The Spiez Cooperative That Has Been Making Wine Above Lake Thun Since 994 AD

Most people don't think of Switzerland when they think of wine.

They're wrong. And the winemakers of Spiez have been proving it for over a thousand years.

Their vineyards are carved into slopes so steep they reach 40% gradient the kind of terrain that requires hand-harvesting because no machine can grip the hillside. Below, Lake Thun reflects the light back up onto the vines. Above, the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau watch in silence.

This is Spiezer Alpine Weinkultur. A cooperative of local winegrowers who have tended these hillsides since the year 994 AD. And for our Wine & Cheese Tasting Tour, this is where we take you.

A thousand years of wine in a place you've never heard of

Wine has been made in Spiez since 994 AD. Not 100 years. Not 200. Over a thousand years of vines planted in the same soil, by the same lake, under the same mountain light.

While the world debated whether Swiss wine was 'real wine,' the winemakers of Spiez kept growing.

Three vineyard sites: Spiezberg, Faulensee and Spiezwiler, spread across 13 hectares. Fourteen different grape varieties. And one consistent result: wines of remarkable freshness you won't find at an airport duty-free.

The reason comes down to geography. Lake Thun acts as a natural climate buffer, keeping winter frosts at bay, reflecting summer warmth back onto the grapes. The Föhn, the warm southerly wind that sweeps down from the Alps, ripens the fruit. The altitude keeps the acidity fresh. The result: white wines that taste like the mountain air they grew in.

Our partner at the cooperative

Sebastian is our contact at Spiezer Alpine Weinkultur, the person who opens the doors most visitors never find.

He knows what he has. He doesn't explain it so much as walk you through it.

When you stand in the vineyard above the lake with a glass of something made from grapes grown on these very slopes, Sebastian doesn't give a speech. He asks you what you taste. Then he tells you what you're actually tasting. Somehow, those are two very different things.

That's the moment most of our guests say they understood wine for the first time.

Your Questions About the Wine Tour

Do I need to know about wine to enjoy the tour?

No wine knowledge required. Most guests arrive without any background, and the tasting is designed exactly for that. Sebastian doesn't run through grape varieties. He pours, asks what you notice, then tells you what's actually happening in the glass. The conversation goes from there. Several guests with no wine background have told us it became the clearest explanation of wine they had ever had.

What wines do we actually taste?

The tasting focuses on white wines from Spiezer Alpine Weinkultur's three vineyard sites: Spiezberg, Faulensee and Spiezwiler. Depending on the season, you taste two to four wines, all grown on the terraced slopes above Lake Thun. The cooperative cultivates 14 different grape varieties across 13 hectares. Bottles are available for purchase after the tasting. Cash and card accepted.

Is the cheese included in CHF 139?

Yes. CHF 139 per person covers transport from Interlaken by minivan, access to the tasting position above the estate, the wine tasting with Sebastian, and a cheese selection from local producers in the Bernese Oberland. The only extra cost is any bottles you choose to take home.

How do we get from Interlaken to Spiez?

We drive you by minivan. Spiez is about 25 minutes from Interlaken along the south shore of Lake Thun. The vineyard sits above the town at 40% slope, steep enough that the view opens with every step. By the time you reach the tasting position, Lake Thun is below you and the Alps are across the water.

Can someone who doesn't drink alcohol join the tour?

Yes. We offer a non-alcoholic option for guests who prefer not to drink. The experience is still complete: vineyard access, the cheese, the view, and the conversation with Sebastian about how these wines are made. Several guests have come along to support a partner who was the wine enthusiast. All of them left glad they did.

What you experience on our Wine Tour

Our Wine & Cheese Tasting Tour (CHF 139, max 8 guests, 3 hours) is not a winery tour. It's an access tour.

We take you to the tasting spot above the estate, a position you cannot reach without someone who knows the cooperative and who the cooperative trusts. From here, the view of Lake Thun is unobstructed. The cheese is local. The wine is from the vines you're looking at.

We taste. We explain. You ask questions. We answer them honestly.

No numbered paddle. No group of forty.

Book your Wine & Cheese Tasting Experience

Season: May to October
Duration: 3 hours | Price: CHF 139/person
Group size: Maximum 8 | Language: English + French
Meeting point: Interlaken; departure by minivan to Spiez
Bring: Light layers, comfortable shoes, an appetite

The Spiez Sensory Trail (self-guided option)

If you want to explore the wine region on your own time, Spiez offers a public Sensory Adventure Trail: a one-hour walk from the train station with 12 educational panels and QR codes linking to vineyard videos. Free, scenic, and a good complement to the guided experience.

For the private access, the cheese, and the insider knowledge: you need us.

Also read:
→ Wine Tours in Switzerland: Discover the Vineyards of Spiez
→ Swiss Wine: The Country That Keeps Its Best Bottles to Itself

*Written by Pierre Vetsch, founder & head guide at Swiss Local Adventures

Source:

On-site visit with Sebastian Moser, Spiezer Alpine Weinkultur, Spiez, 2026.