What Wineflight does

Wineflight BV is a Rotterdam-based wine education provider founded in 2022 that operates the only SNRO-accredited HBO-level vinologenopleiding in the Netherlands. Its core product is a 20-day professional training program split into Module A and Module B (€1,999 for Module A with a €450 deposit), which awards graduates the title 'Vinoloog van Wineflight' and is structured around a proprietary comparative tasting methodology (Wineflight Proefmethode) using reference-wine flights of approximately 25 wines per module. Supporting that core program are standalone topic modules priced €45-€85, a High Intensity SVH3 prep course priced at €525, and a wine-tourism product (Wijnreizen) currently in waitlist for 2027.

The company has no proprietary software or technology platform; it uses a digital learning environment for pre-course theory and a standard web-based ticketing system for enrollment. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through its own website (wineflight.nl), supplemented by free online information sessions, a level-finder quiz, organic SEO/content marketing (Dutch-language blog publishing 2-3 articles weekly), and email newsletter capture. All in-person training is delivered at premium Rotterdam venues, primarily Parkheuvel and BCN Training Center, using Spiegelau professional glassware under a co-marketing partnership.

Wineflight's go-to-market is sales-led and event-driven, targeting two primary segments: ambitious Dutch wine enthusiasts seeking structured progression to professional competency, and wine/hospitality professionals seeking HBO-accredited credentials that are VAT-exempt and 100% tax-deductible as a business expense. The team is led by co-founder Simone van den Berg and operates with five employees as of the latest data. Differentiation rests on the regulatory accreditation, the Master of Wine instruction team (including Frank Smulders), the comparative tasting methodology, and the premium venue ecosystem.

Name

Wineflight

Legal name

Wineflight BV

Website

https://wineflight.nl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wineflight BV is a 5-employee Rotterdam wine education provider operating the only SNRO HBO-accredited vinologenopleiding in the Netherlands, selling a €1,999 20-day professional certification, standalone workshops, and wine trips to Dutch wine enthusiasts and hospitality professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Education / Vocational Sommelier Training

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Beverage & Mixology (Coffee, Tea, Wine, Cocktails) (EDAAAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)

Keywords

• Wine education
• Sommelier training
• Vinology courses
• Professional wine certification
• Tasting workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Vinologenopleiding Course Fees: The primary revenue stream is tuition fees for the professional Vinologenopleiding program. Module A costs €1,999 total (with €450 deposit), and Module B is sold separately. Payment in 3 installments is available upon request. Additional standalone modules (e.g., Big 5 Rood, Wijn-spijs, Bubbels) are sold individually at per-module rates. The program is VAT-exempt (btw-vrijgesteld) and qualifies as a 100% tax-deductible business expense for wine entrepreneurs.
2. Short Courses and Workshops: Revenue from one-off courses such as the High Intensity SVH3 course (€525) and single-evening thematic workshops priced at €45–85. These serve both as standalone revenue and as recruitment funnel into the full professional program.
3. Wine Trips (Wijnreizen): Revenue from organized wine trips, such as the 2027 wine journey (May 26–30, 2027). These are offered on a waitlist model, generating revenue from travel experiences combined with wine education.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Wineflight sells the HBO-accredited Vinologenopleiding, a 20-day professional wine training program split into Module A and Module B, plus tiered Beginner/Average/Advanced wine knowledge courses, individual standalone modules, an intensive SVH3 preparation course, single-evening thematic workshops, wine travel experiences, and free online information sessions. All teaching is anchored in a proprietary comparative tasting methodology using Spiegelau glassware and delivered in person at premium Rotterdam venues with a supporting digital learning environment for pre-class theory.

