Latest news with #Vik
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Yahoo
How a mountaintop Chilean winery is harnessing the earth's energy to disrupt the global wine market
The origin story of Stonevik—the latest introduction from VIK Winery, a pioneering winery neighbored by its sister hotel in central Chile—is rooted some 3,000 feet above sea level, in a mountaintop forest between the Andes and the Pacific, amidst a circle of century-old oak trees. Here, in amphorae handcrafted from clay sourced from the Vik estate and half-buried in the earth, the wine ages, untouched by human hands—culminating in a literally groundbreaking blend Vik bills as 'the ultimate natural wine, crafted by nature, in nature.' Stonevik marks a new milestone in Vik's quest to become one of the world's most renowned wineries—a passion project that began in 2004 when its owners, Norwegian investor and entrepreneur Alexander Vik and his wife, Carrie, embarked on a wildly ambitious mission. 'We put together a scientific team with the objective of finding one of the best terroirs in the world, to make some of the best Bordeaux-style red wines in the world,' says Alexander Vik. That epic two-year search ultimately led to the Millahue Valley, nestled in the foothills of the Andes within the greater Cachapoal Valley, a hundred miles south of Santiago. In 2006, the Viks purchased an 11,000-acre swath of virgin wilderness there called Lugar de Oro ('Golden Place') by the area's indigenous Mapuche people—perhaps a reference to how the rose-hued horizon shimmers just above the surrounding hills at dusk. More than two decades since the seeds of the Viks' idea were first sown, this enchanting hinterland has steadily evolved into an oenophile's Xanadu, seemingly worlds away from civilization, where winemaking, art, and architecture converge with exuberant nature. The addition of Stonevik to Vik's award-winning lineup gives wine lovers another reason to visit. Vik's terroir encompasses a pristine landscape composed of 12 valleys, each with its own microclimate and distinct exposures, and all cooled by Pacific coastal breezes and winds from high in the Andes. With the expert guidance of chief winemaker Cristián Vallejo, whom the Viks hired to oversee Vik's viticulture and viniculture, a thousand acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot were planted. 'We knew that this terroir was truly exceptional,' Alexander Vik continues, 'and that if we did things correctly, we could produce wines that would enter the pantheon of the world's great wines.' The next order of business was to build a winery. In 2007, the Viks launched a global competition to tap the brightest minds in the business; renowned Chilean architect, Smiljan Radic, won with an avant-garde design that minimizes impact on the landscape and champions sustainability. The white stretched-fabric roof resembles a wing, whose translucence eschews the need for artificial light in the daytime. A sloping plaza fronts the entrance, where running water trickles toward the glass-walled building beneath a striking river rock installation, naturally cooling the cellar below. Walkways crosshatch the sprawling space, immersing visitors in a stunning tableau that is both organic and otherworldly. Inside, most of the building lies underground to maximize natural insulation and conserve energy. Rows of amber-lit barrels stacked three high flank an aisle leading to the tasting room, where an accent wall displays a mélange of gold-toned metal shards that appear to hover in midair like a grand mobile, an arresting homage to the Mapuche's moniker for the region's natural grandeur. The winery's light footprint dovetails with Vik's holistic winemaking philosophy. Guided by a steadfast commitment to environmental stewardship, Vik embraced a virtually no-intervention approach from the outset, using only native yeasts and no additives or filtration. All grapes are harvested at night, when they're at their lowest temperature, to preserve their quality and acidity. These measures (and many others) ensure the purest expression of Vik's terroir. In 2014—a year before Vik's first commercial wine, a 2010 vintage of its eponymous flagship blend, entered the market—VIK Chile opened its doors, completing Vik's metamorphosis into a world-class escape. (The Viks opened their first hotel, Estancia Vik, in Uruguay in 2009; the Vik Retreats portfolio now includes two other Uruguayan outposts and a hotel in Milan.) Perched on a hill with panoramic views of the winery, the vineyards, and the valley beyond, the luxury hotel—whose free-form bronzed titanium roof seems to undulate in the unrelenting sun—is arguably the country's most iconic getaway, and a dazzling complement to the winery. Contemporary art, the Viks' other prevailing passion, informs every inch of the hotel. The couple recruited a slew of artists to design the 22 themed suites, whose floor-to-ceiling windows frame Millahue's jaw-dropping vistas. 