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Wild Alaskan King Salmon & Pinot Noir – a Perfect Pairing!

We celebrate fresh wild Alaskan King Salmon every spring at Ray’s and there is no better pairing we’ve found than Oregon Pinot Noir. It’s a combination that Ray’s made popular way back and still holds true today.

Our Wine Director Chip Croteau is excited to share with you his Pinot Noir pick for this year: Brick House Vineyard Estate Pinot Noir ‘Les Dijonnaise’ Ribbon Ridge, OR 2016.

Chip’s Tasting Notes: Sourced from their 100% Biodynamically farmed estate vineyard in Ribbon Ridge, this stunner displays a classic nose of red cherries and berries with nuances of spiced cranberries and wonderful layers of earth and mineral: cola, wood smoke, dusty earth, dried tea leaves and touches of cracked pepper. Medium-bodied and silky textured, it fills the mouth with warm red fruits that carry the layers of earth and spice on the mouthwatering, layered finish. This is lovely!

Come to the first floor Boathouse to enjoy it every Wednesday-Sunday 5-9pm!

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New Wine Sampler Packs To-Go!

Ray’s is ushering in the changing season with an exciting line up of New Wine Sampler Packs, available to order now on Toast! Skip browsing at the wine shop or grocery store and opt for these special sampler packs featuring bottles hand-selected by Ray’s Wine Director Chip Croteau.

Chip dug deep into our wine cellar and pulled out some stunning bottles! He’s created a rare chance to try three (or four) decades of Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon. If you’re in the mood for Pinot Noir, enjoy a three-year vertical of three different bottlings from Oregon’s legendary cult winery, Antica Terra. Or opt for our Northwest Fall Sampler Pack to enjoy local wines perfect for sipping in the soon-to-come cooler weather. Cheers!

Ray’s New Wine Sampler Packs include:

Northwest Fall Sampler Pack – $145
Four bottles from top Northwest producers to enjoy as we settle into Fall!

Willakenzie ‘Pierre Leon’ Pinot Noir 2014
EFESTE ‘Final Final’ 2015
Betz Family Winery ‘Bésoleil’ 2016
Delille Cellars ‘Doyenne’ 2017

Sea Smoke ‘Southing’ Pinot Noir Vertical Three-Pack – $275
Three vintages from one of the best Pinot Noir producers in California! Hailing from the Santa Rita Hills appellation in Santa Barbara, Sea Smoke balances power and finesse, year after year. Try the 2015, 2016 and 2017 vintages side by side! Want to add a fourth year? Addon a 2014 1.5L Magnum for an additional $175.

Three Decades of Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon – $650
A rare chance to try vintages spanning three different decades from the famed Quilceda Creek Winery. Arguably the best producer of Cabernet in the Northwest, if not the country. This is a once in a lifetime flight of wines! Featuring one bottle each from 1993, 2006 and 2016 pulled directly from our pristine cellar. Want to add a fourth decade? Add-on the 1984 vintage for an additional $200.

Antica Terra Winery Three Bottle Vertical – $425
Winemaker Maggie Harrison, from famed Sine Qua Non Winery in California started Antica Terra Winery in Oregon and has built it into one of the best Pinot Noir houses in the Northwest. Try three different bottlings from three different years, all from the beautiful Willamette Valley!

Antikythera 2014 – Their epic estate bottling
Botanica 2015 – Floral and fruit forward
Ceras 2016 – Flavors of minerals and herbs

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It’s time for Copper River Salmon & Oregon Pinot Noir!

With Copper River salmon season upon us our Wine Manager Chip Croteau has put together an incredible list of Oregon Pinot Noir to pair with it in the Boathouse and Cafe! The bright fruit flavors and acidity of Pinot Noir is the perfect complement to Copper River salmon. Ask your server for their recommendation and try something new and exciting from our wine-growing neighbors down south!

Angela Estate Pinot Noir
Yamhill-Carlton, OR 2013
15 gls / 58 btl
Ken Wright oversees production on these estate grown bottlings.  Smooth and supple, the fruit a mix of ripe raspberry, red plum and cherry jam, with a gentle touch of chocolate.  Seamless and delicious.

 

Beckham Estate Vineyard
Rosé of Pinot Noir
Chehalem Mountains, OR 2017
14 gls / 51 btl
A pale blush color, mouthwatering acidity and notes of apricots, honeydew and grapefruit are featured on this lovely estate grown Rosé named after the winemaker’s youngest daughter, Olivia.

