Heart’s Fire Delivers Passion in a Bottle

Hidden behind several auto repair shops and numerous industrial supply lots reside the wineries of Campbell, California:

Heart’s Fire (www.heartsfire.com)
Pinder Winery (www.pinderwinery.com)
Stroth-Hall Cellars (www.strothhallcellars.com)
Travieso Winery (www.traviesowinery.com)

Not the typical town in which you’d expect to find wineries, given that orchards and vineyards were long ago paved over in favor of Silicon Valley suburbs and technology companies. In fact, I only discovered that Campbell has wineries through a random Google search (try your town as you never know). These wineries collectively support each other together through the Campbell Winemakers Studio (www.campbellwine.com). Pinder Winery was the first, and leases space and equipment to Heart’s Fire and Stroth-Hall Cellars. Travieso is in the same building on the other side of a kung-fu studio, which could be helpful if they ever pursue the art of champagne sabering. The Campbell Reporter already has a great article, entitled “Vintners heard it through the grapevine”, which can be found at: www.community-newspapers.com/archives/campbellreporter/20070629/news4.shtml.

I visited a tiny winery, and discovered three tinier wineries inside. We entered the Pinder Winery tasting room, but a chance opening of the back door revealed a beehive of activity. Unknown to us at the time, Heart’s Fire winery was in the process of bottling their 2006 Zinfandel from Sonoma County’s Treboce vineyard. Instead of treating us like the nosy intruders we were, they welcomed us as honored guests. Heart’s Fire winery is owned by couples Dan and Julie Scheve and Brian and Kristin Link. Each of them, along with friends and the Link’s daughter, were joyously working to fill the bottles, insert the corks, attach the label and put the finished bottle into boxes. Photos of the bottling process can be seen at:

www.mckyfoto.com/HeartsFire

(Heart’s Fire photos copyright 2008 Frank Anzalone. All rights reserved. For more information, go to www.mckyfoto.com. It’s always good to have a professional photographer for a friend. Thanks Frank!)

They showed us every step of the process, and let us sample their fantastic zinfandel. This was a labor of love, not a corporate undertaking. They have pursued their passion (thus, the name Heart’s Fire) turning friendship and a shared interest in wine into rich and flavorful zinfandel and petite sirah (done in what I’d categorize as medium, balanced style). My tasting notes from their current bottlings are below, and reviews can be found at www.DrinkPlonk.com:

2006 Zinfandel, Price Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County. Evenly balanced zinfandel with strawberry, pepper and a touch of earthy spice. $24.

2006 Treborce Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County. Strawberry, plum, and spice notes. Fuller bodied than the Price Vineyard, but not over the top despite 15.6% alcohol. $28.

2006 Petite Sirah, Rhodes Vineyard, Redwood Valley, Medocino County. Flavorful petite sirah that shows cherry, strawberry, pepper, spice, and leather. Lightly tannic. $32.

Their beginnings as home winemakers grew as friends and acquaintances became more and more interested in their quality wines, prompting Dan to say “We had to rent some space or get a new hobby.” Fortunately, for us, they did! Heart’s Fire is currently located at the Pinder Winery, 165 Cristich Lane, Campbell, CA 95008, and is open for tasting on the first Sunday of every month. Do stop by…

Best, Joe Plonk

www.drinkplonk.com