DWWA judge profile: Saša Špiranec

Saša Špiranec is a judge at the 2025 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA).

Saša Špiranec

Saša Špiranec has been a journalist and wine writer since 2006. He has a wine column which is published every Sunday in the Croatian daily newspaper Jutarnji List. He is also a regular contributor to Dobra Hrana, food and wine magazine published on a monthly basis.

Saša has written three wine books: “A Guide to the Wines of Croatia”, “Wine Roads” and “Wines of Croatia” and is co-author of “Croatian Gourmet Icons” and “Fairy Tale Flavours of Međimurje”.

He is co-founder of wine laboratory Vinolab, whose primary goal is wine production quality improvement in Croatia, by providing expert oenological consulting and laboratory wine analyses.

He is founder of Vinart, a publishing, wine marketing and event organizing company. He initiated the Vinart Grand Tasting, a leading business wine fair in Croatia, as well as Vinski Grad, a Croatian open-air summer wine festival.

Saša is an experienced international wine judge. His area of expertise are the wine regions of New Europe and Central Europe, with particular focus on the wines of Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary and Austria. These mostly form the subject matter for his reports, articles and books.

See more judges for the 2025 DWWA.