2023 Viña Vik Winery StoneVik
| Type of Wine | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | Chile |
| Region | Colchagua Valley |
| Winery | |
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Grape | , , , Syrah-Shiraz |
| Content (Alc) | 0.75 ltr (14%) |
| Drink window | 2024 - 2032 |
In stock
9 items available
Description
STONE VIK is the ultimate natural wine, created in nature by nature. Pure Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère grapes, grown on the VIK estate, are fermented according to the best holistic, organic and biodynamic traditions in native VIK oak barrels for one month. The wine is then aged in seven hand-crafted native VIK clay amphorae, three for the universe and four for the earth.
The clay amphorae containing pure Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère are half-buried in the earth at La Robleria, VIK’s 1000m high mountaintop oak forest surrounding a huge granite rock. The amphorae are aligned with water veins, equinoxes and solstices according to astronomical principles (similar to Stonehenge in the UK). The forest promotes micro-oxygenation under optimal conditions, made possible by the thermal amplitude and atmospheric pressure. The oval shape of the amphora naturally adapts to the movements of the earth and the movement of the wine in the amphora promotes the process of micro-oxygenation. The sonic resonance of the electromagnetic field creates a special environment for the maturation process of the tannins. All this produces a more lively wine with more tension. This process naturally accelerates the evolution of the wine, and every summer solstice nature gives us a pure and natural wine that they then only have to bottle.
VARIETIES 77% Cabernet Franc, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Carménère.
ORIGIN Millahue, Cachapoal Valley.
SOIL Deep, porous weathered granite soil with good drainage.
CLIMATE Temperate Mediterranean climate with a maritime influence that moderates maximum temperatures.
TASTING NOTES Dark ruby red in colour with aromas of crushed terracotta, earth, mushrooms, iodine, graphite, blackberries, sage, thyme and oak leaf. Full-bodied with tightly layered tannins that give a velvety sense of density yet remain supple and weightless. Chewy and flavoursome, yet not heavy. Juicy finish with hints of chocolate at the end.
LIMITED PRODUCTION: 5720 bottles
STONEVIK 2023 James Suckling: 98/100 points
FACT: In the 'Attachments' tab you will find the official fact sheet of this beautiful wine and a beautiful presentation about the Stone Vik project. We will automatically send you this when you order this wine. The wine is in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you come to pick up the wine you will often also receive a nice discount . You will see your discount immediately when you choose 'Pick up' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht, almost next to the A16 with plenty of parking. Click here for our address.
About Viña Vik Winery
In 2004, Alex and Carrie Vik started with a whole team with the audacious goal of making one of the best wines in the world. After a two-year search, they found the best terroir, located in the Millahue Valley in Chile. Millahue Valley means "Place of Gold". The vineyard is planted in the interior of the valley and offers a variety of terroirs and small microclimates cooled by the coastal breezes. The vineyards consist of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah.
The winery was designed by Chilean architect Smiljan Radic in collaboration with Alex and Carrie Vik. It was carefully designed to have minimal impact on the landscape. A state-of-the-art, highly sustainable, technologically creative and visually breathtaking experience. The winery was completed in 2014. Under the leadership of Chilean Patrick Valette (wine consultant, Château Pavie and with French roots) and current winemaker Cristián Vallejo, who has been involved in the project from the beginning, a beautiful company has been built since 2005. The work is very sustainable, harvests are completely manual and fermentation takes place naturally without added yeasts.
Today VIK produces exceptional red wines and a rosé. They are rightly very proud that VIK, La Piu Belle, Milla Cala and "A" have received awards well into the 90s, such as 99 points from James Suckling, a Master Medal from The Drink Business and Platinum and Gold Medals from the Decanter, along with many other accolades.
A water mirror in the wine cellar cools the barrel cellar without consuming energy. The translucent roof allows daytime work without artificial light. Inspired by the purity of our wines, we have developed the concept of "Barroir". We toast used and new French barrels with oak from our hills and build our own barrels in our cooperage. These estate-made barrels embody the taste of the terroir. Because they approach all work holistically, they only use fallen hundred-year-old trees that can be found on the immense estate.
In 2019, Wine Enthusiast Magazine unveiled their 20th annual Wine Star Awards, naming VIK the Wine Star for ‘Best Winery Experience’. In 2021, the competition ranked VIK as the 8th most prestigious winery among the 50 World’s Best Vineyards, and Viña Vik has quickly joined the ranks of Chile’s iconic wines, and now the global top.
