Melbourne born and bred, Philip has more than 25 years’ experience as a passionate retailer, educator, wine show judge and wine writer. In 1996, Philip joined the van Haandels at The Prince of Wales and Stokehouse in Melbourne where he was responsible for all the wine buying, wine lists (including Circa’s award winning list) and sommelier training.  With the van Haandels Philip was the founder and a partner in Prince Wine Store (1996 – 2015) and then with new partners Bellota Wine Bar (2013-2015). From 1999 – 2016 he wrote the monthly wine column for The Australian Financial Review Magazine. 

Philip has chaired a number of wine shows including the James Halliday Chardonnay Challenge and Yarra Valley Wine Show, Margaret River Wine Show, Mornington Peninsula Wine Show and The Australian Pinot Noir Challenge.  From 2016 – 2019 Philip was the General Manager of Wine for Lucas Restaurants in Melbourne including Chin Chin (Melbourne and Sydney) and Kisumé (which won the Gourmet Traveller Best Wine List in Australia in 2017) and these days he divides his time between looking after France Soir’s 6000 bottle cellar and wine list, conducting wine tours to Burgundy, consulting to wine importers and retailers and covering Geelong and The Yarra Valley for the James Halliday Wine Companion.