'Vicky Money' features a bathroom adorned with 50,000 one-euro-cent coins, while a replica of Dali's iconic Mae West 'Lips' sofa commands attention in 'Valenzuela,' a riot of color with a Mondrian-inspired floor. A central courtyard—where a Zen garden presides over a border of vibrant blooms—celebrates the natural world, and common spaces showcase unique works by artists including German painter and sculptor Anselm Kiefer and Chilean painter Roberto Matta. Puro Vik, a collection of seven stand-alone glass bungalows with themes ranging from holographic art to 18th-century France, and with bathrooms that each feature a different marble, comprise the newest accommodations. Vik's vintages join forces with elevated cuisine at Milla Milla, the hotel's glass-walled signature restaurant, where dishes like grilled red octopus with potato foam and duck magret with blueberry sauce earn raves. La Huerta, an alfresco eatery in the property's two-acre organic garden, makes an idyllic lunch spot, thanks to plates beautifully composed of 250 varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and eggs, topped with edible flowers. Activities like horseback rides through the vineyards and birdwatching walks along mountain trails can be easily arranged for guests—a well-heeled, international mix of couples, families, and wine enthusiasts—while winery tours and tastings loom large in the Vik experience. Since Vik's founding, the endlessly complex, ever-evolving relationship between wine and nature has fueled its winemaking—an ongoing journey most recently manifested in Stonevik. In 2018, Vik became an entirely circular winery, meaning every element used in its production comes from the property—including its barrels, which were previously sourced from France. Winemaker Vallejo began crafting Vik's own barrels with French oak staves, toasting them with 300-year-old Chilean oak that had fallen within the reserve to integrate the terroir directly into the wood—a process he dubbed 'barroir.' In 2023, he approached the Viks with an idea to take the circular concept a step further. 'Circular wine normally means growing and harvesting grapes on your land and aging the wine in your winery, but no one had yet returned to nature to close the circle,' he recalls. 'I suggested we create a wine and take it in amphorae up to the forest, to let it be their guardian and help us age it.' Intrigued, the Viks agreed. When Vallejo happened upon the ring of oak trees—a relative anomaly in nature—during his search for the perfect location for this new venture, he felt an energy he couldn't identify. He summoned a geologist to investigate what, if anything, was happening below ground; the geologist subsequently determined that a fault line intersected with a water vein in the circle's center. That nexus created a natural electromagnetic field that generates a kind of circular pulse, which Vallejo says explains the trees' unusual growth. He then consulted a machi (a traditional healer in Mapuche culture), who identified the energy point's exact location with no knowledge of the geologist's findings; and an astronomer, who advised how best to arrange the amphorae within the circle to optimally align with the sun, moon, and stars. After a month in Vik's 'barroir' barrels, the wine—a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Carménère—rests in seven amphorae in the forest enclave until December 21, the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, when it is bottled and ready for sale. Annual production is limited to 800 cases, given the small capacity of its unique aging process. Stonevik joins three other flagship wines—Vik (its premier blend), Milla Cala, and La Piu Belle—in Vik's production. Its 2023 and 2024 vintages each earned 98 points from leading wine critic James Suckling—a notable achievement for a wine aged less than one year with no intervention. As for the future, Alexander Vik is optimistic. 'We're way ahead of our expected timeline for the vineyard and the winemaking,' he says. 'Each vintage is better than the prior one, as the vines become more established and more capable.' Vallejo's take befits an unlikely tale that began in an untouched, aureate wilderness, and that continues to unfold. 'I think of our wines as a book: Every glass is a chapter, every sip is a page,' he says. 'They really tell the story of this terroir. When you connect with our wines, you can follow this story, and in every glass—every sip—you feel something different.' This story was originally featured on Sign in to access your portfolio
