Wine lovers are always welcome at Arlberg in Austria to savour its exceptional cuisine and outstanding cellars. But each December, at the start of the winter season, there is a very special reason to visit. Under the banner of ‘Arlberg Weinberg’, an initiative of Lech Zürs Tourism, numerous international wine- and gourmet-themed events take place. Renowned journalists, legendary wine producers and experts from all over the world gather in Lech to examine key trends, rate wines and enjoy informative and entertaining events.
The series, which started in 2015, is intended to support the positioning of Lech-Zürs as the premier gourmet village in the Austrian Alps. Over time it has expanded and evolved – and now, at the heart of Arlberg Weinberg, is a multi-day symposium with conferences and speakers on different themes of interest to wine industry. The aim is to give wineries and prominent industry figures a reason to come and stay in Lech, namely the opportunity to both update themselves on the sector’s most interesting subjects and efficiently network, surrounded by the most scenic landscape in central Europe.
Arlberg Weinberg in 2023 was notable for playing host for the first time to multiple conferences of interest to the wine industry (a Blaufränkisch summit was held in December 2022).
10th of December 2023
Master pruner Marco Simonit and wine writer Dr. Jamie Goode kicked off the proceedings on 10 December with a pruning conference, specifically looking at the impact of his world-renowned Simonit&Sirch pruning method on Old Vines. This was followed by an Old Vines tasting presented by Vinum magazine’s Harald Scholl and Goode.
11th of December 2023
On the morning of 11 December, it was Port and other fortified wines that were in the spotlight with a three-hour conference with panelists Barbeito managing director Ricardo Freitas from Madeira and Douro winemaker Daniel Niepoort. The conference was moderated by sommelier Amanda Wassmer-Bulgin from Switzerland.
11th of December 2023
12th of December 2023
The topic of ‘International Fine Wines’ was the focus of the last conference on 12 December. An all-star panel from as far afield as Hong Kong discussed the current state of the Fine Wine industry, its future and challenges. Simon Tam (former Head of Wine, Christie's Asia), Adrian Garforth MW (Chief Operating Officer of 67 Pall Mall Group) and Arnt Egil Nordlien (Vinmonopolet in Norway) provoked lively debate in the conference moderated by Pauline Vicard from Areni Global think-tank.
This discussion was the perfect prelude to two tastings of Austrian wines organised by Austrian Wine Marketing (ÖWM).
AUSTRIAN FINE WINES
The focus here was on top wines from Austria that are candidates for the designation of 'Fine Wines'. This tasting was curated and moderated by Paula Sidore (JancisRobinson.com), Peter Schleimer (Vinaria) and Willi Balanjuk (A la Carte).
AUSTRIAN SPARKLING
The second tasting was dedicated to sparkling specialities from Austria. Sascha Speicher (Meininger's sommelier magazine) put together the most exciting sparkling wines from various regions and categories and presented them to an international group of experts in a thoughtful manner.
To access photos, presentations and tasting lists from Arlberg Weinberg:
Lech Zürs am Arlberg offers guests remarkable skiing, outstanding culinary delights, and the finest of wines. The “Arlberg Weinberg” event, traditionally held in the first week of December, lavishes attendees with fantastic wines, culinary highlights, and captivating events. The program is tailor-made for wine lovers who also enjoy time on the slopes and joys for all the senses.
Arlberg Weinberg
Lech Zürs Tourismus
Dorf 2
6764 Lech am Arlberg
