A Ski Sommelier™ Guide to Luxury Travel Like a Local

Every year in early December, before the holiday crowds arrive for peak season, something special happens in Lech am Arlberg. The village transforms into an epicurean playground for the cults of Dionysus and Warren Miller. That’s wine lovers, chefs, sommeliers, and early-season alpine powder hounds. It is called the Arlberg Weinberg, and it is one of the most memorable ways to begin a perfect ski season in the Alps.

It’s also still largely undiscovered - a secret shared among those who know, and for now it remains a place where you can enjoy the world’s best flavors in exclusive peace and privacy.

Lech already has a reputation for understated luxury. The hotels are polished, plush, and refined without being pretentious, the pistes are perfectly groomed, and the après culture leans more toward Champagne on a terrace than jaegerbombs in a goat barn. Arlberg Weinberg offers a simple but powerful recipe for bliss. Begin with a world-class ski village, fill it with Austria’s best wineries plus a mix of international estates, and give guests ten days of tastings, dinners, masterclasses, and gourmet experiences. That is the formula. The result is hedonistic alpine magic.

©Arlberg Weinberg | Lech- am Arlberg in winter

What is Arlberg Weinberg?

Arlberg Weinberg is a wine and culinary festival organized by the Lech Zürs tourism board. It runs for about 10 days in early December and uses the entire village as its stage. Tastings take place in hotel lounges, elegant restaurants, alpine chalets, and sometimes even in gondolas gliding over the slopes.

The concept is simple. Lech is already one of the premier winter destinations in Europe, with high-quality skiing and a loyal, international crowd. Pair that with Austria’s finest producers and a set of carefully curated events, and you get a festival that blends gourmet culture with the relaxed beauty of the early ski season. It is refined but never stuffy. The tone is simultaneously welcoming, classy, and comfortable.

Who Attends?

The audience is a mix of people who care about wine, food, and mountain life. Collectors and connoisseurs come for direct access to winemakers and rare bottles. Sommeliers and industry professionals come to taste new vintages, build relationships, and sharpen their knowledge. European luxury travelers, many of whom are already loyal to Lech, plan their December holidays to include the festival.

There is also a large group of curious, enthusiastic visitors who simply love discovering great wine. They come to enjoy the intimate atmosphere with wine experts and like-minded travelers. One minute you are chatting with a producer from Kamptal about soil types; the next you are talking to a Dutch family who skis fresh powder in the backcountry every morning. It’s an event serious enough for wine professionals, and relaxed enough for anyone who wants to taste great bottles in a beautiful alpine setting.

Who Presents?

Arlberg Weinberg brings in a strong lineup of producers each year. Expect top estates from across Austria, especially Niederösterreich from Wachau in the west to Carnuntum in the east. Austria is the anchor, but international guests round out the program. Champagne houses often participate. German and Italian producers appear regularly. Each year has interesting variations, but the pattern is consistent: a curated mix of Austria’s elite plus a handful of respected names from abroad.

The presenters are not just wineries. Lech’s hotels and restaurants play a central role. Many host winemaker dinners, vertical tastings, or themed evenings. Chefs contribute their own craftsmanship, pairing regional ingredients with special cuvées that rarely leave the cellar. Some seminars are led by Masters of Wine or top Austrian sommeliers. The overall quality is consistently high.

Kulinarik in Lech Zürs ©Daniel Zangerl | ©Lech Zürs Tourismus

What Happens During the Festival?

The festival offers a wide range of indulgent epicurean activities.

Koestlicher Ring (the “Delicious Ring”)

Lech is famous for the White Ring, a stunningly beautiful 14km ski circuit. The Koestlicher Ring, translated as “Delicious Ring,” plays off that legacy as a foundational experience of Arlberg Weinberg. Guests stroll through the most picturesque village in the Alps (according to many, including me), visiting four of Lech’s most beautiful hotel properties: Hotel Post, Hotel Arlberg, Die Krone, and Der Berghof. Each hotel focuses on wines from a specific country. The task is to sample wines, talk directly with the producers and winemakers, sample small bites paired with the wines, and enjoy the warm, elegant ambiance. It is social, lively, educational, and welcoming.

The Best Bottle Award

The organizers define a grape or style, such as Champagne. Sommeliers from top hotels in Lech and Zürs nominate a bottle from their wine cellars and offer it as their “best bottle” for evaluation. Twelve bottles are in the hunt, and the sommeliers, judges, and experts taste each blindly, assigning a score on a 100-point scale. The winner receives a prize and a bottle to display at their hotel.

Winemaker dinners

Winemaker dinners are the highlight for many. Multi-course menus prepared by top hotel kitchens are paired with curated flights of wine. These dinners often feature special bottlings, older vintages, or comparisons between sites and styles. You sit at beautifully set tables. You talk with the winemaker. You learn a lot, but the tone never drifts into classroom territory.

Wine Workshops, Tastings and Masterclasses

During the Arlberg Weinberg, guests can register for various presentations and discussions. Topics have included:

How to reach young consumers
Who wants us not to drink wine? And why?
Quo vadis Bordeaux – and what's the path of Burgundy?
How the British wine market works
Is Sparkling still booming?
Riesling – King of White Wines?