Time Out
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Threesomes, serial killers and sticky notes
You know that feeling when you walk into a place and it just clicks? For a Bangkok nightlife veteran like me, that usually means besties, a whiskey-soda in hand and live music setting the perfect beat. But then I found Allso Bar, and everything I thought I knew about a good night out got completely flipped on its head. This cosy corner isn't my usual watering hole. It's a place where conversation becomes a kind of safe space for strangers. What if I told you there's an event where you can spill your white, grey or even pitch-black secrets without judgement (okay, maybe just a little laughter) and listen as others do the same? That was my first experience of The Dark Secrets of Bangkok – a night where strangers anonymously share the kind of confessions that make you question what really goes on behind the eyes of the person next to you. The kind you imagine while passing someone on the street or dancing with a stranger you've just met. I stumbled across it with no idea what to expect – but hearing other people's secrets was more than enough to ignite my curiosity. And these anonymous secrets? They're wild. Some warm your heart. Others knock the wind out of you. But that's the point. Everyone's got something buried deep and for once, we just sit back, listen and let it be. What goes down at the event Upon arriving at a dimly lit, retro-style bar, I was seated with strangers. After a few drinks, the initial awkwardness transformed into a genuine exchange of stories. I realized it was the perfect kind of place to share secrets and glimpse into other people's lives. A hush fell over the room as everyone settled in. A host, Bog, appeared alongside Vik, an American writer and co-conspirator to explain the evening's thrilling concept. Each guest would be given a sticky note and a pen, then head upstairs alone to a small private room and write down a secret. It could be one sentence, two pages, a joke, a heartbreak, anything. Some people took ages. Others jotted something down with the same speed you'd use to scribble a grocery list. The energy in the room turned electric with curiosity. Once all the sticky notes were posted on the wall like confessions pinned to a church board, the real thrill began. Bog and Vik gathered everyone and began reading the secrets out loud, one by one. Some were light and cheeky, getting instant laughs: 'My mom doesn't know I drink and have sex, which happen to be the two things I'm best at.' 'I pretend to be Jewish just to attend Saturday service and eat the chicken soup.' Half the room laughed, the other half looked confused, like they couldn't decide if it was amusing or unhinged. 'When I was 17, I smoked opium and had a threesome while someone read poetry.' ' Some confessions had the kind of shock factor that made the room go completely still: 'I broke up with my ex and I killed her cat.' 'I once wandered into the abandoned factory near my house and found a dead body.' 'I met three serial killers, two are in prison and one killed himself.' Then there were the deeply personal ones, the kind that hit a little too close to home: 'I never find love. I'm afraid I'm the problem. I keep people at arm's length when they try to come close.' And of course, some were just pure Bangkok chaos: 'I fucked two people in one day and went on a date with a third.' 'I'm only here to spread COVID.' 'I came to Bangkok past my prime and somehow, this city gives me a new life.' You could feel the crowd ride every wave of emotion – laughing, wincing, gasping or falling into silence. No one knew whose secret was whose and that was the beauty of it. In this moment, everyone was just a witness to something ridiculous and real. Somehow, that made it feel safe. Upon arriving at a dimly lit, retro-style bar, I was seated with strangers. After a few drinks, the initial awkwardness transformed into a genuine exchange of stories. I realized it was the perfect kind of place to share secrets and glimpse into other people's lives. A hush fell over the room as everyone settled in. A host, Bog, appeared alongside Vik, an American writer and co-conspirator to explain the evening's thrilling concept. Each guest would be given a sticky note and a pen, then head upstairs alone to a small private room and write down a secret. It could be one sentence, two pages, a joke, a heartbreak, anything. Some people took ages. Others jotted something down with the same speed you'd use to scribble a grocery list. The energy in the room turned electric with curiosity. Once all the sticky notes were posted on the wall like confessions pinned to a church board, the real thrill began. Bog and Vik gathered everyone and began reading the secrets out loud, one by one. Some were light and cheeky, getting instant laughs: 'My mom doesn't know I drink and have sex, which happen to be the two things I'm best at.' 