Olive Oil Sommelier Certificate

DON'T FALL BEHIND IN THE PROFESSIONALISM OF THE SECTOR

Training accredited under ISO 9001 standard

ONLINE

Duration: 12 weeks | 5-6 hours per week

2025 editions price: 2.255€
2026 editions price: 2.950€

ONSITE

Duration: 1 week

2025 editions price: 2.255€
2026 editions price: 2.950€

Olive Oil Sommelier Certificate

Language:  English (also available in Spanish)

 

2025 editions

ONSITE (SPAIN)

10-15
November

Last day of registration: 
3rd November 2025

ONLINE

11
December

Last day of registration:
4th December 2025

2026 editions

ONLINE

26
February

Last day of registration:
19th February 2026

ONSITE (SPAIN)

20-24
April

Last day of registration:
13th April 2025

ONLINE

11
June

Last day of registration:
4th June 2026

It is also possible to take the online Olive Oil Sommelier Certification on an individual basis starting on the date selected by the student once the registration is done.

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You want to obtain an accreditation
from a prestigious school that endorses your knowledge.

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You commercialise olive oils
and are looking for a more technical knowledge to improve both your purchase and sales negotiations – thus increasing your sales and benefits.

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You own an olive oil brand or work in an olive oil mill
and want to inform your current or potential customers more rigorously of the qualities of your product.

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You want to save time and money
with an endorsed training that is practical and has the constant support of experts to guide you throughout the process.

Acquire a good
understanding

of the whole olive oil value chain, learning how to taste olive oils in a professional way, identifying positive and negative attributes, and being able of classifying olive oil samples. This way, you will better know the quality of the olive oils that you currently work with.

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Understand 

the main parameters of the physicochemical analysis of virgin olive oils.

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Estar preparado

para valorar de manera profesional la calidad de los aceites con los que trabajas.

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Learn notions

of gastronomy/ food-pairing, olive varieties, elaboration process, and more.

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Connect with great
specialized professionals

with a wide professional career and learn
from their knowledge and experience. Experts include: Tasting Experts, Master Millers, Specialized Chefs, Award-winning EVOO producers, and more.

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Get access 

to a new international specialised contact network - our Alumni group.

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METHODOLOGY

Olive Oil Sommelier Certificate

ONLINE

Welcome

Professional Virgin Olive Oil Tasting (theory + training)

Final Exam

Closure

ONSITE

Professional Virgin Olive Oil Tasting
(theory + training)

Final Exam

Closure

CONTENT

Olive Oil Sommelier Certificate

ONLINE METHODOLOGY. STRUCTURE.

Welcome

The welcome consists of an online group session, where you will meet your tutor, as well as the rest of the students, and it will help you to familiarize yourself with the ESAO online campus. In addition, from this moment on, you will be able to access the ESAO Alumni group, a network of contacts where we encourage you to take advantage of the synergies that may arise.

Professional Virgin Olive Oil Tasting

The first module of the Certification is the Professional Virgin Olive Oil Tasting. It is structured in different chapters through which you will learn the most important aspects to become a good virgin olive oil taster. The module is designed to learn at your own pace and in a fun way. Presented in an agile way, this module has careful and extensive material, which will help you acquire the knowledge that every taster should have.

GROUP SESSION

A group session will be given by an expert specialized in virgin olive oil tasting. It is a live online class where you will interact with the expert and the rest of the students.

INDIVIDUAL SESSION

At the end, you will carry out an individual session. Through the individual session, you will get personalized advice from an expert. This consulting session is an opportunity for the student to address specific issues that allow them to delve into the areas of greatest interest.

Professional Virgin Olive Oil Training

Through this section, you will continuously train the tasting of virgin olive oil in the most comfortable way. You will receive a set of 5 VOO samples monthly. You will compare the results of your tasting with those of the ESAO Independent Tasting Panel on the Online Campus and you will write your own tasting notes in a guided and professional way.

Final Exam

The purpose of the final exam is for you to verify that you have integrated the knowledge acquired throughout the certification. It is important that you enjoy your training, since, in this way, learning will be more solid.

Closure

Once all of the above is completed, you will access your ESAO training certificate.

ONSITE METHODOLOGY. STRUCTURE.

Professional Virgin Olive Oil (Theory + Tasting) (Onsite)

This programme takes place in Spain, the world's largest producer of olive oil. It is held in English and it combines theoretical lessons with tastings. In this onsite training you will learn the most important aspects to become a good virgin olive oil taster.

Final Exam

The purpose of the final exam is for you to verify that you have integrated the knowledge acquired throughout the certification. It is important that you enjoy your training, since, in this way, learning will be more solid.

Closure

Once all of the above is completed, you will receive your ESAO training certificate by email.

MATERIAL

Olive Oil Sommelier Certificate

Throughout the Certificate, you will receive complete material*, which includes:

  • Pack of official virgin olive oil tasting glasses
  • Pack of watch glasses
  • Test tube
  • Tasting tablecloth
  • Tasting sheets
  • Samples of extra virgin, virgin and lampante oils
  • ESAO Book of Professional Tasting of Virgin Olive Oil
  • Bag and pens
  • Cap and vest or gown

* Materials are only given to the student in the ONLINE methodology of the Certification.

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ESAO Teaching Team

Strengthening our Teaching Team is an ongoing activity that leads us to continuously incorporate new experts whose  dedication to the students, passion for teaching and personal qualities stand out.
Currently we have more than 10 professors dedicated to this Program.

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Alumni Network

Once you start this Program, you will become part of the ESAO Community, with Alumni in over 20 countries. As an ESAO student you will gain lifelong access to ESAO’s network and the opportunities that come with it.
Furthermore, you will obtain a 10% discount on future courses that you decide to take with ESAO.

View list of students certified by ESAO

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

 

Do I need to speak English to apply to the Olive Oil Sommelier Certification?

Yes. English is a requirement for admission.
At the Olive Oil School of Spain, English is the working language used in the classroom. In case you do not speak English, please contact us to evaluate a different training alternative

How can I experience Olive Oil School of Spain first-hand before applying?

If you are considering applying to the Olive Oil Sommelier Certification, we recommend that you arrange an online interview with our Responsible for Registrations in International Programs.
Please schedule meeting here: Book Meeting

After obtaining the Olive Oil Sommelier Certification, can I continue my training at ESAO?

Yes. Continuous training is a fundamental pillar for success.
You can continue your training accessing to our Master Olive Oil Consultant Certification, Special Edition for ESAO Sommeliers. This is the highest degree that can be obtained within the School.

What is the difference between the Olive Oil Sommelier Certification and the Master OliveOil Consultant Certification?

The Master Olive Oil Consultant Certification has a wider approach. It is more oriented for professionals and entrepreneurs that want to set up a business in the sector or hold managerial positions at olive oil-related businesses or would like to assess other professional and businesses to optimise their procedures.

What happens if I cannot attend the onsite training?

If you are unable to attend the onsite edition of the Olive Oil Sommelier Certification, please check our cancellation policy.