La Loupe St. Anton, St. Christoph & Stuben am Arlberg No. 4

esponsible for the other and the mixture of products that are
bought is great. My favourite wine region is Saint Emilion in
Bordeaux. The main grape variety there is Merlot/Cf/Pv. In
terms of wines this area has recently improved the most, worldwide
and thanks to the Châteaus Cheval Blanc, Figeac, Pavie
and Peby Faugeres it enjoys great fame. The wines are very approachable
and develop their maturity already at 7 or 8 years.
L.L. What do you think about biodynamically produced
wines?
K.P. Organic wines are very popular. When someone works
with nature in a sustainable way, only good things can come of it.
During my last journey I took note of one winemaker who really
doesn’t treat the wine at all before he lets it age. He even says that
his wines are not sulphured. And the success is great – he earns
good money with high-quality products. My only fear would be
that the wines could not survive being stored for a longer period of
time because no measures are taken to conserve them.
L.L. What’s your definition of a “good bottle of wine”? And
how much is it worth?
K.P. What’s important for me is that the quality justifies the
price. The tannins should be nicely balanced with the acidity
and the body of the wine. And when it starts “flowing” in the
sense that after having one glass you’d like a second or third or
more, the quality is good. How much a wine is worth is a hot
topic. Maybe you could say that the price people are willing to
pay determines the value.
Kulinarik & Genuss
“We have many exclusive
wines in magnum
bottles holding three
to 18 litres.”
“What’s so special is
that the ratio of the
cork to the bottle is
better in a magnum
bottle than in a
smaller one, it lets
the wines age much
more gently.”
“You have to keep
in mind that there
hardly are any old
wines left. Either
they’re drunk quickly
or they disappear in
collectors’ cellars.”
L.L. Would you say that the guests of the Arlberg are great
epicures?
K.P. The Arlberg does have an extraordinarily large number
of wine lovers among its guests. And not just older ones – young
people increasingly discover their passion for wine, too. I’m sure
that nature has a part in this, too. After an active day on the
mountain people simply like to enjoy a nice glass. That’s part
of being on holiday. With spirits it’s a little more complicated
though. People always used to have a round of liquor after the
meal. Today people may only enjoy a shot when you suggest