Athens to Host Advanced Olive Oil Sommelier Programme This November

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Athens will bring together olive oil specialists from around the world this November for an advanced professional programme examining extra virgin olive oil far beyond the tasting glass.

The 360° Olive Oil Sommelier Advanced Certificate will run from 10 to 14 November 2026, returning to the Greek capital for a second consecutive year. Organised by the Switzerland-based International Olive Oil Network (IOON), the five-day programme covers sensory evaluation alongside production, health, gastronomy, sustainability, branding, olive oil tourism and the commercial realities of the industry.

The course will be held in English at NYX Esperia Athens, with enrolment capped at 25 participants. Tuition is €2,800, while already certified olive oil sommeliers from recognised programmes may be eligible for a 10 per cent reduction. Travel and accommodation are not included.

It is a considerably broader proposition than the traditional image of a sommelier course centred on recognising aromas and defects.

Across more than 40 hours of instruction, participants will examine the journey of olive oil from grove to bottle, including harvesting, extraction, filtration, storage and packaging, and how decisions at each stage affect quality and flavour. The curriculum also moves into evidence-based health and nutrition, menu development and food pairing, consumer behaviour, premium product positioning, branding and the design of olive oil tourism and tasting experiences.

Sensory training remains central. Participants will use methods aligned with International Olive Council sensory practices to identify defects, assess fruitiness, bitterness, pungency, balance and complexity, and compare cultivars and production styles from different parts of the world. The current programme lists guided tasting of more than 50 rare and benchmark extra virgin olive oils, including varietals, blends and early and late harvest oils.

Earlier programme material and Greek reporting have indicated that the broader tasting programme may encompass more than 100 selected samples over the course of the week.

From the tasting room to the olive mill

The emphasis on practical application continues outside the classroom.

The final component includes a hands-on visit to a working olive mill, giving participants the opportunity to connect what they have identified in the glass with extraction and quality-management decisions made during production. An optional Mini Master Miller module is also available for an additional €200, focusing more closely on the relationship between processing decisions and sensory results.

The course also incorporates the Future of Olive Oil Summit on 13 November, bringing producers, scientists, sensory specialists, chefs and other industry professionals into the programme for discussion around issues including innovation, sustainability, market development and the future of the sector.

Organisers say the 2026 teaching group will draw specialists from 13 countries, with the programme aimed at producers, millers, professional tasters, chefs, hospitality and tourism operators, retailers, marketers, educators and others working within the olive oil industry.

The programme is CPD accredited and has been developed with involvement from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), the Swiss Olive Oil Panel and specialists connected with International Olive Council-recognised sensory panels.

For Greece, the decision to stage the advanced programme in Athens is particularly relevant. Rather than treating the country’s olive oil heritage simply as tradition, the curriculum looks at how cultivars, provenance, production methods and gastronomy can be translated into measurable quality, stronger professional knowledge and a clearer proposition in international markets.

The Athens programme sits at Level 3 of IOON’s wider 360° Olive Oil Sommelier pathway, following foundation and intermediate programmes being delivered internationally. The organisation describes the advanced qualification as its flagship programme.

The official programme confirms the November dates, Athens venue, limited intake and advanced curriculum.

360° Olive Oil Sommelier Advanced Certificate

Dates: 10–14 November 2026

Location: NYX Esperia Athens, Athens, Greece

Language: English

Tuition: €2,800

Places: Limited to 25 participants

Optional Mini Master Miller module: €200

Includes: more than 40 hours of instruction, guided tastings, course materials and tasting kits, Future of Olive Oil Summit participation, welcome dinner and networking events, olive mill field visit and CPD-accredited certification.

Enrol in the 360° Olive Oil Sommelier Advanced Certificate programme here

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