What ONAV does

ONAV (Organizzazione Nazionale Assaggiatori di Vino) is an Italian non-profit association founded on October 28, 1951, at the Chamber of Commerce of Asti, and headquartered in Asti, Italy. It is the oldest non-professional wine tasting organization in Italy, legally recognized by Presidential Decree in 1981 and recognized as a Third Sector Entity (ETS) in 2022. ONAV provides structured wine tasting and sommelier education through a three-level certification pathway — Assaggiatore (Level 1, 30 hours, 50 wines), Esperto Assaggiatore (Level 2, 50 hours, ~100 wines), and Maestro Assaggiatore (Level 3, in collaboration with the University of Turin via SUMAV) — plus a Master Sommelier program launched in 2025. Education is delivered through 110 territorial sections across Italy and internationally, supplemented by an online platform (MyONAV), the Guida Prosit perpetual online wine guide, and the L'Assaggiatore quarterly magazine.

The organization's business model rests on four revenue streams: recurring annual membership fees, professional course fees across the four certification tiers, one-time book sales (Manuale dell'Assaggiatore volumes and Vitigni rari d'Italia at €30-€70), and 5x1000 Italian tax donations enabled by ETS status. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: 500+ monotematic events annually drive acquisition, while the MyONAV portal and Fidelity partner program reinforce retention. Customers span wine enthusiasts and amateurs, wine industry professionals (hospitality, restaurants, retail), ordinary "ONAV Lovers" members, and corporate/hospitality accounts seeking staff training. The Scientific Council (established 2015) under Prof. Vincenzo Gerbi provides academic oversight, and Luigi Moio's concurrent presidency of O.I.V. confers international standing. The organization has 1-10 HQ employees and operates without external funding rounds or M&A activity, consistent with a member-funded non-profit model.

Name

ONAV

Legal name

ONAV - Organizzazione Nazionale Assaggiatori di Vino

Website

https://onav.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ONAV is an Italian non-profit association founded in 1951 that delivers structured wine tasting and sommelier certification through a three-level course program. It serves wine enthusiasts, hospitality professionals, and ordinary members across 110 territorial sections in Italy and abroad.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Education and Tasting Certification

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Food, Wine & Beverage Festivals/Expos (MPAGAFAE)

Keywords

• Wine tasting education
• Sommelier certification
• Wine culture association
• Professional wine training
• Wine evaluation courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Asti

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees providing access to courses, Guida Prosit wine guide, L'Assaggiatore magazine, Fidelity program, and all member benefits.
2. Course Fees: Three-level professional certification program fees. Level 1 (Assaggiatore), Level 2 (Esperto Assaggiatore), and Level 3 (Maestro Assaggiatore or Master Sommelier). Courses available in-person and online.
3. Book Sales: Sale of educational books including Manuale dell'Assaggiatore Volume 1 (€40), Volume 2 (€70), Vitigni Rari d'Italia (€30), and ONAV 1951-2016 history book.
4. 5x1000 Donations: As a Third Sector Entity (Ente del Terzo Settore), ONAV receives 5x1000 donations from taxpayers using fiscal code 00155130057.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ONAV is a non-profit association that delivers structured wine tasting education and certification through a three-level program (Assaggiatore, Esperto Assaggiatore, Maestro Assaggiatore/Master Sommelier), delivered via 110 territorial sections across Italy and an online platform. Members additionally receive access to the Guida Prosit online wine guide, the L'Assaggiatore quarterly magazine, and the ONAV Fidelity discount program.

