Andreaa Lica: Wine for me is “the only artwork you can drink”
Continuing our spotlight series on the faces behind the finest wines, we’re excited to introduce Andreea Lica — Business Manager at Crama Pandora. With her rich background in marketing and a profound passion for winemaking, Andreea brings a blend of tradition and innovation to the industry. Dive into her story, philosophy, and insights, and see how she’s shaping the future of wine with expertise and enthusiasm.
Read the full interview below for a glimpse into her journey and the wisdom she shares for aspiring wine professionals.
What is wine for you?
Wine for me is “the only artwork you can drink”, like Luis Fernando Olaverri said because, like a painter uses a paper and a brush to pull colors onto a blank canvas, so does a wine drinker use his glass and hand to swirl the wine in the glass to pull out all of the aromas, flavors and all the winemaking secrets…
How did you enter the wine industry?
In 2016, thanks to a dear friend who had purchased a winery, I got into this wonderful industry, as a marketing manager.
Definitely, I took the best decision because I really loved what I’m doing, my colleagues from this industry, the wine story, everything!
What is your philosophy in making wine, and how is it reflected in your product?
As a marketing person, I believe that the vinification style must be in accordance with the business strategy of the winery, obviously with clear differentiators compared to the other players on the market.
Personally, I prefer the wines that preserve the particularities of the terroir, which promote the specific varieties of the area and country where they are produced, but using the new technologies and styles in winemaking. I’m a follower of “The New Fashion of Wine !”
How important do you consider education and training in the wine industry, and are there any special programs for women?
In the wine industry, without education and training, it is very difficult!
At the beginning, although I had almost 20 years of experience in marketing and communication/advertising, I had to start to learn a lot, so I did a master’s degree in winemaking and wine marketing at the University of Agronomy in Bucharest and, the most important, I’m learning every day because, from my side, wine industry is very dynamic.
In Romania, more and more women are in the wine industry, in all departments, from top management, to sales and especially winemaking and I don’t think that we have special programs for women because the access to knowledge is for everyone, regardless of gender, the important thing is that you want to learn about wine.
What advice would you give to young women who want to enter the wine business?
I have only one advice: get to know it, respect it and love wine! Like that, everything comes by itself.
