“It’s a great time to get creative” says Ireland Ambassador Morgan VanderKamer

By Rachel Fellows

Published 13-February-2025

Interview / Ireland

Canadian sommelier Morgan VanderKamer is Star Wine List’s Ireland Ambassador, recommending Red Star venues across both Northern and the Republic of Ireland. Having joined our team in 2022, Morgan is now adding 12 Red Stars to our selection on the Emerald Isle.

Morgan VanderKamer is President of the Irish Guild of Sommeliers and, since 2022, has brought SommiT to Waterford. An ever-expanding meeting of food and drink professionals, Morgan is busy with plans for this year’s event in November (when not working on her own wine list, of course). We asked her how food, wine and hospitality are looking at the moment.

Explore the full guide, here.

What's the major trend you're seeing across wine lists right now?

“Sparkling wine lists are really exciting at the moment, which is great to see. Pet-nats, Cava and Champagne are becoming the norm by the glass rather than Prosecco everywhere. Grower Champagnes have found their rightful place on Irish wine lists, which is a huge plus.

How would you describe the food and wine scene in Ireland today, for any visitors?

“The dining scene has a lot to offer across Ireland. You can find Michelin-starred restaurants and wine bars in rural areas. Dublin and Belfast are great cities to dine out, as are Cork and Galway. Ireland has a tremendous amount of wine imported to the island and the great spots are showcasing the island’s homegrown food offering and making their menu offerings more exciting with food and wine matching, cocktails and more.”

It's not an easy time for hospitality in Ireland – what's morale like amongst the sommelier community and what are the main challenges being faced?

“Hospitality definitely has some challenges but the wine community is evolving and working with them. Training and development within beverage programs is of particular importance. It’s a great time to get creative and a lot of people are doing just that.”

How can a wine bar or restaurant impress you?

“A thrilling wine-by-the-glass program is number one for me. I have always been a fan of wine flights too – it makes wine explorative for guests and is a great addition. I’ve seen this in a few of the new venues and I love it. Good and knowledgeable service is a big thing for me too.”

And within those new Red Stars, do you have any particular favourites?

“Each venue has such a different concept to the others: some regionally focused, such as A Fianco, make it very special because you know you won’t get the same anywhere else. There are some really amazing wine-by-the-glass lists and the concept of enjoying a bottle off the shelves for a small corkage fee is brilliant.

“The new Red Stars are all offering something different but in their own fashion. This is very exciting for wine drinkers.”

What does springtime have in store in Ireland? Any dates for the diary?

“Springtime is going to see a lot of portfolio tastings and we are looking forward to ‘30 under 30’ in June – it’s a new event that the Irish Guild of Sommeliers is hosting as we seek all of the up-and-coming wine talent on the island.”