Quinta dos Vales, Estombar
- Written by Paul Rees
Quinta dos Vales was a near derelict farmhouse with poor quality vineyards near Estombar. Karl Heinz Stock is a highly successful businessman with multiple property and energy interests in Russia. Lastly the KHSculpture Group and the 'Dance of the Bears'.
Three seemingly disparate elements have combined under the magic of the Algarve's sun. The results so far: more hard work than anyone had ever imagined, the expenditure of more money than you or I could dream of, more success than ever expected in the production of award winning wines, stunning works of art and a manicured wine estate renovated with a keen eye for detail and a healthy attitude to start up funding.
Now it is often true that you can achieve most anything with a good supply of money, but to achieve great things takes more than the accountant's cold eye or the successful entrepreneur's butterfly mind . It takes enthusiasm - years of unending enthusiasm plus good friends, clean vats and a sense of knowing that when something isn't working you need to halt or improve.
Quinta dos Vales lies alongside Estombar near Lagoa just to the west of Slide & Splash. Many of the 50 hectares are visible from the main road and you are encouraged to visit.
Much has been written about Herr Stock, the winery, the animal park, the sculptures, the apartments and quinta to let and, more recently, the medals his vintages are winning at international and local competitions. He set out to be in the top three wine producers from the booming Algarve region and is heading up the charts with his skilfully produced whites, reds and roses created under the watchful eye and sensitive nose of Dorina Linderman. The wine production itself is capped at 100,000 bottles to enable quality to be foremost.
By blending art, holiday rentals and wine production the vineyard and winery investment has been partly supported by these cash positive business areas.
The real story however is of a personal journey, of a bright young executive working his way swiftly through the corporate mill,gaining two degrees, by studying banking, law, oil and real estate, by learning several languages, by being in Russia at the right time to take advantage of the opportunities offered by solving property and energy needs in and around Moscow. All this seemed a means to an end as the real yearning from his inner self was creative and undeniable.
When the business world was at its hottest and most uncomfortable Karl always was able to find release and comfort, relaxation and thinking time by sculpting. He is as passionate as any artist I have met, single minded and expressive when talking about this essential and nourishing part of his life, gone is the talk of cost control, the price per cork stopper, the energy costs per day for chilled storage, the sales volumes and market segmentation. In is the description of shape and form, materials and techniques, moulding skills, the instinct for movement from deep within a static medium.
Herr Stock is maybe just as busy as when he was converting tired historical buildings into smart offices for Russia's elite corporations – and judging by his wide grin and constant expansive mood, he is loving every day that the sun shines.
