Ahead of its new vintage’s release on La Place, winemaker Cristian Vallejo tells Michael Huband how Viña VIK is continuing its bold approach in the rarefied world of fine wine.
Viña VIK in Chile has many remarkable qualities. It is known around the world for its award-winning wines, its advocacy for artists and its spectacular estate. In the world of fine wine, however, one thing in particular stands out: its youth.
The estate’s eponymous icon wine was first released on La Place de Bordeaux – a dependable barometer of fine wine interest – in 2023 with its 2019 vintage. Given that the winery was only founded in 2006, it was still a teenager when it entered the world’s most competitive fine wine marketplace. It is especially remarkable when you consider that Viña VIK was a new passion project, rather than the offshoot of an established player.
If some would view youth as a weakness, VIK’s chief winemaker Cristian Vallejo certainly does not. “VIK is a young winery – but one with bold character, a pioneering spirit, and a deep connection to the world around it,” he says. “It embodies a modern vision of fine wine: one that embraces sustainability not as a trend, but as a guiding principle; that sees art not just as decoration, but as a way of understanding life; and that dares to innovate in a traditionally conservative industry.”
Challenging established stereotypes
Speaking to Vallejo, his responses frequently hint at Viña VIK acting as a disruptor. Although he is grateful to be among the world’s great wines, it is also an opportunity to promote new ways of thinking.
“Being part of the pantheon of the world’s great wines is, for us, a way of presenting our holistic philosophy to the world,” he explains. “Our vision of representing Chilean wine on the global stage is deeply rooted in innovation, art, sustainability, and the youthful energy of our wines – all driven by the passion we bring to every detail, and inspired each year by the vibrant terroir of Millahue.”
That pantheon can be exclusive, however. Do Chilean wines still suffer misconceptions as a ‘New World’ country? After all, La Place is still named for the epicentre of old-school European fine winemaking.
“When it comes to Chilean wines, there is still a lingering perception in some markets that they are primarily mass-produced or value-driven,” he muses. “While that may have been the case in the past, this image has shifted significantly in recent years thanks to the efforts of a new generation of Chilean fine wine producers – committed to expressing terroir, crafting wines of excellence, and elevating Chile’s global reputation.”
Luckily, with international acclaim, the concerns over national bias are less pressing for Vallejo these days: “When it comes to our wines, we don’t believe there is a significant misconception – but we do believe that the more people discover and taste them, the more they realize just how distinctive and forward-thinking Chilean fine wine can be.”
An unapologetically bold approach
“From our standpoint, innovation is essential for growth and evolution,” says Vallejo. “Generational shifts bring new preferences, values, and expectations – and as producers, we must adapt to those changing tastes and trends.”
While many in the world of fine wine bank on tradition and prestige, he has firmly committed Viña VIK to thriving through innovative thinking. Indeed, as demographics change and younger drinkers seem to be slowing down, he cites it as imperative that winemakers find “a meaningful reason to choose wine over any other alternative.”
That has meant, for instance, a concerted effort to highlight the wines’ terroir. Viña VIK created three new means of interacting with its landscape, coining new terminology along the way. ‘Fleuroir’ uses yeasts that grow on the estate’s flowers in the winemaking process. ‘Barroir’ involves fashioning barrels from wood grown in Viña VIK’s grounds. ‘Amphoir’ uses local clay to make amphorae for ageing. All three come together in the winery’s Stonevik release.
Vallejo with a bottle of Stonevik.
According to Vallejo: “Stonevik represents a bold expression within our portfolio – one that embraces natural practices and a philosophy of circular winemaking. It’s not a departure from tradition, but rather a forward-looking interpretation rooted in respect for the land, sustainability, and purity of expression.”
Yet sustainability and terroir are not the sole domains for VIK’s innovation. The architecturally striking winery, for instance, and the estate’s art collection have put hospitality and tourism at the top of the agenda. If VIK is currently ahead of the curve, putting these endeavours almost on a par with the wine production, Vallejo sees it as a likely path for the fine wine sector in the coming years.
“We’ll see the emergence of new players,” he believes, “with exceptional wines and disruptive visions that resonate with the values of a new generation of consumers: sustainability, authenticity, innovation, and purpose. Fine wine will no longer be defined solely by heritage or tradition, but also by bold storytelling, transparency, and emotional connection.”
A star cuvée
A winery is seldom built on one wine. In the case of VIK, there are many that have contributed to its success, including Stonevik, the ‘A’ series and La Piu Belle wines. It is a case Vallejo makes passionately, commenting: “For us, every wine in our portfolio matters. Each one plays a distinct role, with its own personality, purpose, and expression.”
Yet the icon wine has a very particular role to play. Distribution through La Place acts as a vote of confidence in the winery’s work, “a confirmation that our work is recognized within the global fine wine circuit,” in the winemaker’s words.
With the upcoming September release of the 2022 vintage, Viña VIK is preparing to introduce the world to another year’s hard toil. It is a vintage that, according to Vallejo, saw tough conditions translated into a winning wine.
“The 2022 vintage challenged us with one of the coldest spring-summer cycles we’ve seen in over twenty years – and that was a gift,” he enthuses. “The slower ripening allowed us to achieve remarkable phenolic concentration and preserve the fruit’s natural freshness. As a result, this vintage shows incredible tension, purity, and precision.”
For the blend, he combined 79% Cabernet Franc from the clay-lakebed soils of Las Casas with 21% Cabernet Sauvignon from sandy colluvial soils in Los Lazos. He selected the former for its structure and aromatic depth, while the latter brings finesse and elegance. The wine then spent 26 months in those ‘Barroir’ barrels, adding further terroir nuances as it aged.
Perhaps it is that young spirit or the winery’s openness to change that allowed him to turn the year into a success. The climatic conditions may not be textbook for fine wine production, but Vallejo is nonetheless proud to have run with them.
“The 2022 vintage is a wine of energy, elegance, and character – a bold expression of a cold year turned into opportunity,” he says.
Boldness and opportunity: those sentiments come up again and again. The latest release looks set to continue exactly that approach which has helped Viña VIK make its name so quickly.
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