GLACIER Hotel 320-year-old wine cellar

How to Complete

4 steps to experience this fully

1. 🍷 1

   Descend to the 1700 Cellar

   wine $$$

   Book the Cellar Experience (CHF 120/person, 6 guests max) at least 1 week ahead via hotel-glacier.ch. The sommelier leads you down stone steps worn smooth by 320 years of footsteps to the original 1700 vault. Check in at hotel reception, not the restaurant. Listen for the story of the 1920s Heida discovered during 2018 renovations, and ask to see the oldest bottles.

   🔄 BACKUP: If Cellar Experience is booked, the restaurant offers a shorter wine flight (CHF 50) with 2 cellar bottles included.

   🍷 Log Memory
2. 📜 2

   Find the Family Wine Ledger

   history Free

   In the hotel lobby, there's a glass display case near reception with the original family wine ledger from the 1800s showing purchases from Valais producers. Ask reception to unlock the case for a closer look — the handwritten entries show wine prices from 150+ years ago.

   🔄 BACKUP: If the case is locked and no staff available, the restaurant has a framed photo of the ledger on the back wall.

   🍷 Log Memory
3. 🍷 3

   Taste the Historic Valais Flight

   wine $$

   Order the "Valais Heritage Flight" (CHF 45) at the hotel restaurant bar — 4 wines from grapes rescued from near-extinction. Ask sommelier Thomas about each grape's survival story: Petite Arvine, Cornalin, Heida, Humagne Rouge. These varieties almost disappeared entirely.

   🔄 BACKUP: If the flight isn't available, order Cornalin by the glass (CHF 15) - it almost went extinct in the 1970s.

   🍷 Log Memory
4. 🍷 4

   Request the Library Reserve

   Optional

   wine $$$$

   During any wine service at the hotel, ask about the "Library Reserve" — bottles from exceptional years the family keeps back. Say "I heard you have older vintages not on the menu." They'll show you the locked cabinet with treasures not listed anywhere.

   🔄 BACKUP: If nothing appeals or budget is tight, ask which bottle Thomas would choose for his own birthday.

   🍷 Log Memory