Intrigue Blog & Chocolate Shop!

Sunday was a good time for Aaron and I. We were invited to attend our second Precept Ambassador Club event—their annual autumn wine tasting party. The venue handled the large crowd (between 500-700 people, we were too busy to get the exact numbers). Precept Wine Brands owns a number of wineries, including names like Apex, Browne, Waterbrook, The Gate, and Shingleback. Nearly all of the wines were discounted 20% - 30% from their normal retail price. They were even pouring some of our all-time favorite beverages: Belgian-style beers!

The event was held at Herban Feast’s historic SoDo facility. You can see in the picture above just how beautiful their space is. Herban Feast left a lot of the old pipes and rigging, and they didn’t repaint the interior. Instead they opted to retain the mature, rustic charm of the building. The space is available for lots of different occasions, so if you are thinking of a company party or a wedding reception, check them out!

There was no shortage of wine at the event. Several of the featured wine brands like Apex and Browne had their own table with a selection of wines to share, while other tables were grouped by type of wine. My favorite area was the ‘Sexy Syrah’ table—which had Black Bubbles (a effervescent sryah)—next to the ‘Cab is King’ table.

Kym Davey flew in from Australia for the event to pour the Davey family’s Shingleback, Red Knot, and The Gate wines. He was a really a nice guy who made a special effort to stop by and belly up to the chocolate tasting table. I found it funny, though, that his wine pours were substantially less generous than those of the volunteers. He must know firsthand how much work goes into filling each bottle!

Our truffles were a big hit! The new (or long absent) flavors of Kirsch, Peppercorn, and California Bay were well received. The California Bay was especially intriguing; many people found it tasted the way a eucalyptus tree smells. Anyone that’s spent time along the California Coast picked it out immediately.

Big thanks to everyone that visited the table, and a big thanks to Precept for having us out again!

This past week we received a rare treat – an invitation to share our chocolates with the audience of a Capitol Steps show performed at the Kirkland Performance Center (where we sampled our chocolate nearly two months ago for the first time). The show, dripping with political satire, was a big hit. Most of the people we talked with had attended a Capitol Steps performance before, so there was a loyal following in the audience to really cheer on the performers.

(Not the Seattle show. This was just the best image of them I could find!)

Plus, we were invited to stand in the back and watch! Lucky us! We all laughed heartily, enjoyed the wines provided by Precept, chatted with the performers in the lobby and tasted chocolate. The Italian Sea Salt truffle was still the most surprising flavor for people, but it was the Jamaican HOT Chocolate and Roza Red that really stole the show… at least, at the tasting table.

Over this past Labor Day weekend, Aaron and I had the opportunity to table at Silver Lake Winery’s tasting room in Zillah for our second year during their annual Harvest Festival - Return to Vinoritaville. Click here to read the introduction to the event.

We definitely could not have asked for better weather. It was blue skies and high 70’s all day long. The band played for most of the day while people lingered on the lawns. Silver Lake has also just completed the first stage of a major remodel, so there is a fancy new waterfall backed by a large sign that you can see from up the road.

Then there were the events: the limbo and the grape stomping.

Earlier in the day, the competition was a race where the contestants tried to squash as many grapes as fast as possible. The winner was the one who could squeeze the most juice out in a minute. Later in the day there was a group stomp in a large barrel, and the winner was the one who could stay the cleanest. This last minute wrinkle in the rules took many people by surprise and a few bailed out to save themselves from the sticky mess. BE WARNED FOR NEXT YEAR!

Wine maker Bill Ammons cooked up a kalua pig that was served for lunch, along with salads and small desert cakes. Great work with the pig, Bill!

That’s Aaron and I in the picture above. You can see we were able to find just enough shade for the chocolate to keep it from melting! The big flavors for us this weekend were the Roza Red truffle (made with Silver Lake’s Roza Red wine) and the new Italian Sea Salt truffle. Most people were surprised by the way the intense minerality of salt brought forward the natural fruit character of the chocolate, and quickly went back for a second sample. Unfortunately, we did not identify an outstanding wine paring, but it was fun trying to find one anyway.

Big thanks to the Taynea, Meridith, Vinny, and Sal for making our experience there in Zillah an enjoyable one! Also, a big thanks to Louis Strutton for providing the photos for this blog. Your camera rocks!

Come out to Zillah for Labor Day weekend! Silver Lake is hosting their annual harvest party at the Silver Lake Winery at Roza Hills in Zillah, Washington. The party will be held from noon to 6pm on Saturday, August 30th, and feature a pit roasted Kalua Pig, cold vinoritas and grape stomping. Last year was a blast, and this year is shaping up to be the same.
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As a special to our patrons, Silver Lake has provided us with a coupon to pass on to you. Simply follow the link below and print and fill out the coupon so you can hand it to the persons pouring the wines for a FREE RESERVE TASTING!

FREE RESERVE TASTING COUPON

If you can’t make it on Saturday, don’t fret! The winery will be open all three days with some special tasting options to keep you entertained. We will be there pairing chocolate truffle samples with the various Silver Lake wines on Saturday and on Sunday. Make the most of your holiday weekend. Come say hello, taste the chocolates and wines, and sit on the lawn with a cold drink and listen live band music.

The Kirkland Performance Center is located in a charming neighborhood blocks away from the lake. Specifically, here:
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The theater opened in 1998 and since then has hosted numerous artists from around the world. It turns out that Bobby McFerrin performed there a few weeks ago and we missed him! Too bad, because Aaron and I both think he is incredibly talented, and KPC would’ve made a for a very interactive, up-close-and-personal experience. Below is a peek at the beautiful interior.

The event this past Saturday was a thank-you to all the members who renewed their subscription or just started their subscriptions with KPC. They were treated to a backstage tour and a video presentation about the theater’s history. They were served sushi, wines from Precept’s winery portfolio,

and of course, gourmet chocolate truffles!

We had a great time hanging out with everyone, and look forward to working with the Kirkland Performance Center again during performances and other wine tastings.

Special thanks to Stephanie and Jenn with KPC for getting us involved with the event, and Autumn with Precept Wines for really pushing the chocolate and wine tasting experience!