At the peak of happiness

“Steilste Weinkost”: enjoyment at the highest level

Zechmeister and Kaiser organized the "steepest wine tasting" against the impressive backdrop of the Zauchensee World Cup arena.(Bild: Matthias Fritzenwallner)

Many Burgenlanders get a breath of fresh mountain air at the legendary ski week in Altenmarkt. In contrast to the World Championships in Saalbach, there was every reason to celebrate in this white paradise! The absolute highlight: enjoying wine on the downhill slope with world champion Michael Walchhofer.

Red and gold tradition on snow-covered peaks in the wild and romantic Salzburger Land: the 50th Burgenland Ski Week in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee has been in an anniversary mood for days.

Cheers at the start house
"The ski week is an expression of a deep friendship that closely connects two regions," says Governor and Tourism Minister Hans Peter Doskozil. The steepest wine tasting in Burgenland made a big impression on Thursday.

At the starting house of the World Cup downhill run at 2186 meters, wine academic Christian Zechmeister set the course amidst exquisite vinophile slopes of the Pannonian DAC regions - a breathtaking view of a spectacular Alpine panorama included.

World champion Michael Walchhofer (right) with a strong Burgenland team enjoying the wine on the steep slope.(Bild: Matthias Fritzenwallner)

Many familiar faces
The celebrity factor was as high as the mountains. Former downhill world champion Michael Walchhofer was on hand to explore the ski area in top form. Among those in the thick of it were Provincial Councillor Daniela Winkler, Head of the Chamber of Commerce Andreas Wirth, Alexander Hegedüs from Ski-Burgenland, Ski Association President Gerald Guttmann, organizer Thomas Kiss, Head of Provincial Protocol Rainer Winter and Tourism CMO Kurt Kaiser.

To mark the finale of the 50th Ski Week, the Burgenland Bar is once again the place to sample exquisite wines.(Bild: Burgenland Tourismus/Christoph Novak)

Crowning finale
The Burgenland Bar in the World Cup Arena is still open today. "Unfortunately, the ski week will soon be over. But its advertising value for guests from Vienna, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Germany and the Netherlands is enormous," says Didi Tunkel, Managing Director of Burgenland Tourism, drawing a positive balance.