Ivan Damjanić

Although he comes from a family with a long winemaking and viticulture tradition, Ivan Damjanić built his path in wine patiently and from the very beginning. As a student of agronomy and viticulture in 1999, he spent his days working alongside his grandfather in the last remaining family vineyard, a small plot of just 0.3 hectares. That vineyard was not merely a piece of land, but the starting point of his personal wine story.

Upon taking over the vineyard, Ivan made the decision not to let the tradition fade into oblivion, but to develop and build upon it. The varieties that grew there—Istrian Malvasia and Borgonja—became the foundation of his vision and the cornerstone of Damjanić Winery. Step by step, through years of work and investment, he acquired land that once belonged to the family, expanding the vineyards to the current 13.5 hectares.

Today, Ivan is the owner and head winemaker of Damjanić Winery, combining knowledge, experience, and a personal relationship with the vineyard in his work. He devotes special attention to the preservation and revitalization of indigenous Istrian varieties, believing that they best convey the character of the land from which they come.

In addition to his work at his own winery, he is a certified sensory evaluator at the Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food (HAPIH) and a regular member of international judging panels at competitions such as Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, Città del Vino, Concours des Grands Vins du Monde, Vinistra…