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[Sponsored Report] Wine with a view at Somerset’s rooftop party

Published: 16 Oct. 2014, 05:46

Left: Guests, including Georgian Ambassador Nikoloz Apkhazava, fourth from left, toast with Georgian wine at the party last Tuesday on the rooftop garden of Somerset Palace in central Seoul. Right: A bird’s-eye view of the rooftop garden where the event was held. Provided by the company

Somerset Palace Seoul, a serviced residence located in central Seoul, hosted a barbecue party last Tuesday to promote one of its core facilities, the rooftop garden, to the public. The event was sponsored by the Georgian Embassy. More than 100 guests from the Georgian Embassy including Georgian Ambassador Nikoloz Apkhazava and Somerset residents got the chance to taste a variety of Georgian wines served with food and enjoyed the night view of downtown Seoul.

Georgia, presumably the birthplace of wine, has a very long tradition of making wine that dates back 8,000 years. The country grows more than 500 different grapes that make the unique Georgian wine. The warm climate and moist air from the Black Sea also plays a part in creating the aroma and the taste.

“Wine plays a vital role in everyday Georgian life and celebrations,” said the ambassador in his speech to the guests. “It forms an inseparable part of the cultural identity of local communities in harvesting and wine-making, with wine and vines frequently evoked in Georgian oral traditions and songs.”

Somerset’s rooftop garden, where the wine-tasting party was held, is the perfect venue for such events. Various plants including flowers and fruit trees are carefully selected to keep the garden colorful and fragrant throughout the year. The view of Gyeongbok Palace, located besides the residence, and the shopping district nearby provide a spectacular sight day and night. The garden demonstrates the hotel’s endeavors to serve guests with sustainable management.

The accessibility is also a merit of the place. Somerset Serviced Residence is within walking distance of three subway stations: Anguk, Jonggak and Gwanghwamun.

Somerset is managed by The Ascott Limited, a Singaporean residence owner-operator of CapitaLand. The company runs more than 200 properties across the Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Gulf region. Somerset is one of its three award-winning brands - Ascott, Citadines and Somerset - in over 80 cities in more than 20 countries.