Tasting Viña VIK

I recall Viña Vik hitting the US wine scene about five years ago. The labels jumped into the wine fray with great fanfare. Despite many opportunities offered to taste the wines and to travel to see the mind-blowingly beautiful winery and spa hotel in its homeland of Cachapoal, Chile, I was always occupied elsewhere. Happily, some bottles recently arrived at my office. They were a pleasure to taste. 

Alas, Viña VIK's top dollar price tags go down less easily than the juice itself. The wines are solid, but were I buying a bottle, I would at least like one of the sister resort property's spa services to come with it. 

The wide range of vintages was interesting to taste, and they prove that the wines - at least these specific bottlings - can age to benefit. However, they made it harder to see the stylistic winemaking differences between the wines. Supposedly, two labels - VIK and Milla Cala - lean more old-world and restrained in style while La Piu Belle offers punchier new-world flavor and brightness. While the Millahue is absolutely a study in restraint, the others were contrasts to the proposed profiles. The La Piu Belle's age clearly played a part in its more aromatic presence.

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VIK 2013 Millahue 14% $165
Winemaker Cristian Vallejo blended 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 14% Carmenère and 2% Merlot from the Millahue Valley then aged it 23 months in French oak barrels. The result is a brilliant wine packed with freshness and vibrancy from the diversity of its varieties. This is clearly a wine of breed and age-worthiness.

Its aromas wow with the frenzied heights of snapped branches from Cabernet Franc and the tipped ends of garden plants characteristic of Carmenère. Its generous percentage of Carmenère definitely sways the juice to the savory side, giving the wine its almost salty swagger. Sappy and moderately viscous, its still-youthful forest berry fruits remain energetically young. The tannins feel like velvet, and there is plenty of mouthwatering lift thanks to the wine's generous acidity. By the way, this holds well restoppered with a VacuVin in a wine fridge for 2 days. 

Its value at $165 is a different question. Certainly, worth is judged by the tastebuds of the beholder. I'd glady pay $70-80 retail for this, and I would definitively prefer this vividly fresh wine to many heavy and oak-weary Bordelais wines at the same or greater price. However, this is asking for twice as much. 
Drink: 2019-24

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Viña VIK 2011 La Piu Belle 14% $100
Composed of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Carmenère, 8% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot and 4% Syrah, this complex 2011 is still impressively youthful fruit-wise. It is a perky red showing plenty of acid and tannin kick on the palate. The evergreen scents of Carmenère meld with the eucalyptus tones of Cabernet Sauvignon. In contrast, the palate is showing autumnal tones of fallen autumn leaves and damp cigar alongside the still resonant, fruit chorous of blackcurrant and elderberry. The end of the bottle shows fine sediment.
Drink: 2019-23

90
Viña VIK 2016 Milla Cala 13.9% $45
Winemaker Cristian Valleji blended 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Carmenère, 11% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Shiraz for this Milla Cala then aged it 21 months in French oak. It's a heady wine for sure. Pungent eucalyptus notes soar from the glass. The initially sappy red fruit notes surprisingly turn into baked then even cooked fruits with air. The initial nose is exceedingly oaky with extravagant vanilla tones. The finish lingers with nicely balanced forest fruit flavors combined with underbrush. RIght now, this is a very awkward - if also very ambitious - wine that needs several hours of air to loosen up. It should also benefit from time in bottle. 
Drink: 2020-23