In 2004, billionaire Norwegian entrepreneur Alexander Vik set out with an uncompromising dream: to create a world-class vineyard that would produce the finest wine in South America and command a definitive place among the global elite. To realise this grand vision, Vik assembled a highly specialised international team of oenologists, climatologists, geologists, viticulturists, and agronomists to scour the continent for the absolute ultimate site to cultivate his dream bottle.
The search was spearheaded by Patrick Valette, a Chilean by birth with a deep French winemaking heritage, whose family formerly owned the legendary Château Pavie in Saint-Émilion. Valette brought extensive global expertise as a winery owner, viticulturist, winemaker, and consulting oenologist across France, California, Chile, and Ribera del Duero. After an exhaustive two-year search, the team uncovered a location that offered the absolute optimal climatic and environmental conditions for premium wine growing: nearly 11,000 acres of completely virgin vineyard territory hidden within the fortuitously named Millahue Valley—translated as the ‘Place of God’ by the indigenous people. VIK was born.
The estate's virgin land was meticulously mapped to unlock its raw potential, selecting only the finest plots for initial vine planting. For each individual plot, the team precisely plotted the specific rootstocks, the grape varieties, and the exact clones best suited to the micro-terroir. The varieties selected for planting included Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Syrah. This intense, plot-by-plot precision delivers an exceptional range of complex, world-class red wine blends that capture the pure, majestic essence of Chilean wine at its absolute pinnacle.