Specifications
| Type of Wine | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | Chile |
| Region | Colchagua Valley |
| Icons | Icon South America |
| Winery | Vina Vik Winery |
| Grape | Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Merlot, Syrah-Shiraz |
| Biological certified | No |
| Natural wine | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Drinking as of | 2024 |
| Drinking till | 2032 |
| Alcohol % | 14 |
| Alcohol free/low | No |
| Content | 0.75 ltr |
| Oak aging | Yes |
| Sparkling | No |
| Dessert wine | No |
| Closure | Cork |
| James Suckling rating | 96 |
| Vinous rating | 94 |
| Tasting Profiles | Aards, Donker fruit, Droog, Houtgerijpt, Krachtig, Tannines, Vol |
| Drink moments | Barbecue, Lekker luxe, Met vrienden, Open haard |
Professional Reviews
James Suckling
VIK CACHAPOAL STONE VIK 2023
Thursday, March 21, 2024
CountryChile
RegionValle Central
Vintage2023
CHECK PRICE
DOWNLOAD SHELFTALKER
Score
98
This is a new and unique wine aged eight years in amphora from clay extracted on the VIK estate and made in Chile. The amphorae are kept outside in a forest on the property at 1,000 meters on a mountain. Dark ruby color with aromas of crushed terra cotta, earth, mushrooms, iodine, graphite, blackberries, sage, thyme and oak leaf. Like walking in a forest. Full-bodied with tightly layered tannins that give a velvety sense of density but then remain agile and weightless. Chewy and flavorful but not heavy. Juicy finish. Hints of chocolate at the end. A blend of 77% cabernet franc, 19% cabernet sauvignon and 4% carmenere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Vinous
From: The Chilean Coast: Where the Pacific Shapes Vibrant Reds and Whites (Jul 2024)
The 2023 StoneVIk is the inaugural release of this blend, combining 76% Cabernet Franc, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Carménère from the Millahue estate in the Cachapoal Valley. Fermented in steel and aged in amphorae buried in an oak forest until December 21st, this purple wine exudes a resinous aroma with hints of garrigue and black fruit. Dry and juicy on the palate, its earthy texture contributes to a taut and raw mouthfeel, showcasing a duality between youthful expression and evolved complexity. This unique wine offers a savory palate experience, marking it as an intriguing oddity.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
98
"Alex and Carrie Vil are the Art-Collecting Couple behind two of South America's best Boutique Hotels. Their newest project, a hotel and winery in Chile's untamed Millahue Valley is their most ambitious yet." - Salma Abdelnour
Condé Nast Traveller"Norwegian-born financier and hotelier Alexander Vik has been hailed for his attention to detail at his celebrated hotels in Uruguay. He and his wife Carrie have applied the same Nordic precision when creating Viña Vik, one of Chile's most ambitious wineries, from 4,400 hectares of scrub-covered hillside in the Cachapoal Valley. Star winemaker Patrick Valette, who learnt the trade at his family's Chateau Pavie in France, established the vineyard from scratch, planting 303 hectares of high-density, drip-fed Cabernet and Carmenere vines that yielded the first ultra-premium blend in March. "
The New York Times"But the alchemy of this beautiful spot is not just a lucky accident; the land under us had been analyzed and dissected extensively in a lab to see what would thrive here. "We wanted to bring the quality of a top estate in Bordeaux," said Patrick Valette, the head winemaker at Viña Vik, stopping to take a look at a particularly ripe bunch of grapes, "while emphasizing what makes the Chilean terroir so unique". … This is especially evident at the Viña Vik, which, though separated from Colchagua by the imposing mountain range, has similar, if not better, conditions for grape growing: plenty of sun, an ideal level of precipitation and varied altitudes and soil types. The estate itself has a state-of-the-art cantina, designed by a star Chilean architect, Smiljan Radic. Results suggest that they are on the right path: their first vintage, the 2009, sold out at $100 a bottle — though we were able to get a taste before it did; it is a delicious red blend, combining five different grapes, with complex flavors of ripe fruit and a long finish. For Old World palates like mine, it’s a familiar taste but one different enough to prove exciting — like a continent-spanning offshoot of Bordeaux. And Mr. Valette believes that the 2010 vintage, released last November, is even better. -Victor Ruiz Caballero
James Suckling Com"Exceptional. VIK is certainly the new star of Chile. - Jessica Harnois, President of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers.
