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Taste Washington Wine Month is Here!

Let’s celebrate all things Washington Wine this March!

We’re so lucky to live in a place with a wine industry such as ours with passionate growers, talented winemakers and the best quality grapes.

Ray’s has been supporting the Washinton wine industry since its inception and has championed dozens of wineries along the way, watching them grow from small operations to successful large scale companies.

Be sure to check out our fresh sheets in the Boathouse and Cafe for excellent Washington Wine picks this month from a variety of wineries and regions and raise a glass to our local wine pros!

And click here to learn why Ray’s was named the “Best Restaurant to Experience Washington Wine” by Seattle Magazine!

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It’s Washington Wine Month! Check Out Ray’s Incredible Lineup

Join us this March to celebrate Washington wineries and the vineyards they source their grapes from, specifically those that have been certified Salmon Safe!

Ray’s Boathouse and Cafe are featuring wines by the glass and bottle from four fantastic Washington wineries in both our upstairs Cafe and first floor Boathouse from March 1-31. Come back throughout the month to taste them all and enjoy the best views in Seattle!

Cafe Featured Wines

  • Baer Winery Merlot ‘Star’ Stillwater Creek Vineyard, Royal Slope AVA WA 2017  (glass $16 / bottle $64)
  • Baer Winery ‘Royal Slope Rosé’ Stillwater Creek Vineyard, Royal Slope AVA WA 2020 (glass $16 / bottle $64)
  • L’Ecole No 41 ‘Luminesce’ 7 Hills Vineyard, Walla Walla, WA 2020 (bottle only $68)
  • Woodward Canyon Chardonnay Columbia Valley, WA 2019 (bottle only $80)

Boathouse Featured Wines

  • Baer Winery Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Artos’ Stillwater Creek Vineyard, Royal Slope AVA, WA 2019 (glass $25 / bottle $100)
  • Hedges Syrah ‘DLD’ Les Gosses Vineyard Red Mountain, WA 2017 (glass $18 / bottle $70)
  • L’Ecole No 41 ‘Luminesce’ 7 Hills Vineyard, Walla Walla, WA 2020 (bottle only $68)
  • Woodward Canyon Chardonnay Columbia Valley, WA 2019 (bottle only $80)

Among our star studded lineup of featured wine is Baer Winery.  One of the original wineries to make juice in Woodinville, this small family owned operation has utilized the brilliance of expert winemaker Erica Orr.  They source the majority of their grapes from Stillwater Creek Vineyard in the Royal Slope AVA.

Also in our lineup is one of favorite wineries from Red Mountain, Hedges. Not only are their estate vineyards certified Salmon Safe, they are also 100% certified organic AND biodynamic.  The incredible care they take to preserve and maintain the integrity of their land is reflected in the consistent quality and uniqueness found in their wines.  Enjoy one of the Red Mountains most delicious, funky, earthy, fruit forward Syrahs.

Lastly, two of the wineries that put Walla Walla on the map: Woodward Canyon and L’Ecole No 41.  Little needs to be said for these two behemoth wineries and their influence on Washington wine and its growth.  Any focus on Washington wine wouldn’t be complete without a taste from their cellars.

Cheers!

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Taste Washington Wine Month at Ray’s March 1-31!

To celebrate Taste Washington Wine Month this March, our Wine Director Chip Croteau has created a special Washington wine list that will be available March 1-31 in our first-floor Boathouse.

Chip and his team have hand-selected a variety of exceptional Washington wines from some of the most talented winemakers in our great state. Enjoy these wines by the glass or bottle all month long! Reserve online at rays.com.

Washington wines available by the glass or bottle include:

Avennia ‘Oliane’ Sauvignon Blanc Yakima Valley, WA 2017 16 gls / 62 btl

Sourced from top vineyard sites Boushey and Red Willow, discover aromas of white grapefruit, nectarine, lemon pith, straw, mineral, and herb. Sleek and puckering flavors with a steely spine of acidity that keeps the interest high.

àMaurice ‘Sparrow’ Estate Viognier Walla Walla, WA 2016 19 gls / 75 btl

Exclusively from their estate vineyard site, this stunning wine features aromatic notes of freshly cut flowers, peach, creamsicle, pear, and tangerine. It’s textured in feel with abundant stone fruit and vanilla flavors that lead to a tart, apricot filled finish that lingers.

