Our team
Together, Rok and Boštjan embody two complementary spirits: Rok, the explorer who seeks new stories in every vintage, and Boštjan, the keeper who honors tradition while shaping the future. Their shared passion is the reason Vinakoper’s wines reach for the highest expression of what fine wine can be : authentic, elegant, and timeless.
Boštjan
The Keeper of Tradition and Innovation
Boštjan also studied Food Science and Technology at the University of Ljubljana, specializing in Wine Technology. His story with Vinakoper began in 1996 with his very first internship. Since then, his path has woven through Brič, a young, modern winery, and Vinakras in the Karst, before returning in 2012 to Vinakoper as Head Oenologist.
At home, he is a proud father of two daughters: the eldest, 21, studying physiotherapy, and the youngest, 9, discovering the world with the same curiosity he once brought to his first harvests.
For Boštjan, wine is both a heritage and a horizon. “Wine is not an obligation, it’s a passion” he explains. In every glass, he sees a bridge between nature and culture, between the wisdom of tradition and the creativity of innovation. His philosophy is rooted in authenticity: respecting the Istrian land, its terroir and history, while pushing forward towards perfection.
This pursuit of excellence is what drives him to craft fine wines bottles that reflect not only the soil and climate, but also the vision, timing, and intuition of the winemaker. For Boštjan, wine is not just something you drink. It is an art, a way of life, and above all, an experience to be shared.
Together, Rok and Boštjan embody two complementary spirits: Rok, the explorer who seeks new stories in every vintage, and Boštjan, the keeper who honors tradition while shaping the future. Their shared passion is the reason Vinakoper’s wines reach for the highest expression of what fine wine can be : authentic, elegant, and timeless.
Rok
The Explorer of Vintages
Rok’s journey into wine began at the Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana, where he studied Food Science and Technology, later adding WSET Level 3 to deepen his knowledge. His career has taken him from the rolling vineyards of Slovenia to New Zealand, with formative experiences at Brič and Puklavec Family Wines before joining Vinakoper.
But for Rok, wine has never been just a career — it is a calling. A father of two (a daughter, “vintage” 2017, and a son, “vintage” 2020), he sees each vintage much like raising children: every year has its own character, challenges, and rewards.
“To me, wine is alive. It’s the land, the season, and my hands shaping something that will carry a story into someone else’s glass,” he says. What drives him is the chance to create wines that are not only tasted but felt, wines that speak of place and people, crafted with both science and instinct. His passion lies in the pursuit of purity and honesty in every bottle, with the quiet ambition of reaching the level of fine wines that can stand proudly on the world stage.