Patti and I enjoy wines as much as anybody; however, we are skeptical of winery tours promoted by cruise lines, ergo, Cruise Line Wines. All previous cruise-associated tours of a vineyard have been less than enjoyable. The Country does not make any difference. Wine tours in Croatia, Italy or Spain have all been the same.
Regents Cruise Line
Regents Cruise Line has been our cruise line of choice for many years. We have accumulated over 130 nights on board Regent’s Cruise Ships. Planning our most recent cruise, we could select a pre-cruise adventure at a winery in the central valley of Chile. Having never been to Chile, we decided to bite and take our chances.
Santiago Overnight
The eventual cruisers participating in this Cruise Line Wine Tour will stay at the Santiago Ritz Carlton with us. Who are they? How many will be joining us? Questions, Questions. We will know the answers in the morning.
Meet and Greet
The next morning, our luggage was outside the Hotel, waiting for transportation to the Cruise Line Wine(ry). Buses and vans were arriving and whisking away travelers to their tours. Eventually, only four of us remained. Soon, a minivan arrived, and a cheery-voiced, Spanish-speaking man alighted. Great—a two-hour-plus ride in a small van with a non-English-speaking guide! Having four people on a pre-cruise tour is a rarity and potentially a good thing. I hope we all get along!
First Impressions
First impressions can be deceiving. Our guide, Cristian Blanco Cangas, the Chilean guy, turned out to be a big plus helping to make our Cruise Line Wine experience one of the best excursions ever. First and foremost, he is fluent in English and Spanish and had previously visited our winery, VINA VIK, with another group. This is a tremendous help when the Hotel’s staff is primarily Spanish-speaking.
Our two-and-a-half hours of travel seemed to pass quickly, partly due to the good conversations and the information imparted. We finally arrived at the resort’s security gate. The gate appeared to have a malfunctioning communication connection, so we could not enter. The prospects of an enjoyable four-day stay were diminishing.
With the gate issue resolved, we entered giving us our first views of the vineyard. The view was like the gates of heaven opening up. In front of us was a vast valley of green vineyards, blue skies, and narrow straight roads.
A gold-roofed castle appeared on a hill at the end of the valley. This structure, the Hotel VINA VIK, would be our home for the next four days.
VINA VIK
The VINA VIK Hotel is on a hilltop overlooking the vineyards and the Andes Mountains beyond. Designed by Uruguayan architect Marcelo Daglio, the Hotel’s roof is bronzed titanium. You can’t help but see it no matter where you are in the surrounding valleys.
There are 22 guest rooms in the Hotel plus 7 bungalows perched on the hillside to the back of the Hotel. Each room and bungalow has a theme. Our theme was the Chihuly Bungalow. The bungalow featured several glass works of art crafted by world renown artist David Chihuly.
The main floor of the Hotel, which is actually the second floor, has guest rooms, the main restaurant Milla Milla, a reception area, and an open courtyard garden. The main pool, bar, kitchens, and gym/exercise rooms are on the first floor below. Two other restaurants are on the vineyard property: one next to the winery proper is the Pavillion and one in their organic farm and garden area is VIK ONE.
The various amenities complement the winery with experiences such as wine tastings, a holistic spa, horseback rides through the vineyards, guided winery tours, mountain biking excursions through the vineyards and surrounding mountains, and dining at each restaurant. Wine pairings are part of each meal as an option.
Vision
Searches for the best area in South America to build a winery from the ground up led Alexander Vik and his wife to the Millahue Valley in Chile. It is a place known as “Lugar” d Oro” or “Golden Place” by the indigenous Mapuche people due to its natural beauty and resources. The site’s characteristics included 12 distinct microclimates, varied exposures, and a natural wind tunnel bringing cool Pacific breezes and Andean winds to the valley. This location offers exceptional potential for grape growing. The nearly 11,000 acres of pristine land in this valley, nestled between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific coast, became VINA VIK. The winery officially opened in 2014. VIN VIK cultivates five key grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah.
Fine Winery – Not Cruise Line Wine
The winery equipment is primarily underground to minimize its environmental impact. The top of the physical winery features a transparent, stretched-fabric roof that evokes a sleek wing floating above the landscape. A reflective water plaza with granite sculptures greets visitors, blending art and functionality. The winery’s focus on sustainability is evident in its natural cooling systems provided by the water plaza above, as well as the harnessing of daytime ocean breezes and nighttime Andean air.
Winemaking emphasizes hand-harvested grapes and natural fermentation without added yeasts. The flagship wine, VIK, is a rich red blend aged in French oak barrels that reflects the delicate balance between the soil, the topography, and the climate. VINA VIK’s selection of wines includes Milla Cala, La Piu Belle, and La Piu Belle Rosé, with a groundbreaking addition in 2022: La Piu Belle Champagne, a rare move for a Chilean winery.
VIK ONE
The time spent at VIK ONE made our experience at VINA VIK so special. VIK ONE is an organic orchard, garden, restaurant, and bar. All of the vegetables and most of the fruits used the various dining venues comes from VIK ONE. The staff could not have been more friendly, informative and comfortable to be around. We enjoyed wine tastings, chocolate pairings, vegetable selections from the garden, cooking lessons, and great camaraderie. Linsey Rankin was the manager of VIK ONE when we were there. Her warmth and personality made our time more like being with family and close friends.
Ahhh, the places one can go by traveling after retirement!