 

Rex Hill Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley, OR 2015
16gls / 62 btl
Aromas of violets, iris, ripe raspberries, dark cherries and wild strawberries all emerge from the glass followed by more savory aromas of wood smoke, cured tobacco, earth, sandalwood and cinnamon.

 

Sozo Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley, OR 2014
15 gls / 58 btl
With fruit sourced from Lange winery, and a portion of the proceeds going towards WEC’s People for Puget Sound program, this wine exhibits intense and complex aromas of black cherry and cranberry with elegantly textured flavors of dark strawberry and pomegranate.

 

Evening Land Pinot Noir
Seven Springs Vineyard
Eola-Amity Hills, OR 2014
25 gls / 92 btl
30 year old vines planted in the iron-rich, volcanic Jory soils of the Eola-Amity Hills create this stunning wine flush with rich dark cherry, briary blackberry, raspberry and lush tones of rose and lilac.

 

Big Table Farm Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley, OR 2015
26 gls / 95 btl
This wine is very expressive of smoky espresso, cacao, oak-spiced raspberry and cherry aromas, along with hints of vanilla and cola. Sweet and penetrating on the palate, offering vibrant red berry and floral  flavors of hibiscus tea and rosewater that deepen as the wine opens up.
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Sip & Savor Oregon Pinot Noir this Fall at Ray’s!

Welcome to Fall at Ray’s!

As the seasons start to change, we find ourselves at Ray’s looking for wines and flavors that capture this unique time of year. And nothing encapsulates the change of season quite like pinot noir. The bright fruit flavors and acidity of pinot noir pair perfectly with a variety of seafood, but one of the most ideal is wild, fresh salmon.

We have the privilege here at Ray’s to be in such close proximity to one of the greatest pinot noir regions, the Willamette Valley, just four hours south.

rexhill

Courtesy of Rex Hill Winery

This September we will be showcasing a variety of pinot noir wines from the Willamette Valley in both the first floor Boathouse and upstairs Cafe. We recently had the opportunity to visit with Rex Hill Winery and A to Z Wineworks and discover how these beautifully crafted wines are created. First off, the teams at both wineries really took care of us, our wine glasses were certainly never empty. But, seeing the joy and dedication that the Willamette Valley wine community has to perfect each an every bottle of wine was truly humbling.

The care that they have for their land and the product that’s sourced from it, reminded us of how we at Ray’s are committed to always sourcing the freshest fish and using local seasonal ingredients to create flavorful and inventive dishes for all of our guests to enjoy.

Combined Logo WPSo, this fall take advantage of all of the beautiful local offerings that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Come into Ray’s Boathouse or Cafe to try a variety of our featured pinot noirs by the glass or bottle with your next meal. And if you’re not quite sure which one of these delectable wines to partake in, have one of our sommeliers help you find your next favorite pinot!

Make your reservations today! For the Boathouse call 206.789.3770 or click here. For the Cafe call 206.782.0094 or click here.

Cheers!

Chip Croteau, Boathouse Manager & Wine Director

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Ray’s loves Oregon Pinot Noir!

Rex Hill Dinner-1

At Ray’s Boathouse & Cafe we are honored to work with so many great people in our local food and beverage community. For decades we have partnered with and supported our friends at Rex Hill Winery, a winery that has been crafting elegant Pinot Noirs since 1982 in Oregon’s Willamette Valley; and we are proud to have been the first restaurant in the area to carry their impressive wines!

Recently we had the privilege to host some of our friends from Rex Hill Winery (Carrie Kalscheuer), A to Z Wine Works (Annette Larson and Rick Vehrs) and Click Wholesale Distributing (Greg Giere and Dee Torres) for a fun gathering in the Boathouse to share and taste some delicious Pinot Noirs dating back to vintages from 1983!

Here is a peek into what was sniffed, sipped and swirled that evening:

  • 2008 Moutard Cepage Arbane, Buxeuil to begin
  • 1983 Rex Hill Pinot Noir – Rex Hill’s first vintage!
  • 1988 Rex Hill Dundee Pinot Noir
  • 1988 Yamhill Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir
  • 2010, 2011, 2012 Beaux Frères Vineyard Pinot Noir
  • 1964 Cruse & Fils Freres Haut Sauternes to finish

Join us this summer in the Boathouse to enjoy a glass (or bottle) of Oregon Pinot Noir paired perfectly with our Copper River Salmon specials, as we’ve been expertly executing for more than 30 years!