Wine trail · Austria

Classic Alpine Wine Culture

1. Kitzbühel wine and ski combination 1 2. Legendary Trofana Royal wine cellar 2 3. Gstaad Palace: Dinner in Season, Fondue in a Gold Vault 3 4. Michelin-star wine experience at world's most luxurious ski resort 4 5. Val Gardena après-ski with South Tyrolean wines 5 6. Gourmet Ski Safari - Michelin mountain huts 6 7. Speck and wine pairing at traditional Buschenschank 7 8. High Jura vineyards at Château-Chalon 8 100 km 1. Kitzbühel wine and ski combination 1 2. Legendary Trofana Royal wine cellar 2 3. Gstaad Palace: Dinner in Season, Fondue in a Gold Vault 3 4. Michelin-star wine experience at world's most luxurious ski resort 4 5. Val Gardena après-ski with South Tyrolean wines 5 6. Gourmet Ski Safari - Michelin mountain huts 6 7. Speck and wine pairing at traditional Buschenschank 7 8. High Jura vineyards at Château-Chalon 8 100 km

Historic cellars, traditional Heuriger, UNESCO heritage. The authentic mountain wine experience passed down through generations.

1–2weeks

Moderateeffort

8stops

The stops

  1. Adventure · Price: high Kitzbühel wine and ski combination Medieval town meets glamorous ski resort, hosting the legendary Hahnenkamm downhill race. The car-free old town hides sophisticated wine bars and cellars where Austrian wines pair with Tyrolean cuisine. Kitzbühel combines Alpine adventure with refined taste.
  2. Adventure · Price: high Legendary Trofana Royal wine cellar While Ischgl is famous as the "Ibiza of the Alps" for its party scene, the Trofana Royal hotel offers refined contrast with one of Austria's deepest wine cellars. Two-Michelin-star dining pairs Austrian treasures with innovative cuisine.
  3. Adventure · Price: very high Gstaad Palace: Dinner in Season, Fondue in a Gold Vault The Gstaad Palace opens twice a year: from 15 December 2026 to 7 March 2027, and from 20 June to 5 September 2027. The house says a local teacher, Robert Steffen, bought the first land, and the hotel opened on 8 December 1913; the Scherz family has owned it since 1947. There is no cellar tour or wine tasting. Someone not staying gets in by booking dinner, and men wear a jacket from 7 pm. You can walk up from the station in about 12 minutes, eat fondue in a wartime gold vault or by Le Grill's open kitchen, and end in the GreenGo club, which opened in 1971 and admits the public.
  4. Adventure · Price: high Michelin-star wine experience at world's most luxurious ski resort Le Chabichou holds 2 Michelin stars and arguably the Alps' finest wine cellar. Chef Stéphane Buron pairs 35,000 bottles with Savoyard-inspired haute cuisine. The juxtaposition of rustic mountain ingredients with sommelier-curated Grand Crus defines Courchevel's unique terroir.
  5. Adventure · Price: high Val Gardena après-ski with South Tyrolean wines Quintessential South Tyrolean après-ski culture in the heart of the Dolomites. The Sella Ronda ski circuit connects multiple valleys, and the traditional wood-carved village of Ortisei features excellent wine bars serving local Alto Adige wines.
  6. Adventure · Price: high Gourmet Ski Safari - Michelin mountain huts Alta Badia's legendary Gourmet Ski Safari lets you ski between mountain refuges, each serving a tasting course with paired wines from top South Tyrolean producers. The area has Europe's highest concentration of Michelin stars per square kilometer.
  7. Adventure · Price: low Speck and wine pairing at traditional Buschenschank Experience the authentic tradition of Buschenschank - farm taverns where winemakers serve their own wines with home-cured speck, cheeses, and bread. These seasonal establishments offer the most genuine South Tyrolean hospitality.
  8. Adventure · Price: moderate High Jura vineyards at Château-Chalon This dramatically perched medieval village produces only Vin Jaune - no other wine is permitted under its AOC. The steep vineyards below the fortress walls, ancient cellars, and panoramic views over the Jura plateau create wine's most atmospheric tasting experience.

The story

This trail is for those who believe the best wines come with stories, and the best stories come from the people who made them.

Plan the trip

Insider tip Many traditional venues are seasonal or family-run. Call ahead. Learn a few words of local language—it matters.

Getting there and around

Car required
Yes
Parking
Historic towns have parking outside walls. Wineries have free parking.
Nearest airport
Innsbruck (INN) - 1 hr to Kitzbühel
Drinking and driving
Most tastings involve small pours—use spit buckets freely. Book driver for major cellar days.
Other airports
  • Munich (MUC) - 1.5 hr
  • Zurich (ZRH) - 3 hr
  • Geneva (GVA) - 2 hr to Jura
Without a car
Train connects major cities but you'll miss rural wineries. Car essential for Buschenschank.

Where to stay

Base yourself in
Multiple bases recommended
Booking tip
Stay at wine estates in South Tyrol. Buschenschank hosts sometimes offer rooms above the tavern.
Nightly range
€120-350/night

Recommended stays

Budget
Traditional Gasthof and pensions - €80-120/night
Luxury
Gstaad Palace, Trofana Royal - €350+/night
Mid-range
Historic hotels with wine cellars - €150-250/night

What it costs

Includes
10 nights, wine tastings, Michelin dining, cellar tours
Meals
€60-150/day
Per person
€2,000-4,000
Ways to spend less
  • Buschenschank meals are excellent value
  • Buy bottles direct from producers—often half retail price
Tasting fees
€15-50 per winery