James Handford MW
The Boss
James founded Handford Wines in 1989. The aim was to bring wines of character, charm and a true representation of their origin to the good people of Holland Park. James became an MW in 1994, one of the youngest Masters at the time.
Gavin
General Manager
Gav first arrived to manage the Holland Park shop which we sadly shut in 2007. Now, the glue that holds the whole operation together, you’ll find him running everything from our general management through to our maintenance.
Vicky (DipWSET)
Private Sales
Vicky joined the Handfords team back in 2011. Her most notable vinous achievement was completing the Medoc Marathon - with its 23 tasting stops it was a great way to combine exercise and education! She completed her WSET Diploma in 2010 and became a certified WSET educator in 2017. Vicky loves fine wines from around the world and she would love to help you create your perfect cellar.
Laurie (DipWSET)
Marketing and eCommerce
Laurie joined the team in 2016 and manages the online and marketing sides of the business. An Aussie with an unsurprising fondness for Margaret River wines, he loves wine travel and has visited wineries around the world. including Barola and Barbaresco in Italy, Margaret River and the Barossa in Australia, Dao and Bairrada in Portugal and Mosel and Rheingau in Germany. He completed his WSET Diploma in 2018.
Nial (DipWSET)
Retail Manager
Nial is an American with a background in restaurant management. He joined the team in 2016, completed his WSET Diploma in 2023 and has been running the wine club since 2018. His favourite wine is whatever is in his glass but is partial to reds from South Africa or Italy. Nial loves talking about wine, food, or just about anything else.
Vito
Wine Advisor
Vito caught the Wine Bug while out skiing in British Columbia. Naturally he loves alpine whites and has a particular fondness for anything Grenache. Vito has worked harvests at wineries in Canada and here in England at Nyetimber. He specialises in Italian wines and began his WSET Diploma in September 2022.
Oisin
Wine Advisor
Oisin (aka Osh) joined the team in 2024 after previously working in neighbourhood wine shops in East London. His favourite wines are Riesling, old Northern Rhone, Loire and Piedmont, but he loves discovering unclichéd wines from new regions. He is currently excitedly working his way through Handford’s stellar ranges of South African wine.
Adrian
Wine Advisor
Before joining Handford Wines, Adrian was previously a sommelier/wine-waiter and a consultant to a start-up wine importer, though before joining the wine trade he spent 15 years in academia. His tastes in wine are all-embracing, but classical, though he has a special love for the wines of the Loire Valley, northern Rhone, Burgundy, traditionally styled Bordeaux and dry German/Alsatian Riesling. He holds the WSET Level 3 qualification and has begun working on his Diploma.
Harley
Delivery Manager
Harley has been our delivery manager for over a decade and is the man who will get your wines to you.