March 12, 2021 – Well-known sommelier and a successful head of legendary Istrian Konoba Morgan in Brtonigla, Nedeljka Nena Krupljan, is fighting for neither more nor less than a Michelin star.
Since Konoba Morgan has had a recommendation for four years now, this goal is actually reasonably achievable. Nedeljka Krupljan, also called Nena, has been fully engaged in this goal since she has been working in the hospitality industry for years now. She has started her professional career very young, learning a lot from her first employer, the famous Jelena Šimić Valentić of Pupitres wine bar in Zagreb. Later on, she enrolled in Croatian Sommelier Club education and is happy to single out Filip Savić, a renowned Istrian sommelier, as her mentor.
"He helped me a lot not only to learn and study but follow my dreams and become a good sommelier," says Nena, who is currently as passionate about extra virgin olive oils as she is about wines.
The first serious wine chart she has done by herself was for Barbieri's restaurant in Zagreb, and it consisted of more than 140 labels. She was also in charge of the Wine bar in Primošten, where she has organized wine dinners. When she returned to Zagreb, she got a job at one of the more prestigious restaurants in Zagreb, Noel, the only one in the capital that is awarded one Michelin star.
"Colleagues Ivan Jug and Goran Petrić were extremely kind and helpful, and I appreciate the experience of organizing wine dinners with the internationally well-known winemakers there," says Nena.
Last year, Nedeljka worked at Roxanich Wine hotel in Motovun before finally settling down at Konoba Morgan. Her new project under the name "Cheers with You" by Nedeljka Krupljan is very interesting. The idea is to introduce primarily foreign but Croatian tourists as well with the world of Croatian wines.
She is offering a short and entertaining, as well as very educational programme with tasting a minimum of six wines, where the client can choose between Wines of Croatia, Wines of Istria, or Premium wines of Croatia – along with snacks from Konoba Morgan.
She has also designed a map of Croatian wineries (of the wines tasted), and it can be taken home and hung on the wall as a souvenir from Croatia.
The programme is mobile, so if you are on a villa or on a yacht somewhere in Croatia, you can contact Nena and schedule the tasting tour. She will come, bring wines, food, and knowledge. All you have to do is to have fun, and – cheers!
Nedeljka Nena Krupljan Facebook
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