Philip Bilney, SWS

  • SWS was a great opportunity for a deep dive into Spain and Spanish wine, a region about which I knew relatively little. It proved to be a wonderful learning journey!
  • Wine Enthusiast
  • WSET Levels 2 & 3
Philip Bilney, SWS

Congratulations to Philip Bilney, SWS, for achieving highest honors in the Spanish Wine Scholar exam with AWSEC, Hong Kong.

About Philip

I have been enjoying and interested in wine for decades and always thought I knew something about the subject….until I started studying it! My lockdown project has opened up a whole new exciting world and filled every wine list with a kaleidoscope of colour and possibilities!

In my day job I am an insurance industry investor, which has nothing whatsoever to do with wine, but with the pandemic shutting down travel I decided to take the opportunity to learn a thing or two about something I have always found fascinating and exciting.

I started by taking the WSET Level 2 course last year, and then moved on to the Level 3 earlier this year, being awarded a Distinction in both. An SWS program popped up over Easter and I leapt at it – it was a great opportunity for a deep dive into Spain and Spanish wine, a region about which I knew relatively little. It proved to be a wonderful learning journey!   

I am very keen to enrol in the French & Italian programs just as soon as I can – I know what the WSG can offer now, and am excited at the prospect of ever more learning. It is truly fulfilling and life-enhancing.

Beware! Joining WSG wine education programs can be an expensive investment… I have had to buy additional storage space for literally hundreds of extra bottles over the last year, and I prefer not to work out how much the wine itself has cost me! But, hey, at least I know what I’m investing in now…

Andrea Mcewan

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