranean climate with full, strong red wines is separate from the continental one boasting superior sparkling wines of global quality or wines consumed in royal courts. A land where hospitality and tradition is present in each glass of wine, this is what Croatia must achieve to become a wine nation. This is what got us started in creating the Terravin wine platform. Terravin is not just a mobile application, but a complex project composed of several segments using the mobile app as a presentation channel. Terravin holds some large scale plans and ideas which include offline undertakings.
How did you come to the idea and the interest for such a feat?
Above all, the idea was born through personal passion for wines, winemaking and wine growing. Considering I have been in wine actively for the past several years and am attending sommelier school, the logical sequence was to tour Croatian wineries and winemakers. During those tours I got to thinking how to complete all those blessings, present them to tourists or locals, and saw that plenty was missing, primarily quality promotion. There are numerous interesting wineries in Croatia, both large and small scale, but there is a lack of engagement in presenting the wineries and their offer. This is where we found the space for the Terravin platform as it does that job for winemakers, using also our expertise in economy, marketing and online knowledge. The guideline in developing the concept was to automate the platform and invest maximum effort in winemakers focusing on offering quality and we would then present the quality to the world.
Specifically, what offers will you have for tourists?
Offers will include wine tours, tastings with dinner, dinners made by superior Croatian chefs with a sunset on top of a vineyard or in the vineyard itself, accommodation in a winery or an entire wine holiday. A group of people will be able to join the grape harvest to learn first-hand the wine creation process. Our goal is to offer something new beyond the classic offer, something to be talked about when they go home, to evoke emotions.
What are your plans for the near future?
We don’t like to talk of plans in advance as the project is complex. There is no shortage of ideas and plans, but what can be noted coming soon is the iOS app version publication, as well as contracts with foreign agencies, tour operators, individuals and presenting the platform in an efficient manner. You can expect a strong media presence from us in the near future both in Croatia and in foreign website, media and social networks. We will also soon start a blog in the English language with the goal of educating and promoting Croatian indigenous varieties, wines, wineries… Our website will soon be available in German in addition to Croatian and English, hoping the app will fill up soon with wineries and their offers.