'I pretend to be Jewish just to attend Saturday service and eat the chicken soup.' Half the room laughed, the other half looked confused, like they couldn't decide if it was amusing or unhinged. 'When I was 17, I smoked opium and had a threesome while someone read poetry.' ' Some confessions had the kind of shock factor that made the room go completely still: 'I broke up with my ex and I killed her cat.' 'I once wandered into the abandoned factory near my house and found a dead body.' 'I met three serial killers, two are in prison and one killed himself.' Then there were the deeply personal ones, the kind that hit a little too close to home: 'I never find love. I'm afraid I'm the problem. I keep people at arm's length when they try to come close.' And of course, some were just pure Bangkok chaos: 'I fucked two people in one day and went on a date with a third.' 'I'm only here to spread COVID.' 'I came to Bangkok past my prime and somehow, this city gives me a new life.' You could feel the crowd ride every wave of emotion – laughing, wincing, gasping or falling into silence. No one knew whose secret was whose and that was the beauty of it. In this moment, everyone was just a witness to something ridiculous and real. Somehow, that made it feel safe. Where do we go from here? When all the secrets are revealed, there's a charged moment – everyone scanning the room, locking eyes, trying to match confessions to faces. The guessing game begins, It was part hilarious and haunting. You see someone smirk and suddenly wonder if they were the one who wrote that brutally honest line. Some hang out 'til the last drop of their cocktail. I ended up deep in conversation with a few people and just like that, I learned more about this city than any guidebook could offer – a woman who once got dumped in a nightclub but met her future partner before last call, a filmmaker obsessed with his latest bizarre documentary idea and traveller spending their last night in town uncovering the raw truths of complete strangers. The event pulls in people from all backgrounds and puts them in the same room, not to perform but to connect. It felt voyeuristic perhaps deeply human. Like group therapy with better lighting and cheaper drinks. What makes the Big Mango what it is isn't the concrete – it's the people. Not just the locals shaping the city day by day, but the travellers passing through, leaving behind fragments of themselves and picking up new ones. Their stories, secrets and confessions paint the capital in more than one shade at once. That's what Allso Bar taps into. It's the brainchild of Roe Roe Laophermsook, who wanted to flip the script on what nightlife can be. It's not exclusive – it's inclusive. A space where anyone – the suit, the student, the artist, the expat, the wanderer – can sit at the same table and feel like they belong. And in many ways, Allso Bar is Roe himself. 'I haven't had social media since 2008,' he admits. 'That's why I opened the bar to create something real. But the irony is, now I have to be on it more than ever.' That same tension between digital fatigue and real-world connection pulses through everything the bar does. People are craving something beyond the scroll, a reason to look up from their phones and into someone's eyes. And that energy is exactly what makes The Dark Secrets of Bangkok possible. The response to the first edition was positive. 'People reached out to say how much they enjoyed the night and that they're already planning to bring friends to the next one,' Roe shares. 'They also really loved the atmosphere of the bar itself.' So yes, a second edition is set for late August. And that energy is exactly what makes The Dark Secrets of Bangkok possible. With Bog as host and Vik bringing a storyteller's edge, the concept is simple: What happens when you give people a space to be honest with zero consequences? The result is a night that's unpredictable and unexpectedly connective.
