The peak of culinary experiences at 10,000ft
ARE YOU a skier who sees lunch on the slopes as a Twix in a cable car? Or are you the type whose idea of a perfect skiing break is a mixture of skiing with a large helping of gastronomy in spectacular Alpine locations?
If you belong in the latter camp your giddiest fantasies might be to finish a day’s skiing and step into a swanky ski-lift to be whisked up to 10,000ft for a party in a twinkly mountain restaurant featuring food cooked by the hottest chefs in the business.
You can live out this fantasy at the annual Wein am Berg event, a long weekend of five-star accommodation, excellent skiing and gourmet food and wine in Sölden, one of the most spectacular resorts in the Austrian Tyrol.
You’ll stay in Das Central, the premiere hotel in Sölden – the sort of place where oysters and caviar are served at ‘welcome drinks’. On your first day on the slopes VIP guides (including Olympic medallists) will be on hand to give tips as you ski to lunch – a private al fresco buffet on a glacier featuring steak and an unforgettable Gruner Veltliner. Expect surprises as part of the meal – every year top chefs are flown in from around the world.
In the evening high-altitude wine-tasting will be an event in itself. It is held in the Ice Q restaurant – a glass cube perched 10,000ft up, which featured in the 2015 Bond film Spectre.
Dinner on the final night will be just as memorable. You take a ski lift to the Giggijoch mountain restaurant (champagne flute in hand) and after the meal you can dance to a Beatles tribute band or talk wine with the dozens of vintners proudly sharing the fruits of their labours.
There are fireworks, there are oompah bands – and you do it all in your snowboots. Did I mention the wine never stops flowing? Ski holiday heaven.
Wein am Berg 2020 runs from April 23 to 26. The Wein am Berg package starts from €1,726.00 (£1,548) per person in a double room at Das Central and includes the three-day Wein am Berg programme and a two-day ski pass. For further information, visit central-soelden.com