It all began over 30 years ago, when Carsten Kullik, then a student from Berlin, visited Portugal for the first time. After many wine-related journeys and lasting friendships, he received a special gift from his wife, Catharina: an experience to be a winemaker for a day in Estremoz. During this experience, Carsten met local winemakers and renowned, award-winning Portuguese enologists, who introduced him to the wines and the city of Estremoz. Carsten quickly fell in love with the beauty and light of the city, its people, and above all, the elegance of its wines. In 2021, with strong local support, he launched a wine project that brought all these elements together. He already knew of a property—Quinta da Esperança, located just 3 km from Estremoz—which offered the ideal conditions for Aliestre. Upon returning home, Carsten shared his vision with four friends—Ingo Weiss, Stefan Heilmann, Dr. Thomas Wolf, and Carsten Jung—also wine enthusiasts, who immediately embraced the idea and joined the dream. In 2022, the group from Berlin acquired Quinta da Esperança, a property that perfectly embodies the essence of Aliestre: vineyards planted on marble-rich soils and a location bathed in the unique light of Estremoz. Quinta da Esperança is part of Aliestre Vineyards, a wine project that has become one of the most representative producers in the municipality of Estremoz, in the Alentejo region. The first vineyards were planted here in 1993, on land that later expanded to approximately 42 hectares of vines. In 2001, the winery was built and the first wine under its own label was released, marking the true beginning of wine production. Over the years, the wines of this estate have gained recognition and awards, reinforcing the prestige of local production. The estate has also stood out for introducing innovative practices in the region, such as night harvesting, designed to preserve aromas and grape quality during the intense Alentejo heat. Today, Aliestre combines traditional Alentejo viticulture with spaces and experiences open to the public, positioning itself both as a reference wine producer and as a distinctive wine-tourism destination in Alentejo.
And so, this journey begins.