Christian Callec Com"The place is really fabulous, like the Eldorado in your best dreams; an island of peace and beautiful nature, in a place that even well-informed Chilean wine professionals never heard of. And yet, the heavenly site of Millahue in the Cachapoal valley is not much than 1 hour away on horse-back from the well-known Apalta, just the other side of the hill… But Viña VIK is much more than only a paradisiacal place; it is a wonderful that becomes reality. The dream of one man, Alexander VIK. This famous Norwegian businessman might be one of the richest people in the world, he is also and may be on the first place, a sensible and very sensitive person with a great love for nature and culture. His big dream was to have his own vineyard. Therefore, Alexander VIK asked the famous French-Chilean wine specialist and consultant Patrick Valette, to find the best place in South-America to realize this big dream.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Exclusive Content
Sign in to unlock professional wine reviews from world-renowned critics
Wijnhuis
The absolute top from Chile is, without a doubt VIK Wines. All wines receive unanimously very high ratings with scores of 98 and 99 out of 100 points. They have four red wines and also launched a rosé in 2022. At VIK, science, technology, and knowledge are the basis, with passion as the engine.
The holistic approach is the perfect combination between man and nature; the base and result of the beautiful dynamic terroir, together with best agriculture practices and excellence in environmental management, gives wines in which only the very best is good enough. In 2019, VIK received the "Best Winery Experience" award from the prestigious Wine Enthusiast magazine in recognition of all the work done during these years.
James Suckling also highlighted VIK's wine innovations, such as the "Barroir" concept, making the terroir concept the purest. The idea is a pioneering process in Chile and the world. Using local oaks, VIK also developed its "barroir" concept to give a sense of place to the oak aging process. With the help of Jean Luc Sylvain of Tonnellerie Sylvain, VIK winemaker Vallejo believes the "barroir" process gives them the precision they want from micro-oxygenation and the subtle flavors of barrel aging. Click here for more information about the Barrier process.
The vineyards are planted in 12 small valleys, totaling 327 hectares of vines. More than 6,000 soil analyzes were performed to match the clonal selection of rootstocks and varieties.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Syrah are planted varieties. Soil types include colluvial, alluvial, sand, clay, and gravelly. The VIK wines are seen in style as the Bordeaux but then of the best kind.
The viticulture concept at VIK is based on optimizing every stage of grape growing and wine production, with a significant focus on science and technology. All are based on reaching optimum levels of maturity in the fruit in each valley to make the best wine. Yield isn't just quality that counts. To obtain only the best quality grapes, they carry out up to three nightly harvests when the grapes are chilled —and always by hand.
Winemaker Cristian Vallejo oversees VIK agriculture, ensuring the grapes are harvested by hand and fermentation occurs naturally with no added yeasts. The wines are aged in a combination of new and used French oak barrels. Currently, the winery is introducing wines aged in amphorae custom made from the vineyard's clay and wines aged in oak barrels roasted with the estate's oak wood.
The VIK wine cellar was designed by celebrated Pritzker Prize candidate Chilean architect Smiljan Radic in collaboration with Alex and Carrie Vik and the team at VIK. It has been carefully designed to have minimal impact on the surrounding landscape.
At VIK, sustainable development is another fundamental pillar that stems from caring for the environment in which the grapes grow. Some of the (far-reaching) measures are:
- We can reuse water to irrigate the vineyard with our own water treatment plant.
- The vines are surrounded by 10,000 hectares of forest.
- Taking care of the natural biodiversity at VIK: there is a great diversity of wildlife (ducks, cormorants, swans, eagles, pumas, etc.) thanks to its geographically isolated location in the interior of the VIK valley.
In addition, the proximity of the forest to the vineyard promotes healthy plant development and a good balance between flora and fauna.
- Have a highly sustainable, state-of-the-art winery using free cooling, solar energy, and natural insulation.
The 5 wines of VIK are:
VIK-A
MILLA CALAI
LA PIU BELLE
LA PIU BELLE ROSÉ
VIK
VIK and Milla Cala grapes come from vineyards in the Los Lazos Valley, the Los Mineros Valley, and the El Boquerón Valley. In contrast, the fruit for La Piu Belle comes from the Almendro Valley, the La Feria Valley, and the Colchagua Valley.
