WildSnow.com is doing quite well these days. Arlberg is fun. As a celebration, we bought a special bottle of backcountry wine at the Hospiz Alm and had a toast to our continued success. Far be it that the grape came dear, it was worth every euro cent.
![Myself in full formal wine tasting rig. Myself in full formal wine tasting rig.](http://wildsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/IMG_7945-copy-525x351.jpg)
Myself in full formal wine tasting rig, appropriate for St. Anton am Arlberg. The cellar does celebrity portraits for their hall walls; I was honored with this one. Honestly, I was still wearing ski boots when the photo was taken.
![As they say, dress (or, drink?) for success, and what better place than the Hospiz Alm wine cellar at St. Christoph in the Arlberg, Alps. As they say, dress (or, drink?) for success, and what better place than the Hospiz Alm wine cellar at St. Christoph in the Arlberg, Alps.](http://wildsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/IMG_1618-copy-525x350.jpg)
As they say, dress (or, drink?) for success, and what better place than the Hospiz Alm wine cellar at St. Christoph in the Arlberg, Alps?
![Chateau Chevel Blanc Grand Cru Classic year 2000, an optimally affordable 80,000 euros a bottle. Chateau Chevel Blanc Grand Cru Classic year 2000, an optimally affordable 80,000 euros a bottle.](http://wildsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/IMG_7943-copy1-525x286.jpg)
Our choice for a table wine was easy. Chateau Chevel Blanc Grand Cru Classé year 2000, an optimally affordable 80,000 euros a bottle.
WildSnow.com publisher emeritus and founder Lou (Louis Dawson) has a 50+ years career in climbing, backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering. He was the first person in history to ski down all 54 Colorado 14,000-foot peaks, has authored numerous books about about backcountry skiing, and has skied from the summit of Denali in Alaska, North America’s highest mountain.