Product overview

ONAV (Organizzazione Nazionale Assaggiatori Vino) is a non-professional wine education and tasting organization offering a multi-level certification program. The portfolio includes three levels of Wine Taster/Sommelier courses (Assaggiatore, Esperto Assaggiatore, Maestro Assaggiatore) plus a Master Sommelier program, the Guida Prosit online wine guide, the L'Assaggiatore quarterly magazine, the MyONAV member portal, the ONAV Fidelity loyalty program for affiliated businesses, and educational publications including the Manuale dell'Assaggiatore volumes and Vitigni rari d'Italia. The organization operates through 110 territorial sections across Italy and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Corso per Assaggiatore di Vino (1° livello) 30-hour theoretical and practical entry-level course for obtaining the Wine Taster patent and registration in the National ONAV Register. Covers wine history, sensory perception, modern viticulture and enology, sustainability, and includes tasting evaluation of 50 wines from Italian wine excellence. Available in-person through territorial sections and online.
• Corso per Esperto Assaggiatore di Vino (2° livello) 50-hour intermediate course covering grape varieties and Italian and international wine territories. Includes geology, pedology, terroir concepts, tasting technique of approximately 100 selected wines, and registration in the National ONAV Register.
• Corso per Maestro Assaggiatore di Vino (3° livello) University-level third-level course for obtaining the Master Wine Taster patent, organized in collaboration with DISAFA of University of Turin. Delivers academic teaching on production techniques and wine analysis.
• Master Sommelier Third-level professional certification course comprising over 50 hours of lessons with 25% practical application, leading to the Master Sommelier patent. Covers food anthropology, neuroscience, wine service techniques, food pairing, beer, oil, balsamic vinegar, spirits, and restaurant management. Requires prior Expert and Master Taster ONAV status.
• Guida Prosit Permanent online wine guide of Italian wines featuring ratings from 90 provincial commissions and one national commission. Based on blind tastings, with no advertising, no contributions, free for ONAV members.
• L'Assaggiatore Official quarterly magazine of ONAV distributed in print and digital format to members and subscribers, covering wine tasting topics and ONAV activities. Directed by Daniele Cernilli with staff including Alessandro Brizi and Flavia Rendina.
• ONAV Fidelity Loyalty program providing ONAV members with exclusive discounts and benefits at affiliated restaurants, wine bars, and wine shops throughout Italy. Affiliated businesses register to offer advantages to ONAV members.
• MyONAV Member Portal Member portal providing access to the full digital version of L'Assaggiatore magazine, Guida Prosit wine guide, course registrations, event participation, and membership management.
• Manuale dell'Assaggiatore Volume 1 Educational textbook by Mario Ubigli and Ezio Alini covering the approach to the world of vines and wine with insights into human sensory stimuli and perceptions. Priced at €40.00.
• Manuale dell'Assaggiatore Volume 2 - Enografia nazionale Educational book covering vines and wine in Italian regions with insights into geopedology and climatology of individual DOC wines. By Mario Ubigli, Ezio Alini, and Alessandro Brizi. Priced at €70.00.
• Vitigni rari d'Italia Educational book documenting rare Italian grape varieties with ampelographic characteristics, geographic distribution, and wine pairings. By Flavia Rendina, Vito Intini, Mario Menconi, Enzo Brambilla, and Carlo Consonni. Priced at €30.00.
• ONAV 1951-2016. I primi 65 anni Historical book documenting the first 65 years of ONAV, Italy's first non-professional wine education association. By Michele Alessandria, Alessandro Brizi, Vincenzo Gerbi, Vito Intini, Paolo Monticone, and Flavia Rendina.

Segments4 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

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Università di Torino (UniTO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019SUMAV (Scuola Universitaria Maestri Assaggiatori di Vino) is a collaborative program between ONAV and the University of Turin DISAFA department. University professors and researchers deliver lectures on wine production trends, environmental issues, and conduct technical tastings. The partnership provides academic rigor to the Maestro Assaggiatore certification.
• Camera di Commercio di AsticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded ONAV on October 28, 1951. Historical founding partner that established the organization during Italy's post-war reconstruction period as part of promoting national wine excellence.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET): Global leader in wine and spirits education offering multi-level certification (Levels 1-4) through a worldwide network of approved providers. WSET is the most direct international peer to ONAV's three-level wine tasting and sommelier certification model, though it operates at much larger global scale.
• Associazione Italiana Sommelier (AIS): Italy's largest and most recognized sommelier association, also offering multi-level sommelier training across Italian territorial sections. AIS is ONAV's primary domestic peer, with broader brand recognition in Italy and parallel course/territorial network model.
• Court of Master Sommeliers: UK-origin organization administering the prestigious Master Sommelier diploma across multiple countries. Competes with ONAV's newly-launched Master Sommelier course for the highest tier of professional wine credentials globally.
• International Sommelier Guild (ISG): US-based wine school offering certified sommelier and wine education programs across multiple countries. Directly comparable certification structure and target customer base of hospitality professionals and enthusiasts.

Emerging players

• International Wine & Spirit Institute (IWSI): Hong Kong-headquartered wine and spirits education body offering certifications. Less established globally than WSET but overlapping target market of professionals seeking recognized wine credentials.
• Wine Scholar Guild: Specializes in country- and region-specific wine education programs with online and in-person formats. Comparable niche specialization approach to ONAV but more digitally native and US-based.
• Wine Folly: Digital-first wine education platform serving enthusiasts with free and paid content. Represents the digital-native competitor whose free content commoditizes the entry-level tier of ONAV's offering.

Broad incumbents

• Society of Wine Educators: US-based organization offering Certified Wine Educator and other credentials, with overlap in the professional wine education space but a more US-centric focus.
• Decanter: Leading international wine media brand with events, competitions, and learning content. Overlaps with ONAV's Guida Prosit wine ratings and L'Assaggiatore magazine mission, but operates as a commercial publisher.

Regional players

• Fondazione Italiana Sommelier (FIS): Italian wine education organization offering sommelier training courses. Smaller alternative to AIS/ONAV domestically, with comparable multi-level course structure targeting Italian enthusiasts and professionals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

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 ONAV