Wales Online
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Man buys hundreds of scratch cards on Ryanair flight
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A man bought hundreds of scratch cards on a Ryanair flight to see what his winings would be. But he was left astounded by the results. Vik on TikTok said his friend, Ethan, was interested to know how lucky he'd get, if he purchased all the scratch cards he could find on board the flight. But he wasn't quite expecting to get the results he did. In a travel video shared online, Vik was left stunned by what he was left with at the end of the journey. He bought so many cards that even passengers were helping him to scratch them off in the end, reports BelfastLive. Telling people what happened, Viktok said: "We are here on Ryanair and this man Ethan has bought every single scratch card on the flight. I've opened about 100 scratch cards, I've been opening these one at a time. "We have not won a single thing. We have won nothing - no one has won anything. I'll keep you guys posted." Vik then goes on to recount the journey, where it's revealed Ethan snapped up 68 packets of scratch cards. However, despite a lot of scratching, they don't seem to be lucky. He bought so many that passengers on the plane started to help him scratch them off, but nobody seemed to win any prizes. Someone is seen shouting: "No one won anything." Vik added: "You're supposed to match three - I can't even match two. We've lost again." They couldn't believe they didn't win anything at all. Since the video was shared, it's been viewed thousands of times, and people were quick to comment too. They had all sorts of thoughts to share. One said: "100% they won't allow mass buying on the flight again, lol." A second claimed: "I am cabin crew for Ryanair and there is so much more that you don't know. They can't sell you that many. There is a limit spend per passenger. Cabin crew in trouble!" A third replied: "I wonder how many people have ever won money on those." Meanwhile, a fourth also commented: "I remember winning like £26 of on board vouchers. When asking to buy something, I heard the cabin crew say 'someone's actually won'. That's how slim your odds are." Ryanair's scratch cards faced criticism years ago, after it was uncovered that anyone who "wins" the jackpot is later entered into a separate draw for the chance of winning the €1million prize. The 2016 report revealed the "lucky" winner would then be taken into a room with 125 envelopes that they must select from, with just one holding the top prize. At the time, Ryanair noted other envelopes contain €50,000, which meant a hefty sum could still be won. It was also said one car a month is won in the draw, as well as other cash prizes up to €5,000 also being up for grabs. The odds of winning the jackpot were also revealed, which was reported to be around 1.2billion to one. To put this into perspective, the odds of winning the Lotto here are said to be 10.7million to one, and the odds of winning the EuroMillions come in at 139.8million to one. With National Lottery, you are only permitted to purchase 10 scratch cards within one transaction, but is unclear how many you can buy with Ryanair. The company has been asked to comment on the claims made. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox Find out what's happening near you
North Wales Live
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Live
Man buys hundreds of scratch cards on Ryanair flight - and is stunned by the winnings
A man bought hundreds of scratch cards on a Ryanair flight to see what his winings would be. But he was left astounded by the results. Vik on TikTok said his friend, Ethan, was interested to know how lucky he'd get, if he purchased all the scratch cards he could find on board the flight. But he wasn't quite expecting to get the results he did. In a travel video shared online, Vik was left stunned by what he was left with at the end of the journey. He bought so many cards that even passengers were helping him to scratch them off in the end, reports BelfastLive. Telling people what happened, Viktok said: "We are here on Ryanair and this man Ethan has bought every single scratch card on the flight. I've opened about 100 scratch cards, I've been opening these one at a time. "We have not won a single thing. We have won nothing - no one has won anything. I'll keep you guys posted." Vik then goes on to recount the journey, where it's revealed Ethan snapped up 68 packets of scratch cards. However, despite a lot of scratching, they don't seem to be lucky. He bought so many that passengers on the plane started to help him scratch them off, but nobody seemed to win any prizes. Someone is seen shouting: "No one won anything." Vik added: "You're supposed to match three - I can't even match two. We've lost again." They couldn't believe they didn't win anything at all. Since the video was shared, it's been viewed thousands of times, and people were quick to comment too. They had all sorts of thoughts to share. One said: "100% they won't allow mass buying on the flight again, lol." A second claimed: "I am cabin crew for Ryanair and there is so much more that you don't know. They can't sell you that many. There is a limit spend per passenger. Cabin crew in trouble!" A third replied: "I wonder how many people have ever won money on those." Meanwhile, a fourth also commented: "I remember winning like £26 of on board vouchers. When asking to buy something, I heard the cabin crew say 'someone's actually won'. That's how slim your odds are." Ryanair's scratch cards faced criticism years ago, after it was uncovered that anyone who "wins" the jackpot is later entered into a separate draw for the chance of winning the €1million prize. The 2016 report revealed the "lucky" winner would then be taken into a room with 125 envelopes that they must select from, with just one holding the top prize. At the time, Ryanair noted other envelopes contain €50,000, which meant a hefty sum could still be won. It was also said one car a month is won in the draw, as well as other cash prizes up to €5,000 also being up for grabs. The odds of winning the jackpot were also revealed, which was reported to be around 1.2billion to one. To put this into perspective, the odds of winning the Lotto here are said to be 10.7million to one, and the odds of winning the EuroMillions come in at 139.8million to one. With National Lottery, you are only permitted to purchase 10 scratch cards within one transaction, but is unclear how many you can buy with Ryanair. The company has been asked to comment on the claims made.
