About AWA
Learning to understand and taste wine is best done in an environment where quality and personal attention are at the heart of everything. That is what Amsterdam Wine Academy stands for.
Who we are?
We are Fransje van Santen and Wouter Aalst. Besides being business partners at the academy, we are also married and proud parents of twins Tijs and Dide. Fransje has a background in production management and Wouter is a hospitality entrepreneur. The experience we have gained in our respective fields now proves invaluable in running the academy.
When we decided to set up Amsterdam Wine Academy in 2019, it was our strong ambition to teach in our own dedicated spaces, designed specifically for education. We realised that ambition early on, but our classes were spread across three separate locations. Since 1 March 2026, we have brought everything together under one roof, at Blasiusstraat 82-84 in Amsterdam, fulfilling our dream of having a real school of our own. Every detail of the space has been designed with teaching as the absolute priority, not just for students, but for our teachers too. All facilities are set up so that they can focus entirely on teaching, without being distracted by practical matters.
Our ambition is to make AWA the leading wine education institute in Amsterdam and the surrounding region. Alongside ourselves as founders, our team consists of academy manager Joep Denneman, who also teaches for us, and Daisy Blok, who handles AWA’s marketing.
Besides AWA, we are also the entrepreneurs behind wine bar Paskamer in De Pijp. Here too, we go for the highest possible quality. We train our own staff through AWA and guarantee that everyone holds at least WSET Level 2, so you are always served by someone with genuine wine knowledge. Paskamer was named Wine Bar of the Year in the Netherlands in 2023 and is open seven days a week, making it the perfect place to put your newly acquired knowledge into practice after your course. You can also eat at Paskamer, so booking ahead for the evening is recommended.
Test your wine knowledge Take the Amsterdam Wine Academy quiz and get instant advice on which wine course suits you best.
What do we stand for?
We believe in high quality wine education, based on proven methods and recognised curricula. The foundation of our course offering is the WSET syllabus, developed by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, based in London (UK). This is the largest and, in our view, most reliable wine education organisation in the world. The study materials are well written and concise, with clear explanations. The systematic approach to tasting wine according to the WSET method gives beginner students a solid framework. We understand that tasting wine is often the most exciting part of any course for students, and we can reassure you: we will really teach you how to do it! Blind tasting is only required at the WSET Level 3 exam. Students who have completed Level 3 also have the option to specialise further in the wines of France, Italy or Spain, through our partnership with Wine Scholar Guild, a US-based wine education platform.
In addition to the WSET and WSG curriculum, we regularly organise masterclasses, inviting experts from wine-related fields to spend an afternoon or evening at our academy.
Accreditation We are proud that Amsterdam Wine Academy is an accredited provider of both WSET and WSG programmes, registered with the CRKBO and certified by the NRTO.
‘Our mission is simple: to expand our students’ knowledge of wine. With energy, enthusiasm and an eye for detail.’ – Fransje van Santen & Wouter Aalst, founders AWA
About Fransje
Fransje is the backbone of AWA. She takes care of everything that happens behind the scenes, down to the last detail. Whether it comes to communicating with students, setting up our premises or managing the day-to-day running of the academy, she does it all with a sharp eye for detail and without compromise. Without her organisational talent, AWA would not be where it is today. Fransje has a soft spot for a beautiful glass of Burgundy Chardonnay, but keeps an open mind about everything wine has to offer and loves to be surprised by Wouter in that regard.
About Wouter
Wouter focuses primarily on the educational content of Amsterdam Wine Academy. He has a background as a hospitality entrepreneur and brings a wealth of experience in hospitality as one of the academy’s core values. Wouter never stops learning. He is currently in his second year of studying for the Master of Wine qualification, one of the most prestigious wine titles in the world.
Wouter has a particular fondness for Chianti Classico, but also very much appreciates a beautiful glass of champagne.
About Joep
Joep joined Amsterdam Wine Academy as a teacher in September 2023 and has since taught Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 courses with great enthusiasm and success. Alongside teaching, he is also our academy manager, making him the perfect link between Wouter and Fransje. Joep makes sure the wines are ordered, answers all student queries and ensures our teachers have everything they need. In August 2025, Joep completed the WSET Diploma, taking his wine knowledge to an even higher level.
About Daisy
Daisy handles the marketing of Amsterdam Wine Academy, including social media and the newsletter. By using these channels in the right way, with a good mix of informing and entertaining, she makes sure that all prospective and current students stay up to date with everything AWA has to offer. Daisy is not only a strong marketer. She also completed her WSET Level 1 in January 2025 and is finding her way in the world of wine more and more. She loves being inspired by the people around her at AWA.
Do you want to learn more about wine?
Amsterdam Wine Academy is a WSET and WSG approved program provider.