STONE VIK is the ultimate natural wine, created in nature by nature. Pure Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère grapes, grown on the VIK estate, are fermented according to the best holistic, organic and biodynamic traditions in native VIK oak barrels for one month. The wine is then aged in seven hand-crafted native VIK clay amphorae, three for the universe and four for the earth.
The clay amphorae containing pure Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère are half-buried in the earth at La Robleria, VIK’s 1000m high mountaintop oak forest surrounding a huge granite rock. The amphorae are aligned with water veins, equinoxes and solstices according to astronomical principles (similar to Stonehenge in the UK). The forest promotes micro-oxygenation under optimal conditions, made possible by the thermal amplitude and atmospheric pressure. The oval shape of the amphora naturally adapts to the movements of the earth and the movement of the wine in the amphora promotes the process of micro-oxygenation. The sonic resonance of the electromagnetic field creates a special environment for the maturation process of the tannins. All this produces a more lively wine with more tension. This process naturally accelerates the evolution of the wine, and every summer solstice nature gives us a pure and natural wine that they then only have to bottle.
VARIETIES 77% Cabernet Franc, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Carménère.
ORIGIN Millahue, Cachapoal Valley.
SOIL Deep, porous weathered granite soil with good drainage.
CLIMATE Temperate Mediterranean climate with a maritime influence that moderates maximum temperatures.
TASTING NOTES Dark ruby red in colour with aromas of crushed terracotta, earth, mushrooms, iodine, graphite, blackberries, sage, thyme and oak leaf. Full-bodied with tightly layered tannins that give a velvety sense of density yet remain supple and weightless. Chewy and flavoursome, yet not heavy. Juicy finish with hints of chocolate at the end.
LIMITED PRODUCTION: 5720 bottles
STONEVIK 2023 James Suckling: 98/100 points
FACT: In the 'Attachments' tab you will find the official fact sheet of this beautiful wine and a beautiful presentation about the Stone Vik project. We will automatically send you this when you order this wine. The wine is in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you come to pick up the wine you will often also receive a nice discount . You will see your discount immediately when you choose 'Pick up' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht, almost next to the A16 with plenty of parking. Click here for our address.
About Viña Vik Winery
In 2004, Alex and Carrie Vik started with a whole team with the audacious goal of making one of the best wines in the world. After a two-year search, they found the best terroir, located in the Millahue Valley in Chile. Millahue Valley means "Place of Gold". The vineyard is planted in the interior of the valley and offers a variety of terroirs and small microclimates cooled by the coastal breezes. The vineyards consist of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah.
The winery was designed by Chilean architect Smiljan Radic in collaboration with Alex and Carrie Vik. It was carefully designed to have minimal impact on the landscape. A state-of-the-art, highly sustainable, technologically creative and visually breathtaking experience. The winery was completed in 2014. Under the leadership of Chilean Patrick Valette (wine consultant, Château Pavie and with French roots) and current winemaker Cristián Vallejo, who has been involved in the project from the beginning, a beautiful company has been built since 2005. The work is very sustainable, harvests are completely manual and fermentation takes place naturally without added yeasts.
Today VIK produces exceptional red wines and a rosé. They are rightly very proud that VIK, La Piu Belle, Milla Cala and "A" have received awards well into the 90s, such as 99 points from James Suckling, a Master Medal from The Drink Business and Platinum and Gold Medals from the Decanter, along with many other accolades.
A water mirror in the wine cellar cools the barrel cellar without consuming energy. The translucent roof allows daytime work without artificial light. Inspired by the purity of our wines, we have developed the concept of "Barroir". We toast used and new French barrels with oak from our hills and build our own barrels in our cooperage. These estate-made barrels embody the taste of the terroir. Because they approach all work holistically, they only use fallen hundred-year-old trees that can be found on the immense estate.
