Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/148134
UP Up Front with Chocolate Shop photos by Fred Minnick In early 2011, Seattle-based Precept Wine, best known for breathing new life into Washington flagship wineries such as Waterbrook and Canoe Ridge Vineyard, deviated from its traditional winemaking model to create a little red rebel that helped carve out a new category for sweet red wine in its launch of Chocolate Shop. This chocolate-infused red wine blend, aided by a luscious package and consumer-focused marketing, rocketed onto store shelves and created a following that has made it the reigning top-selling chocolate red wine in the country ever since. Now, this category is finding its way onto on-premise menus as a dessert wine offering and is building on its momentum for the holiday season. Chocolate-flavored beverages in the wine and spirits industry are nothing new, but the standout success of Chocolate Shop red wine solidified a place in the wine aisles for what 6 / the tasting panel / august 2013 TP0813_001-33.indd 6 7/24/13 9:46 PM