Wine heaven in the Wine Dome

Gourmet temple in the Hospiz Alm

The Hospiz Alm gourmet temple in St. Christoph am Arlberg with Adi Werner's world-famous wine collection has gained yet another architectural attraction.

  

Balthasar, Nebuchadnezzar and Melchior in the wine cellar: these are not only the three holy kings, one of whom no longer even knows his name. This is the technical term to describe different sizes of large-format wine and champagne bottles of 12, 15 and 18 litres.

Exclusive bottlings

 
Hotelier legend Adi Werner of the Arlberg Hospiz Hotel in St. Christoph discovered his love for large-format bottles in the 1980s: The Hospiz Alm houses around 5,000 big bottles of between 3 and 27 litres in the "Adi Werner Wine World” cellar – a significant collection of large-format Bordeaux wines, exclusively bottled by prestigious French château wineries.

 

It is a well-documented fact that larger bottles allow wines to age better over extended periods and they remain at their peak of maturity for longer. The emotional impact of opening the bottle should not be underestimated either – a remarkable ritual that sets the tone for subsequent pleasures of the palate.

An elderly man stands in an exclusive wine cellar, facing a wall filled with horizontally stored wine bottles. The bottles are neatly arranged and reflect in the shiny racks. The room is atmospherically lit, evoking elegance and a deep appreciation for wine culture.
A spectacular wine cellar featuring hundreds of wine bottles, a modern chandelier made of glasses, and a round seating area with red carpet. A central table with a compass rose inlay enhances the elegant atmosphere, perfect for exclusive wine tastings.

A temple for wine lovers

 
The new "Wine Dome extern", an elliptical wine cellar designed for large bottles which has been part of the Werner collection since December 2022, also creates an emotional impact. The sight alone of this impressive collection induces reverence in the eye of its beholder. The collection is appropriately presented in a seemingly sacred circular building, including a cube with a treasure chamber tempered to 15 degrees.

 

This temple for wine lovers was designed by Viennese architect Gregor Eichinger, who also extended the "Hospiz Alm extern" restaurant by designing two additional private dining rooms for twelve guests, where luxury and alpine lifestyle form a perfect symbiosis: natural limestone for the benches and wood-panelled tables, complemented by fabric-covered wall panels, reflect the essential stylistic elements of the local architecture, while lending it a contemporary touch.

250 large bottles per year

 
Several sommeliers attend to both the cellars and the wine lovers who flock here to the top of the Arlberg pass. Around 250 large bottles are served per year. The Wine Dome can be rented for wine tastings and private events.

 

"The Wine Dome is hugely popular; our guests are entranced, and we give tours of the premises to interested parties several times a day."
Adi Werner, Arlberg Hospiz Hotel

A luxurious wine cellar with floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with wine bottles stored horizontally. Each bottle is labeled for easy identification. A large window reveals an adjacent room with additional wine racks, enhancing the cellar’s exclusive flair.