In 2019, Wine Enthusiast Magazine unveiled their 20th annual Wine Star Awards, naming VIK the Wine Star for ‘Best Winery Experience’. In 2021, the competition ranked VIK as the 8th most prestigious winery among the 50 World’s Best Vineyards, and Viña Vik has quickly joined the ranks of Chile’s iconic wines, and now the global top.
| Type of Wine | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | Chile |
| Region | Colchagua Valley |
| Icons | Icon South America |
| Winery | Vina Vik Winery |
| Grape | Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Merlot, Syrah-Shiraz |
| Biological certified | No |
| Natural wine | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Drinking as of | 2024 |
| Drinking till | 2032 |
| Alcohol % | 14 |
| Alcohol free/low | No |
| Content | 0.75 ltr |
| Oak aging | Yes |
| Sparkling | No |
| Dessert wine | No |
| Closure | Cork |
| James Suckling rating | 96 |
| Vinous rating | 94 |
| Tasting Profiles | Aards, Donker fruit, Droog, Houtgerijpt, Krachtig, Tannines, Vol |
| Drink moments | Barbecue, Lekker luxe, Met vrienden, Open haard |
James Suckling
VIK CACHAPOAL STONE VIK 2023
Thursday, March 21, 2024
CountryChile
RegionValle Central
Vintage2023
CHECK PRICE
DOWNLOAD SHELFTALKER
Score
98
This is a new and unique wine aged eight years in amphora from clay extracted on the VIK estate and made in Chile. The amphorae are kept outside in a forest on the property at 1,000 meters on a mountain. Dark ruby color with aromas of crushed terra cotta, earth, mushrooms, iodine, graphite, blackberries, sage, thyme and oak leaf. Like walking in a forest. Full-bodied with tightly layered tannins that give a velvety sense of density but then remain agile and weightless. Chewy and flavorful but not heavy. Juicy finish. Hints of chocolate at the end. A blend of 77% cabernet franc, 19% cabernet sauvignon and 4% carmenere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Vinous
From: The Chilean Coast: Where the Pacific Shapes Vibrant Reds and Whites (Jul 2024)
The 2023 StoneVIk is the inaugural release of this blend, combining 76% Cabernet Franc, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Carménère from the Millahue estate in the Cachapoal Valley. Fermented in steel and aged in amphorae buried in an oak forest until December 21st, this purple wine exudes a resinous aroma with hints of garrigue and black fruit. Dry and juicy on the palate, its earthy texture contributes to a taut and raw mouthfeel, showcasing a duality between youthful expression and evolved complexity. This unique wine offers a savory palate experience, marking it as an intriguing oddity.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
98
"Alex and Carrie Vil are the Art-Collecting Couple behind two of South America's best Boutique Hotels. Their newest project, a hotel and winery in Chile's untamed Millahue Valley is their most ambitious yet." - Salma Abdelnour
Condé Nast Traveller"Norwegian-born financier and hotelier Alexander Vik has been hailed for his attention to detail at his celebrated hotels in Uruguay. He and his wife Carrie have applied the same Nordic precision when creating Viña Vik, one of Chile's most ambitious wineries, from 4,400 hectares of scrub-covered hillside in the Cachapoal Valley. Star winemaker Patrick Valette, who learnt the trade at his family's Chateau Pavie in France, established the vineyard from scratch, planting 303 hectares of high-density, drip-fed Cabernet and Carmenere vines that yielded the first ultra-premium blend in March. "
The New York Times"But the alchemy of this beautiful spot is not just a lucky accident; the land under us had been analyzed and dissected extensively in a lab to see what would thrive here. "We wanted to bring the quality of a top estate in Bordeaux," said Patrick Valette, the head winemaker at Viña Vik, stopping to take a look at a particularly ripe bunch of grapes, "while emphasizing what makes the Chilean terroir so unique". … This is especially evident at the Viña Vik, which, though separated from Colchagua by the imposing mountain range, has similar, if not better, conditions for grape growing: plenty of sun, an ideal level of precipitation and varied altitudes and soil types. The estate itself has a state-of-the-art cantina, designed by a star Chilean architect, Smiljan Radic. Results suggest that they are on the right path: their first vintage, the 2009, sold out at $100 a bottle — though we were able to get a taste before it did; it is a delicious red blend, combining five different grapes, with complex flavors of ripe fruit and a long finish. For Old World palates like mine, it’s a familiar taste but one different enough to prove exciting — like a continent-spanning offshoot of Bordeaux. And Mr. Valette believes that the 2010 vintage, released last November, is even better. -Victor Ruiz Caballero
James Suckling Com"Exceptional. VIK is certainly the new star of Chile. - Jessica Harnois, President of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers.
