Sven has spent 32 years in wine. Not as a hobby. Not as a phase. It is the work he chose, the world he inhabits, and the thing he has kept returning to, every single day, for more than three decades.
That kind of dedication does something to a person. It turns knowledge into instinct. It turns colleagues into friends. And it turns a simple tasting into something that stays with you long after the glass is empty. This is his story.
Where It All Began
Sven grew up around winemakers. Not as a visitor to vineyards, but as a child watching people he knew – neighbors, family friends – spend their lives among vines and barrels. These were his first impressions of life. The way they worked, the way they talked about the land, the way they poured a glass without ceremony but with a quiet pride. It got under his skin early, and it never left. That is where his passion came from. Not from a book. Not from a course. From people who lived what they did and let him watch.
32 Years in Service
What started as curiosity became a life’s work. Sven began to explore the world of wine more deeply. He took courses. He attended masterclasses. He spent years working as a sommelier on restaurant floors, learning how to read a table, how to guide without pushing, and how to make wine feel like pleasure rather than pressure. He never stopped. He is still active, still learning, still refining.
At some point, his reputation opened doors, and he found himself hosting Masters of Wine in Zagreb. It was a role that few sommeliers ever touch, and it sharpened his expertise at the highest level. Eventually, everything he had gathered came together. He opened his own wine club, a space where enthusiasts could gather without pretense. He became an educator, teaching not from a pedestal but from experience. And when the time was right, he took over Split & Sip, a small vinoteka in Split’s old town, and made it his own.
More Than a Tasting Room
Split & Sip is not just a place where tourists come to taste Dalmatian wine. It is also where Sven and his team train hospitality professionals. They educate restaurant staff, hotel teams, and anyone working in gastronomy. Not just about wine. About service. About how to carry yourself in a dining room. About the thousand small things that turn a meal into an experience. This is the part of the business that most visitors never see, but it is central to who Sven is. He has spent his life in service, and he wants to pass on what he has learned.
Book a Tasting
Split & Sip is located in Split’s old town, near the Croatian National Theatre. Tastings are available in different lengths and can be booked online. Whether you are new to wine or have been exploring for years, you will find a seat at the table.
Book at splitandsip.com