Ray's Boathouse
Northwest Seafood With a Serious Wine Conscience
Ballard · Seattle · Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 11, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Ray's Boathouse reads like a love letter to the Pacific Northwest — and not the kind that's embarrassed about it. Washington and Oregon producers dominate, which feels exactly right when you're sitting waterside in Ballard staring at the Olympics. This isn't a list trying to be something it's not.
Selection Deep Dive
Ray's leans hard into Washington state, and the Columbia Valley gets the most attention — think Woodward Canyon, Long Shadows, and the kind of producers that actually know what they're doing with Chardonnay and Riesling in the Northwest. Willamette Valley gets a nod too, including Ray's own house Chardonnay bottled by Willamette Valley Vineyards, which is either charming or lazy depending on your mood. The list isn't chasing trends or importing obscure Jura pours, but within its Northwest-forward lane it shows genuine curation. Gaps exist — if you want Burgundy or Barolo with your halibut, you may be disappointed.
By the Glass
Ray's made noise with a promotion offering 30 Washington wines by the glass, which is genuinely impressive for a seafood house and suggests the by-the-glass program is taken seriously. The focus stays predictably regional, which works in their favor — you're going to find pours that actually complement the food rather than random filler bottles. Rotation appears tied to seasonal promotions and Washington Wine Month events, so the list isn't completely static.
Long Shadows Vintners Poet's Leap Riesling, Columbia Valley 2024 — null
Poet's Leap is one of the most consistent Rieslings coming out of Washington — bright, precise, not too sweet — and it's exactly what you want next to anything coming out of the sea. Long Shadows is a quality producer and this bottling punches above its price class.
Long Shadows Vintners Cymbal Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley 2023
Most people at a seafood restaurant are going to default to Chardonnay or reach for something safe. The Cymbal Sauvignon Blanc from Long Shadows is the smarter move — Columbia Valley Sauv Blanc has a cut and herbaceous energy that New Zealand can't always match, and it's still flying under the radar on most people's radar.
Ray's Chardonnay by Willamette Valley Vineyards
House-label wines exist to pad margins, and this one is no exception. Willamette Valley Vineyards makes solid juice, but a co-branded house pour is rarely where the winemaker's best grapes end up. For essentially the same price range, the Woodward Canyon Chardonnay is a much better use of your money.
Long Shadows Vintners Poet's Leap Riesling, Columbia Valley 2024 + Dungeness crab
Riesling and Dungeness crab is a Pacific Northwest pairing that genuinely makes sense — the wine's acidity cuts through the richness of the crab, the slight residual sugar plays off the natural sweetness of the meat, and the whole thing tastes like you planned it. You didn't, but it looks like you did.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Ray's Boathouse is doing something most seafood restaurants fail at — actually caring about the wine list and keeping it honest to the region. It's not going to blow a serious collector's mind, but it's a genuinely good place to drink Northwest wine with Northwest food, and that's more than enough.
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