More tasting opportunities abound, such as:

Furmint (incl. Austria) – Rising Superstar of Central Europe
Alsace Grand Crus Rieslings
Bordeaux – the great traditionals and upcoming new faces
Vinea Wachau: Best of Wachau 2015 - 2025

Speakers include top wine producers, sommeliers, wine journalists, and industry legends. The formidable Jancis Robinson was an attendee and speaker in recent years.

© OeWM | Martin-Grabmayer OeWM Marketingtag 2020

What Does It Cost?

Pricing varies by experience, but the pattern is clear. Walk-around tastings tend to be the most accessible, often around €30 to €60.

Masterclasses and vertical tastings range from €70 to €150 depending on the wines poured.

Winemaker dinners usually fall between €150 and €350 EUR depending on venue and complexity.

Some hotels offer packages that include accommodation, breakfast, event tickets, and special amenities.

Nothing about Lech is budget travel, and Arlberg Weinberg follows suit. The pricing reflects the quality of the wines, the calibre of the producers, and the setting. If you want a luxury winter wine festival, this is exactly what it looks like.

How to Get There

The closest major airport is Zurich, usually about two hours by car or shuttle. Innsbruck is closer in distance but has fewer international flights. The nearest train station is Langen am Arlberg. From there, a taxi or bus takes you to Lech in around twenty minutes - and it’s one of the most dramatic and beautiful drives you’ll ever experience.

Winter access is usually easy, but heavy snow can require snow chains on certain days. Many hotels arrange private transfers from Zurich or Innsbruck, which makes arrival seamless.

What Else Can You Do in Lech?

The Big JG at the White Ring | ©Eat Drink Fun LLC

This is where Arlberg Weinberg becomes more than a wine festival. It is also the perfect early-season ski holiday.

Snow Reliability

With the village positioned at 1444 meters, Lech offers reliable piste conditions in December, especially for skiers who appreciate smooth grooming, quiet runs, and spacious terrain. You can ski Lech, Zürs, Oberlech, and the wider 300km (186 mile) Ski Arlberg network. The villages are photogenic, with snow-covered roofs, twinkling lights, and an atmosphere that feels more elegant than festive chaos.

If you enjoy a great apres ski party, check out the Eat Drink Fun Podcast interview with Eugen Scalet, founder of the MooserWirt in St. Anton am Arlberg.

Excellent Restaurants

The culinary scene is epic. Alpine fine dining restaurants. Modern Austrian cuisine. Traditional mountain dishes done incredibly well in the most impossibly beautiful slopeside chalets you’ve ever seen. For most North American skiers, Lech will completely reset your expectations for dining on the mountain while skiing.

Wellness and Spa Life

Need a wellness break? Spas throughout the village offer post-ski relaxation. Non-skiers have easy access to winter hiking, beautiful art installations, sleigh rides, boutique shops, and panoramic viewpoints.

Because the festival falls just before Christmas, many guests combine it with holiday markets in Innsbruck, Bregenz, or Zurich. It is a brilliant way to start the winter.

Living your best life at Mohnenfluh | ©Eat Drink Fun LL

Why Arlberg Weinberg Should Be on Your List

If you love wine, skiing, and the Alps, Arlberg Weinberg is one of the best December experiences in Europe. You spend your mornings on quiet pistes, your afternoons in cozy lounges sipping great wine and chatting with the producer, and your evenings enjoying those wines at acclaimed restaurants. The atmosphere is refined and always warm, kind, and welcoming. The scenery is exceptional. The flavors are unforgettable.

It is the type of event that immediately becomes a tradition. You go once, then you find yourself returning the next year with friends.

If you want the perfect start to winter, Lech is waiting, the wines are open, and the season is young.

Where Should You Stay?

Eat Drink Fun recommends the following properties.

Five Star Properties

Hotel Post

Book your stay - Hotel Post

Relais & Chateau member
A long family tradition of hosting celebrities and royalty, including the British, Dutch, Norwegian, and Jordanian royal families.

Four Star Properties

Chalet Anna Maria

Book your stay - Chalet Anna Maria

Hotel Gotthard

Book your stay - Hotel Gotthard

Pfefferkorn’s Hotel

Book your stay - Pfefferkorn's Hotel

Hotel Schranz

Book your stay - Hotel Schranz

About Eat Drink Fun

If Arlberg Weinberg inspires you to experience Lech at its most delicious, consider taking the next step and letting a Ski Somm® design your trip. A Custom Adventure brings together the best skiing, dining, and wine experiences across the Alps, tailored to your pace and preferences.

For more inspiration, explore our guides to early-season skiing, our Lech and Zürs village deep dives, and our videos on Austria’s top food and drink experiences. When you are ready to plan your own alpine getaway, I would be glad to help you enjoy the mountains the way they deserve to be enjoyed.

Lech’s Arlberg Weinberg: A Secret December Wine & Ski Escape