Wales Online
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Man buys every scratch card on Ryanair flight and is left stunned by winnings
Man buys every scratch card on Ryanair flight and is left stunned by winnings A man decided to buy every single scratch card on a Ryanair flight to see if he would win big - and the results had him and his pal gobsmacked A man snapped up every scratch card on a Ryanair flight (Image: undefined via Getty Images ) A man's decision to purchase an array of scratch cards during a Ryanair flight took a surprising turn, with results that completely astonished him. Known as Vik on TikTok, he chronicled how his mate, Ethan, decided to test his fortune by buying the entirety of the scratch cards available on the aircraft; the outcome, however, was beyond their wildest expectations. In a travel video uploaded online, Vik expressed disbelief at what they had at the end of their flight. Ethan's enthusiasm for scratch cards reached a point where fellow fliers joined in to help scratch away. Recounting the events, Viktok remarked: "We are here on Ryanair and this man Ethan has bought every single scratch card on the flight. I've opened about 100 scratch cards, I've been opening these one at a time." For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . Their luck appeared non-existent as he added: "We have not won a single thing. We have won nothing - no one has won anything. I'll keep you guys posted." Vik went on to record their adventure which revealed Ethan had acquired 68 packs of scratch cards. Despite the collective scratching frenzy, luck was nowhere to be found, reports Belfast Live. Ethan's sheer volume of purchases led other passengers to lend a hand, though it seemed no prizes were forthcoming. You can hear someone exclaim: "No one won anything." Article continues below Vik lamented: "You're supposed to match three - I can't even match two. We've lost again." To their dismay, not a single prize was secured. The shared footage has since gone viral, attracting thousands of views and prompting viewers to share a multitude of responses. One remarked: "100% they won't allow mass buying on the flight again, lol." Another, professing to be a Ryanair cabin crew member, warned: "I am cabin crew for Ryanair and there is so much more that you don't know. They can't sell you that many. There is a limit spend per passenger. Cabin crew in trouble!". Yet another chimed in: "I wonder how many people have ever won money on those." Someone else shared their modest win, saying: "I remember winning like £26 of on board vouchers. When asking to buy something, I heard the cabin crew say 'someone's actually won'. That's how slim your odds are." Ryanair scratch cards have been under scrutiny for years following revelations that jackpot "winners" are subsequently entered into a separate draw with a chance to win the €1million prize. The 2016 exposé revealed that the fortunate individual would face an additional challenge of choosing from 125 envelopes, only one of which contained the grand prize. At that time, Ryanair clarified that some envelopes offered €50,000, implying other substantial amounts could still be claimed. Reports also mentioned that there was a chance to win a car each month in these draws, along with other monetary rewards amounting to as much as €5,000. Surprisingly, the probability of hitting the jackpot was disclosed to be about 1 in 1.2 billion. For comparison, the likelihood of winning the Lotto domestically is roughly 1 in 10.7 million, while securing the EuroMillions jackpot is estimated at chances of 1 in 139.8 million. With the National Lottery, you're only allowed to buy 10 scratch cards in a single transaction, but it's not clear what the limit is with Ryanair. The company has been approached for a response to these allegations. Article continues below
