The English-Speaking Union

News and Events

Wednesday, January 11, 2023 at 5:00 PM (EDT)

Port Wines 

Take a journey with Dr. Phil Williams, President of the ESU Charlottesville Branch, and share a life-long fascination with Port wines, the nectar of the gods, and some of the grand stories which make it taste all the more wonderful. Whether one prefers White, Ruby, Tawny, Late Bottle Vintage, or Vintage Port, the history, politics, and traditions of Port are the stuff of legend.

"Be sometimes to your country true
Have once the public good in view
Bravely despise Champagne at Court
And choose to dine at home with Port." - Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) 

Dr. Henry P. (Phil) Williams III is currently an Adjunct Professor at the Institute of World Politics in Washington, D.C. He also teaches in the International Relations department of Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey. He has received Degrees and Diplomas from Culver Military Academy, the Universities of Virginia, Edinburgh, and Florence, and a PhD in International Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School, Tufts University. He has worked on the Mediterranean for more than ten years of his life, including stints in Turkey doing Doctoral Research, Investment Banking, and university-level teaching. He also worked in Corporate Finance on Wall St. for many years. He has published scholarly articles on Ottoman and Turkish Law as well as his recent book, Turkey and America, East & West – Where the Twain Meet. He has authored many news articles on Turkey and spoken widely on Turkey's domestic and international affairs for many years.

Phil has been an ESU member for over 23 years. He has previously served for four years as the ESU Charlottesville Branch President from 2007-2011. Phil has provided Branch Programming for 18 years. He has been active in Shakespeare and TLab programs for many years.  Phil represented the ESUUS in ceremonies in Istanbul, Turkey when their Branch was set up. He has played host to Region IV meetings. Phil is now three years into his second time as Branch President. During that time, the pandemic notwithstanding, the ESU Charlottesville Branch raised Branch membership from 70 to around 126 members currently.

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