Quinta dos Vales is a superb wine estate situated in the heart of the Western Algarve.
This boutique wine estate is a place full of surprises for those who wish to delve into the world of winemaking or simply enjoy a nice day out exploring the history and natural beauty of the grounds.
This 44-hectare estate was founded in 2007 by Karl Heinz Stock, a retired banker and real estate developer who wanted to bring his 2 passions together, wine and art.
His aim was simple, he wanted to produce the best wine of the Algarve. Throughout his life sculpting, principally with stone, was one of his favorite activities, and having lived in Portugal since 1996 he quickly fell in love with its wine as well.
Now the 2 generations of Stocks manage the Quinta dos Vales, always striving to create something new.
One of these is ‘The Winemaker Experience’ project with which they offer several options to wine-lovers to authentically make their own wine, without having to dedicate 10 years of their lives and invest millions into the endeavor.
With their cellar is equipped with stainless steel tanks and oak barrels exactly the right size, they are waiting for the wine lovers who want to become the future’s winemakers. It is worth immersing yourself in the offer of different packages.
The philosophy of the Quinta dos Vales wines is based on quality and starts in the care of the vineyards. Before harvesting, the acidity of the grapes and the probable alcohol levels are read and registered daily to ensure that the harvest is done exactly at the right time. Subsequently, all the grapes undergo two selection processes, one in the field and another one when they arrive at the winery. The wines that are born in the cellar go then to the aging cellar where they will mature in the best French oak barrels. The vinification of each grape variety is made individually and its evolution is controlled in barrels, also individually, eliminating those that do not reach the quality standards established by the Quinta dos Vales.
The other secret of the winery is its terroir: the soil, dominated by lime and clay, with a unique climate characterized by an average of over 3.000 hours of sunshine per year, results in opulent and fruity red wines, as well as fresh and subtle white ones.
They have an average annual production of 150.000 bottles which is made from 15 different grape varieties, most of which are Portuguese, (e.g. Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Aragonês, Verdelho, and Alvarinho). But they also have a few French varieties growing at the estate (e.g. Syrah, Viognier and Cabernet Sauvignon), which allows for plenty of different blends and combinations as well as monovarietal wines. One of the most traditional varieties of the region – Castelão – they use in red, white and rosé wines due to its versatility.
Marquês dos Vales is the main wine brand of the Quinta. And in 2014 they released their second brand, Dialog, which is a gastronomic range designed for food-and-wine pairings.
All the labels on the bottles are representations of the producer, Karl Heinz Stock’s art, as the combination of wine and art is a recurring theme throughout the estate.
Their wines were already honored with over 100 national and international medals and awards. And on the region, they won 5 times the awards “Best Wine of the Algarve” in the last 10 years.
This 44-hectare estate is now considered one of the best wineries in the Algarve. A Wine Estate, where stunning sculptures can be enjoyed together with high-quality award-winning wines at one time.
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