Two Vintners Grenache Columbia Valley, WA 2016 15 gls / 55 btl

From Olsen and Boushey vineyards this lightly colored Grenache offers nuanced plum, fresh herb, orange peel, smoked meat, and white pepper.  Juicy, rich, and floral.

Two Vintners Syrah ”Some Days Are Stones’ 2015, Walla Walla, WA 18 gls / 68 btl

From Walla Walla’s famous Rocks District, intense aromatics of blueberry and plum are followed by smoked meat, dried violet, olive, gravel, and dried herbs.  It shows a whole lot of hang time on the potpourri filled finish!

Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley, WA 2012 25 gls / 95 btl

A rare library release from the team at Abeja, the brilliant 2012 vintage features blackberry, black cherry, blueberry and pretty notes of vanilla bean. Hints of cinnamon stick, dark earth, and pine sap add depth and complexity to the silky texture and refined tannins.

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Taste Washington Wine Month at Ray’s Mar. 1-31!

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Since the early days of Washington wine, Ray’s has been a proud champion of local winemakers and wineries. In 1982 we were one of two restaurants to receive and sell Leonetti Cellars’ wine with the release of its 1979 Cabernet Sauvignon… what an incredible and robust journey our local wine industry has had since then!

This March we invite you to join us for Taste Washington Wine Month, celebrating the beautiful wines, talented winemakers, and rich, diverse landscape of Washington wine country. From Thursday, March 1 through Saturday, March 31, we will be offering a curated selection of Washington wines from our Wine Director Chip Croteau in the Boathouse and Café.

The Boathouse will be serving six unique and delicious Washington wines by the glass and bottle to enjoy alongside the best view in Seattle, from 5-9pm daily.

Boathouse Taste Washington Wine Month Menu

àMaurice Viognier Columbia Valley, WA 2016 – $16 / $54
The viognier grape is often used for blending in France but has become one of Washington’s greatest white varietals.  Expressive aromas of peach flesh and orchard fruits lead towards kiwi, quince preserve and lemon. A stunner!

Buty Sémillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadelle Columbia Valley, WA 2015 – $15 / $53
A top Washington white blend every year, Nina Buty’s fresh and bright white Bordeaux inspired blend features sémillon, providing eloquent floral tones and textural richness while the sauvignon and muscadelle lend layers of jasmine, grapefruit and lime.

Savage Grace Grüner Veltliner Underwood Mountain Vineyards, Columbia Gorge, WA – $15 / $53
The classic Austrian white grape finds a lovely single vineyard expression with light aromas of white pepper, lime and herb capped off by hints of honey and wet stone in the acid laced finish.

Hedges Syrah ‘DLD’ Cuvée Marcel Dupont, Red Mountain, WA 2013 – $15 / $55
Dedicated to Anne-Marie Hedges grandfather, Marcel Dupont, this cuvée displays the greatest qualities of low yield farming and the hallmarks of Red Mountain syrah: earthy minerality, rich dark fruits, dried spices, cocoa, leather and smoke.

Owen Roe Cabernet Franc ‘Rosa Mystica’ Yakima Valley, WA 2014 – $18 / $65
David O’Reilly’s ‘Rosa Mystica’ begins with aromatics of ripe red cherries, red bell pepper and sage. This leads to flavors of rose petals, red cherry, sagebrush, red raspberry with hints of blood orange. This is a polished and complex wine.

Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley, WA 2014 – 3oz $35 / 6oz $70 / bottle $265
A tour de force reminiscent of a first growth Bordeaux, this 100-point wine offers incredible notes of black currants, graphite, lead pencil shavings and crushed rocks in a full-bodied, decadent, insanely layered and seamless style. Ultra-fine tannin, no hard edges and a forward, already hard to resist style.

The Café will be serving select Washington wines by the bottle daily from 11:30am-9pm, including:

  • àMaurice Viognier Columbia Valley, WA 2016
  • Buty Sémillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadelle Columbia Valley, WA 2015
  • Hedges Syrah ‘DLD’ Cuvée Marcel Dupont, Red Mountain, WA 2013

Reserve in the Café at 206.782.0094 or online; and in the Boathouse at 206.789.3770 or online.