Sommer Kitchen Grill & Food Lab

Sommer Kitchen Grill & Food Lab Sommer Kitchen Grill is here to bring great food to your next event! Searching for the next exciting dish, we want to bring a new way of dining to you.

Let yourself and your guests be amazed by our creations and widen your culinary horizon. We love good food and want to bring it to your table!

Clos Venturi Le Clos Blanc 2024 – Vermentinu from the mountainous interior around Ponte-Leccia. Altitude, warm Mediterra...
11/08/2026

Clos Venturi Le Clos Blanc 2024 – Vermentinu from the mountainous interior around Ponte-Leccia. Altitude, warm Mediterranean days and cooler nights shape a more structured expression of the variety: ripe citrus and stone fruit, herbs, texture and a distinctly saline finish.

From there back into the Balagne: Costa for last weekend’s Fiera di u Focu, celebrating Corsican craftsmanship and fire, before ending the evening in the stone lanes of Pigna.

Wine, terroir and Corsican identity – never very far apart here. 🍇🇫🇷

A visit to Enclos des Anges in the Balagne, where vineyards sit between the Mediterranean and the dramatic mountains sur...
08/08/2026

A visit to Enclos des Anges in the Balagne, where vineyards sit between the Mediterranean and the dramatic mountains surrounding Calvi.

By early August, the growing season is approaching its final stretch: the red grapes are well into véraison, bunches are gaining colour and harvest is coming into view. In a landscape this dry, sunny and exposed, the Mediterranean climate is unmistakable — but so is the influence of altitude, mountain air and the sea.

And this is what makes Corsican wine so fascinating: indigenous varieties, distinctive terroirs and a wine culture that feels unmistakably its own.

Some places capture the essence of an island in a single meal. Falasca is one of them: perched above the Bay of Calvi, w...
05/08/2026

Some places capture the essence of an island in a single meal. Falasca is one of them: perched above the Bay of Calvi, where breathtaking views meet thoughtful cuisine rooted in Corsican tradition.

In the glass, the 2024 Pumonte from Domaine Alzipratu—a beautifully textured Vermentinu with aromas of citrus, white flowers and Mediterranean herbs, carried by vibrant acidity and a saline, mineral finish that speaks of the Balagne.

The kitchen follows the same philosophy: local ingredients, treated with precision and respect, allowing the flavours of Corsica to take centre stage.

When the wine in your glass reflects the landscape in front of you, memorable dinners become unforgettable ones. 🍷⛰️🌊

Argentina’s Independence Day deserves Argentine wine. 🇦🇷🍷Yesterday I had the pleasure of leading a special tasting at Fu...
09/07/2026

Argentina’s Independence Day deserves Argentine wine. 🇦🇷🍷

Yesterday I had the pleasure of leading a special tasting at Futuro Si, exploring three very different expressions of Mendoza and one of the world’s most exciting wine regions.

🍷 Tomero Cabernet Franc 2022 – Cabernet Franc continues to establish itself as one of Argentina’s rising stars. Floral aromas, red berries, graphite and fresh herbs combine with vibrant acidity and refined tannins.

🍷 Luigi Bosca Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 – A benchmark producer showing why Cabernet Sauvignon still has an important place in Mendoza. Cassis, cedar, dark berries and beautifully integrated oak create a wine of structure and elegance.

🍷 Luigi Bosca Los Nobles Vistalba Malbec 2022 – A single-vineyard Malbec that highlights the variety’s more refined side. Concentrated black fruit, violet, cocoa and spice are balanced by freshness and impressive precision.

Three wines, three distinct personalities, and another reminder that Argentina offers far more than the stereotypes. Altitude, terroir and thoughtful winemaking continue to redefine what Mendoza can achieve.

Happy Independence Day, Argentina! 🇦🇷🍇

Most visitors come to Yamanashi for Mount Fuji. I came for the wine.The Kōfu Basin, framed by mountains and watched over...
17/06/2026

Most visitors come to Yamanashi for Mount Fuji. I came for the wine.

The Kōfu Basin, framed by mountains and watched over by Japan’s most iconic peak, is the cradle of Japanese viticulture. Here, vineyards stretch across alluvial fans beneath Fuji’s silhouette, benefiting from warm days, cool nights and a climate that has shaped winegrowing for more than a century.

A visit to Château Mercian reveals just how deep those roots run. Historic bottlings from the 1960s and 70s, old barrel cellars and carefully preserved archives tell the story of Japan’s ambition to create world-class wines long before Japanese wine became fashionable abroad. At the same time, the vineyards and tasting rooms showcase a modern industry increasingly confident in its own identity.

Standing among young bunches of grapes, with Fuji rising above the valley, it becomes clear that Japan is no longer looking to imitate Europe. Whether through Koshu, Muscat Bailey A, Syrah or Albariño, the country’s leading producers are creating wines that express a distinctly Japanese sense of place.

Few wine regions combine such a rich history, dramatic scenery and spirit of innovation as Yamanashi.

Today offered a glimpse into one of the most fascinating new chapters in the world of wine: Hokkaido.Long known for its ...
04/06/2026

Today offered a glimpse into one of the most fascinating new chapters in the world of wine: Hokkaido.

