On October 7, 2026, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines celebrated its 107th anniversary with the unveiling of a new Delft Blue miniature house, “Wijnhoeve De Kleine Schorre,” from Dreischor in Zeeland. For more than a century, KLM has linked the Netherlands with the world and showcased internationally what the country represents. With the tradition of annual miniature houses, the airline honors special places and stories, especially within the Netherlands. This year, the Zeeland winery takes center stage, a partner that has supplied wine for the World Business Class for more than twenty years.
A Shared Pioneer Spirit
As the world’s oldest airline still operating under its original name, KLM has played a pivotal role in shaping international aviation for 107 years. From introducing a unique hub-and-spoke system to opening new European and intercontinental routes, KLM has consistently sought innovative ways to connect the Netherlands with the world.
KLM continues to push boundaries today. The 107th anniversary coincides with a week in which the airline takes a concrete step toward a more sustainable future with the arrival of its first Airbus A350. This new aircraft will soon be deployed on several intercontinental routes, signaling a tangible move toward a forward-looking fleet.
This pioneering spirit is also evident at De Kleine Schorre. When the winery was founded in Zeeland in 2001, it faced considerable skepticism. After all, exceptional wines were traditionally associated with sun-drenched hills of Southern Europe rather than the heavy marine loam and salty winds of Schouwen-Duiveland. Yet, against all odds, De Kleine Schorre grew into a leading winery. Today, travelers from around the world enjoy its wines from September through November in KLM’s World Business Class.
Esteemed Craftsmanship
What binds KLM and the Zeeland winery goes beyond a long-standing partnership. Both blend artisanal craftsmanship with innovation and share a commitment to making a difference in their respective fields. This emphasis on quality, hospitality, and entrepreneurship forms the backbone of a relationship that has endured for more than two decades.
“For 107 years, KLM has connected the Netherlands to the world. In doing so, we not only bring people together, but we also showcase what the Netherlands stands for. With our 107th Delft Blue miniature house, we honor De Kleine Schorre—a partner that, like KLM, has dared pioneering work and shown how Dutch quality and craftsmanship can earn international recognition. This makes the house a fitting symbol for our 107-year anniversary,” explains Marjan Rintel, President and CEO of KLM.
“It is a tremendous honor for our winery to become part of the KLM miniature houses collection,” says Johan van de Velde, owner of De Kleine Schorre. “Twenty-five years ago we began with the conviction that superb Dutch wine could be produced here, at a time when Dutch wine didn’t appear on any wine list. Thanks to our long-standing partnership with KLM, travelers from all over the world could discover wines from Zeeland. The fact that our winery is now immortalized as a Delft Blue miniature house is a wonderful culmination of everything we have built over the past 25 years.”
About the Delft Blue Miniature Houses
Since the 1950s, KLM has presented Delft Blue miniature houses to World Business Class passengers on intercontinental flights. Since the 1990s, the houses have been filled with Bols Genever. These are miniature versions of significant buildings, primarily in the Netherlands, and they have become highly coveted collectibles.
Since 1994, the number of houses in the collection matches KLM’s age. Each year on October 7, the airline’s anniversary, the collection is expanded with a new house. House No. 107 is the third building from Zeeland to join the series, following houses in Middelburg (No. 6) and Veere (No. 22).