Product overview

Wineflight offers a modern, practice-oriented wine education system in the Netherlands. The core product is the HBO-accredited Vinologenopleiding (Vinologist Training), a professional certification program consisting of Module A and Module B with 10 lesson days each. Students progress through three knowledge levels (Beginner, Average, Advanced) before entering the vinologist program. The company also offers individual standalone modules, a High Intensity SVH3 course, wine travel experiences, and free information sessions. All education centers on Wineflight's comparative tasting methodology, with courses held in Rotterdam using professional Spiegelau glassware.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vinologenopleiding (Vinologist Training Program) The flagship HBO-accredited professional wine education program leading to the 'Vinoloog van Wineflight' title. Spans Module A and Module B with 10 lesson days each (20 total, 8.7 EC, ~244 study hours) and combines comparative tasting of ~25 wines per module with online theory preparation. Targets ambitious wine enthusiasts and wine/hospitality professionals seeking the only Dutch HBO-level accredited credential.
• Losse Modules (Standalone Wine Modules) Individual standalone modules from the Vinologenopleiding curriculum that can be booked separately. Allow prospective students to enter the program flexibly, gaining points toward Module B exam eligibility and experiencing Wineflight's comparative tasting methodology without committing to the full €1,999 Module A program.
• Cursus High Intensity SVH3 A six-session intensive wine course focused on preparing students for SVH3-level wine knowledge, delivered in Rotterdam. Targets wine enthusiasts and professionals seeking an accelerated, advanced competency program that complements or precedes the full Vinologenopleiding.
• Wijnreizen (Wine Travel Experiences) Educational multi-day wine travel experiences visiting major wine regions, combining wine tasting, local cuisine, and visits to wine producers. Serve as both a standalone experiential offering and a recruitment pathway into the full Vinologenopleiding program.
• Single-Evening Wine Workshops (Proeverijen) Thematic single-evening wine tasting workshops priced €45–€85 per person. Cover regional tastings, wine-food pairings, natural wine workshops, and seasonal events. Function as the entry-level product funnel into the Wineflight learning pathway and as standalone evening experiences for groups.
• Beginner Wine Knowledge Courses (Beginnende Wijnkennis) Entry-level wine knowledge courses for beginning wine enthusiasts, forming the first of three tiered learning levels (Beginner, Average, Advanced) on the Wineflight pathway toward the Vinologenopleiding.
• Average Wine Knowledge Courses (Gemiddelde Wijnkennis) Intermediate wine knowledge courses for students with average wine experience. Form the middle tier of Wineflight's three-level learning pathway guiding students toward the professional Vinologenopleiding.
• Advanced Wine Knowledge Courses (Gevorderde Wijnkennis) Advanced wine knowledge courses for experienced wine tasters, serving as the final learning-level tier before entry into the professional Vinologenopleiding program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8.7 EC / 244 hours total study load for full Vinologenopleiding (Modules A+B)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SpiegelaucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWineflight partners with Spiegelau for professional wine glassware. Spiegelau is a premium German glass manufacturer known for its professional tasting glasses. Wineflight uses Spiegelau glasses during all tasting sessions, and this partnership is prominently highlighted in marketing materials as part of the professional quality promise. The glasses are used across all course modules to ensure consistent aroma and taste evaluation.
• Frank Smulders (Master of Wine)coreOthersFrank Smulders, a Master of Wine (the highest wine education credential globally), serves as an endorsing expert and instructor for Wineflight. He has provided a public endorsement of the Vinologenopleiding and contributes to the program's credibility and teaching quality. Wineflight states that students uniquely learn from 2 Masters of Wine, including Smulders.
• Parkheuvel RotterdamminorOthersParkheuvel is a fine dining restaurant in Rotterdam used as a venue for Wineflight tasting sessions and wine events. Students praise the premium location as enhancing the comfort and quality of the learning experience. Parkheuvel also hosts Wineflight-organized comparative tasting evenings open to external participants.
• BCN Training Center RotterdamminorOthersBCN Training Center Rotterdam serves as one of the training venues for Wineflight's Vinologenopleiding sessions. It provides professional classroom facilities for the structured educational program.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust): The world's leading provider of wine (and spirits) education and qualifications. Directly comparable as a structured, accredited wine certification program competing for the same Dutch learner pool seeking portable credentials.
• Wine Scholar Guild: Online-first wine education provider with country- and region-specific certification programs. Comparable for offering accredited, modern wine education with flexible enrollment competing for self-directed Dutch wine enthusiasts.
• Court of Master Sommeliers: Global sommelier certification body. Comparable as a high-prestige, professional wine qualification targeting hospitality professionals in the same learner segment as Wineflight's professional/beroepsmatig cohort.
• Wine Academy Nederland: Dutch wine education provider offering professional sommelier-style courses. Directly comparable as a domestic Dutch alternative competing for the same wine enthusiast and professional learner segment.

Emerging players

• International Wine & Spirit Centre: Provides wine education and certification alongside its competitions. Comparable as an alternative accredited wine qualification pathway relevant to Dutch hospitality professionals seeking recognized credentials.

Others

• Instituto Cervantes (wine cultural programming): While focused on language, it offers cultural/wine programming adjacent to adult enrichment learning. Comparable as a regional, classroom-based adult education provider in the cultural/lifestyle category where Wineflight also operates.

Broad incumbents

• SVH (Stichting Vakbekwaamheid Horeca): Dutch hospitality-sector credentialing body offering SVH3 wine certifications. Directly comparable as the established Dutch benchmark wine credential (which Wineflight's High Intensity SVH3 course explicitly prepares students for).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wineflight
• Instagraminstagram.com/wine_flight

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wineflight