Viña Vik, a winery in the Millahue (meaning “golden land”) valley of Chile, was ranked number one at The World’s 50 Best Vineyards awards, marking the first time a Chilean estate has topped the list. The winery—founded by Norwegian billionaire Alexander Vik—sits on a 4,500-hectare estate but uses only 7.5% for vineyards, preserving the remainder as forests, lakes, and wildlife reserves. Viña Vik emphasizes a holistic terroir-focused approach that integrates science, art, and sustainability: its architecture by Smiljan Radić blends with the landscape (using natural light and water mirrors), and its in-house cooperage crafts barrels from naturally fallen 300-year-old oak from Millahue. Innovations include the “Barroir” system (combining terroir and barrel) and the Stone VIK amphora-aged wine, while flagship VIK 2021 earned a 100-point score from James Suckling. The winery prioritizes biodiversity, water efficiency, and energy measures, and offers several acclaimed labels—VIK, Stone VIK, La Piu Belle (artist collection), Milla Cala, and the approachable VIK A series—positioning Viña Vik as a must-visit destination for global wine tourism.
