Switzerland hires the world’s first sommelier for mountain air
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Switzerland hires the world’s first sommelier for mountain air
Graubünden, Switzerland’s largest mountainous region, has hired the world’s first mountain air sommelier: long-time perfumer and chemist Patrick Stebler. His job will be to make the Swiss mountain air more accessible to tourists and heighten their awareness of it.
Not all wines are created equal – and the same is true of mountain air. But can you really differentiate between the mountain air of different regions? And is it possible to enable a more intense outdoor experience and maximise the health benefits of this fresh air by highlighting various scents? These were the questions posed by Graubünden Ferien, the tourism organisation of the canton of Graubünden, a mountainous region in south-eastern Switzerland. And they found the answers they were looking for: starting immediately, as the official mountain air sommelier, Patrick Stebler will be guiding tourists through various mountainous regions and increasing their awareness of the scents that they encounter on the way – Swiss stone pine forests, wild herbs, morning dew on Alpine meadows, chestnuts, and much more.
Mindful breathing with the air sommelier
The 58-year-old from Chur, Graubünden, has nurtured a fascination for scents for many years. «We take in so many different scents every day without ever really noticing it,» says Stebler. «We live extremely visual lives, and we also experience tranquil, restorative moments in the outdoors primarily with our eyes.»
Experiences are strongly tied to emotions. As one of the strongest senses, our sense of smell directly triggers our memories and emotions. «I want to show our guests that relaxation, recuperation and their experiences in the mountains can be much more intense when we focus on our noses,» Stebler continues enthusiastically.
A piece of nature to keep with you
Patrick Stebler has compiled various offers for eight mountainous regions in Graubünden all centred around our sense of smell: olfactory hikes in which, after an introduction, participants receive a tincture capturing the local scents that they can keep with them at all times.
For Martin Vincenz, CEO of Graubünden Ferien, the cooperation with the Mountain Air Sommelier is already a smashing success: «In Switzerland, people from Graubünden have a reputation for being headstrong and innovative. With the mountain air sommelier, we want to once again show Switzerland and the world how you can redefine tourism and turn seemingly familiar activities, such as hiking trips, into a completely new and unique experience.»
We will be giving away an exclusive guided hike with the mountain air sommelier in autumn 2022; official tours and offers can be booked starting in spring 2023.
You can find more information at www.graubuenden.ch/bergluft
Graubünden Tourism Thalia Wünsche, Senior PR thalia.wuensche@graubuenden.ch Tel. +41 (0)81 254 24 32