Long known for its dramatic landscapes, cool climate, and exceptional seafood, Japan’s northernmost island is increasingly attracting attention from wine lovers around the globe. Here, between rolling hills and the waters of the Tsugaru Strait, a new generation of vineyards is exploring what Japanese terroir can truly achieve.

One of the most exciting projects is the partnership between Burgundy and Hokkaido through Étienne de Montille and the renowned Domaine de Montille. Drawn by the region’s cool climate and growing potential for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the family established vineyards overlooking Hakodate, bringing generations of Burgundian expertise to one of Japan’s most promising wine regions.

A particular privilege today was tasting the very first vintage ever produced from this remarkable project. Beyond the wine itself, it felt like witnessing the beginning of a story. The wines combine the precision and elegance associated with Burgundy with the freshness, purity, and unique character of Hokkaido’s maritime climate.

Looking out across the young vineyards toward Hakodate Bay, it becomes clear why so many producers are investing in this region. Cool summers, long daylight hours, volcanic soils, and constant ocean influences create conditions unlike anywhere else in Japan.

As Japanese wine continues its rapid rise on the international stage, Hokkaido is emerging as one of its most exciting frontiers. And today, with a glass of the first vintage in hand, the future looked very bright indeed.

Karatsu Castle on the horizon, a glass of sake in hand, and the sea stretching endlessly beyond the window.One of the jo...
31/05/2026

Karatsu Castle on the horizon, a glass of sake in hand, and the sea stretching endlessly beyond the window.

One of the joys of travelling through Japan is discovering remarkable bottles far from the spotlight. Earlier in the voyage, a small sake shop on Amami Ōshima provided the opportunity to select a collection of bottles that would later become the centrepiece of a tasting on board HANSEATIC inspiration.

The goal was simple: to take guests on a journey through the world of sake. From elegant and aromatic styles such as Dassai 45 to more traditional expressions, each bottle was chosen to showcase a different facet of Japan’s national drink and the craftsmanship behind it.

With Karatsu Castle rising above the bay and fresh local sushi on the table, the tasting became more than a lesson in sake. It became a story of places, people, and discoveries made along the route. A bottle found on a small island in the Ryukyus, another from the Japanese mainland, each carrying its own regional identity and traditions.

Moments like these are what make expedition cruising so rewarding. Not simply visiting destinations, but bringing their flavours, stories, and cultures back on board to share with fellow travellers.

Steam rises from the earth long before you reach Beppu. From the harbor, the entire city seems to breathe — white clouds...
26/05/2026

Steam rises from the earth long before you reach Beppu. From the harbor, the entire city seems to breathe — white clouds drifting through narrow streets beneath the mountains of Kyushu.

This corner of Japan feels deeply shaped by volcanic energy. Boiling hot springs, mineral-rich waters, bubbling mud pools and the constant scent of sulfur are part of daily life here. Yet between the steam and stone, there is also remarkable calm: small shrines hidden in greenery, quiet temple bells and traditional castles overlooking the coastline.

Today moved between worlds. From the dramatic geothermal landscapes of Beppu to delicate sashimi prepared with incredible precision, from weathered wooden houses to modern cafés and artisan workshops. Japan has a way of making contrasts feel completely natural.

One moment you stand in front of a violently steaming blue hot spring, the next you find a tiny roadside shrine tucked beneath old leaves, or a peaceful castle rising above the sea. Even the ordinary details — mist rolling down the mountains, warm rain in the streets, the glow of a single lightbulb inside a workshop — begin to feel cinematic.

Kyushu is often quieter than Tokyo or Kyoto, but perhaps that is exactly why it stays with you longer.

From the quiet rain around Shuri Castle to the endless blue cliffs of Okinawa’s southern coast, these islands carry beau...
21/05/2026

From the quiet rain around Shuri Castle to the endless blue cliffs of Okinawa’s southern coast, these islands carry beauty and memory side by side.

Today was a journey through places where history still feels close: the Cornerstone of Peace, the former naval headquarters carved into the rock, old Ryukyuan guardians watching temple gates, and fish markets where the pulse of island life continues exactly as it has for generations.

Okinawa is never just one thing.
It is tropical light and difficult history.
Sacred spaces and busy harbours.
Shisa lions guarding shrines while tuna is carved a few streets away.

And somehow the ocean is always there in the background, impossibly blue, surrounding everything with silence and salt air. 🇯🇵🌊




Dassai 23 always feels less like a drink and more like an exercise in precision.Polished down to just 23% of the rice gr...
14/05/2026

Dassai 23 always feels less like a drink and more like an exercise in precision.
Polished down to just 23% of the rice grain, this Junmai Daiginjo carries an almost weightless elegance, yet its aromas unfold with incredible complexity: white peach, melon, yuzu, pear blossom and delicate notes of cream, rice sweetness and soft spice, all layered with a purity that seems almost impossible to capture in liquid form.

There is a quiet harmony to great sake that differs from wine — less about structure and more about texture, detail and flow. Dassai 23 moves effortlessly across the palate, calm and luminous, leaving behind a sense of stillness long after the cup is empty.





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