Christian Callec Com"The place is really fabulous, like the Eldorado in your best dreams; an island of peace and beautiful nature, in a place that even well-informed Chilean wine professionals never heard of. And yet, the heavenly site of Millahue in the Cachapoal valley is not much than 1 hour away on horse-back from the well-known Apalta, just the other side of the hill… But Viña VIK is much more than only a paradisiacal place; it is a wonderful that becomes reality. The dream of one man, Alexander VIK. This famous Norwegian businessman might be one of the richest people in the world, he is also and may be on the first place, a sensible and very sensitive person with a great love for nature and culture. His big dream was to have his own vineyard. Therefore, Alexander VIK asked the famous French-Chilean wine specialist and consultant Patrick Valette, to find the best place in South-America to realize this big dream.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Exclusive Content
Sign in to unlock professional wine reviews from world-renowned critics
The absolute top from Chile is, without a doubt VIK Wines. All wines receive unanimously very high ratings with scores of 98 and 99 out of 100 points. They have four red wines and also launched a rosé in 2022. At VIK, science, technology, and knowledge are the basis, with passion as the engine.
The holistic approach is the perfect combination between man and nature; the base and result of the beautiful dynamic terroir, together with best agriculture practices and excellence in environmental management, gives wines in which only the very best is good enough. In 2019, VIK received the "Best Winery Experience" award from the prestigious Wine Enthusiast magazine in recognition of all the work done during these years.
James Suckling also highlighted VIK's wine innovations, such as the "Barroir" concept, making the terroir concept the purest. The idea is a pioneering process in Chile and the world. Using local oaks, VIK also developed its "barroir" concept to give a sense of place to the oak aging process. With the help of Jean Luc Sylvain of Tonnellerie Sylvain, VIK winemaker Vallejo believes the "barroir" process gives them the precision they want from micro-oxygenation and the subtle flavors of barrel aging. Click here for more information about the Barrier process.
The vineyards are planted in 12 small valleys, totaling 327 hectares of vines. More than 6,000 soil analyzes were performed to match the clonal selection of rootstocks and varieties.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Syrah are planted varieties. Soil types include colluvial, alluvial, sand, clay, and gravelly. The VIK wines are seen in style as the Bordeaux but then of the best kind.
The viticulture concept at VIK is based on optimizing every stage of grape growing and wine production, with a significant focus on science and technology. All are based on reaching optimum levels of maturity in the fruit in each valley to make the best wine. Yield isn't just quality that counts. To obtain only the best quality grapes, they carry out up to three nightly harvests when the grapes are chilled —and always by hand.
Winemaker Cristian Vallejo oversees VIK agriculture, ensuring the grapes are harvested by hand and fermentation occurs naturally with no added yeasts. The wines are aged in a combination of new and used French oak barrels. Currently, the winery is introducing wines aged in amphorae custom made from the vineyard's clay and wines aged in oak barrels roasted with the estate's oak wood.
The VIK wine cellar was designed by celebrated Pritzker Prize candidate Chilean architect Smiljan Radic in collaboration with Alex and Carrie Vik and the team at VIK. It has been carefully designed to have minimal impact on the surrounding landscape.
At VIK, sustainable development is another fundamental pillar that stems from caring for the environment in which the grapes grow. Some of the (far-reaching) measures are:
- We can reuse water to irrigate the vineyard with our own water treatment plant.
- The vines are surrounded by 10,000 hectares of forest.
- Taking care of the natural biodiversity at VIK: there is a great diversity of wildlife (ducks, cormorants, swans, eagles, pumas, etc.) thanks to its geographically isolated location in the interior of the VIK valley.
In addition, the proximity of the forest to the vineyard promotes healthy plant development and a good balance between flora and fauna.
- Have a highly sustainable, state-of-the-art winery using free cooling, solar energy, and natural insulation.
The 5 wines of VIK are:
VIK-A
MILLA CALAI
LA PIU BELLE
LA PIU BELLE ROSÉ
VIK
VIK and Milla Cala grapes come from vineyards in the Los Lazos Valley, the Los Mineros Valley, and the El Boquerón Valley. In contrast, the fruit for La Piu Belle comes from the Almendro Valley, the La Feria Valley, and the Colchagua Valley.