Monty’s of Kathmandu has the Best California Wine List in Ireland 2024
Dublin restaurant and wine bar, Monty’s of Kathmandu, has won the Gold Star for Best California Wine List at Star Wine List of the Year Ireland 2024.
At an awards ceremony held during SommiT, in Waterford, Monty’s Shiva Gautam accepted the accolade. “It's a vindication of all the hard work you put in, and also the investment you put in,” he said at the event. “There's a lot of work involved in choosing such wines.”
Gautam explained his love for Californian wines by telling us that “initially, for me, when I got into wine, it gave me the most instant gratification because they're sort of big-bodied wines, and I love the Chardonnay and Sauvignons with lovely oak – I love oaky wines. I always believe in selling what you enjoy most and I do enjoy drinking Californian wines. I think even now, Californian wines have evolved over time – they're becoming more refined. Even the Cab Savs are becoming a bit more approachable soon rather than having to lay down for 20 years. And the Chardonnays, they’re now using older oak, they’re using concrete eggs, and they’re becoming beautiful and refined Chardonnays so you haven’t got that full oak any more. So overall I think the wine industry in California is improving.”
Judge Reeze Choi had been impressed by Monty’s “fantastic line up with the iconic wines from the most well-known regions and AVAs. There are also some older vintage options and a selection by the glass.”
The award was presented by Lorcan O'Brien of distributor Dalcassian, on behalf of the category's sponsor, Louis M. Martini. The Californian winery is keen to raise the profile of the region's wines on Ireland's wine lists.
“Louis M. Martini, a proud sponsor of Star Wine List's California Wine Award in Ireland, is committed to championing California wines in the Irish market,” says Philip Lynch, Country Manager at Louis M. Martini's parent company, Gallo. “Despite the strong presence of US citizens and a thriving tourism industry, the visibility of top-tier Californian wines on Irish wine lists remains relatively low. We believe that Louis M. Martini, with its deep-rooted American heritage and exceptional quality, offers a unique opportunity to bridge this gap. As an iconic Napa Valley brand, it resonates with both US expatriates and Irish consumers alike.
“Given the strong ties between Ireland and the US, and the growing appreciation for premium wines, now is the ideal time to elevate California's presence on Irish wine lists. By partnering with Dalcassian, a leading distributor, we aim to increase our reach within the Irish trade and bring Louis M Martini to a wider audience.”
Runners up
Silver Stars for Best California Wine List were awarded to:
64 Wine, Glasthule
Dede at Customs House, Baltimore
The Restaurant at Ballyfin Demesne, Ballyfin
Wilde, Dublin
Expert jury
The judging panel for Star Wine List of the Year Ireland comprised three international wine experts.
• Reeze Choi, third-best Sommelier of the World 2023 (ASI)
• Julie Dupouy-Young, four-time Best Sommelier of Ireland
• Valeria Gamper, Best Sommelier of the Americas 2022 (ASI)
Categories and criteria
Star Wine List judges the wine lists in several categories such as the Best Sparkling Wine List and Best By the Glass List. These categories are the same across all of the awards. In addition, local categories may be added. We have commercial partners for certain categories, such as the Best Austrian Wine List, presented by Austrian Wine. The commercial partners are, however, never involved in the selections of finalists or winners — that is completely up to our independent jury panel.
The criteria for the jury are straightforward but not simple: vote for the most exciting wine list representing the category.
The winners in the international categories will qualify for our International Final in June 2025, where they will face off with the category winners from other countries and continents.
Read about the terms and how Star Wine List judges the wine lists here.
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