Monaco resident Alexander Vik’s vineyard named best in the world
VIk's wineyard HQ © 50 best
The Chilean estate Vik, owned by the Monaco-based businessman, takes first place in The World’s 50 Best Vineyards 2025 ranking, crowning two decades of excellence.
A well-deserved consecration
It was in Margaret River, Western Australia, that the Vik vineyard received the coveted title of world’s best vineyard on November 19th. This distinction rewards excellence in visitor experience, beyond wine quality alone.
Nestled in the Millahue Valley, in the heart of the Cachapoal region – a place the Mapuche people call “Lugar de Oro” (Golden Place) – the estate spans 4,450 hectares of wilderness. Its spectacular architecture, designed by Smiljan Radic, with its semi-translucent roof that seems to float above underground cellars, defies convention while respecting the environment.
The rise of a wine empire
Since its creation in 2004 by Alexander Vik and his wife Carrie, the vineyard has steadily climbed the rankings: third in 2023, second in 2024, and now first. “We always hoped to get to top of the ranking and we were praying, but it was still such a surprise,” confided Carrie Vik. “It feels so good!” said Alexander Vik upon receiving the trophy.
The secret to this success? A holistic approach that transcends wine alone. “I would say we provide a dynamic, exciting and different experience,” said Alex Vik. “We have an amazing winery as well as an incredible restaurant and a beautiful hotel on top of the hill – and everywhere you look there is an art installation.”
The estate indeed offers a retreat hotel with 22 suites decorated with contemporary artworks, including pieces by Roberto Matta and Anselm Kiefer, along with seven glass-walled bungalows. The Milla Milla restaurant celebrates local produce, while visitors can enjoy horseback riding, wellness treatments, or harvesting in the organic garden. “The wine is central, of course,” added Carrie Vik. “But it’s also about the whole experience… We are so lucky to have great people behind us who truly understand hospitality.”
A visionary’s instinct
For Alexander Vik, the Swedish-Norwegian businessman based in Monaco, this success confirms his legendary flair. After making his fortune in internet ventures and weathering the 2008 crisis, the billionaire has, with Carrie, transformed their passion for wine and art into an exceptional destination.
The couple is not resting on their laurels. “We have a very special white wine called StoneVik coming, which we think is the most natural wine in the world,” said Vik CEO Gastón Williams. “It has no human intervention and is aged in the forest surrounding the vineyard alone for a year in an area with a special magnetic field.” Carrie Vik also announces the upcoming opening of “an incredible wellness centre with programming that all starts in nature.”
“Winning this award was a stamp of approval,” said Alexander Vik. “It’s one thing for me to say ‘You must come to Chile and to Vik,’ but when 50 Best says it, you know you have to come!”