The Riv
Pacific Northwest Pours Done Right Downtown
Downtown Spokane · Spokane · Seafood
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The Riv's wine list reads like a love letter to the Pacific Northwest — Washington and Oregon front and center, with California filling in the gaps. It's a focused, purposeful list that actually makes sense alongside fresh oysters and Dungeness crab. Not trying to be everything to everyone, and that's a good thing.
Selection Deep Dive
The list leans hard into Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and Columbia Valley whites, which is exactly what you want at a seafood spot in Spokane. Producers like Foris, Ponzi, Lemelson, and Willamette Valley Vineyards show some real curation — these aren't just filler names you find at every grocery store. The bottle range of $38–$110 is approachable without being stingy, though we'd love to see a deeper cellar cut and a few more adventurous picks outside the PNW comfort zone. Gaps show up in sparkling and anything European, which would genuinely elevate a raw bar program.
By the Glass
Eight to fourteen options by the glass is a solid pour program for a seafood restaurant — enough to match courses without overwhelming decision fatigue. The selection covers the right bases: crisp whites, Pinot Noir, rosé, and a white blend for the uninitiated. At $11–$18 a glass, Tuesday is when this list really sings.
Ponzi Vineyards Pinot Gris 2023 — $14/glass
At $14 a glass with retail around $22, this is one of the most honest pours on the list. Ponzi's Pinot Gris is a proper Willamette workhorse — textured, food-friendly, and built for seafood. Order two.
Roco ReJuvinate White Blend 2023
Most people walk right past a white blend on a menu, but Roco's ReJuvinate is worth stopping for. It's a collaborative Oregon project with real intent behind it — bright, easy-drinking, and at $12 a glass it's the lowest barrier to entry on the list for something genuinely interesting.
Argyle Nuthouse Chardonnay 2021
Twenty bucks a glass for a bottle that retails around $40 is a 100% markup — right at the edge of what feels acceptable. Argyle makes solid wine, but this price point pushes it into 'order something else' territory, especially when the Ponzi Pinot Gris is sitting right there at $14.
Foris Vineyards Pinot Noir 2022 + Pacific Salmon
Oregon Pinot Noir and Pacific salmon is one of those pairings that just makes geographic sense — both come from the same corner of the world, and the wine's earthy red fruit doesn't bully the fish. At $16 a glass it's also one of the fairer markups on the list.
Tuesday — Half-price wine by the glass every Tuesday night.
✔️ The Bottom Line
The Riv isn't reinventing the wine list, but it's doing the right things for a seafood restaurant in downtown Spokane — regional focus, fair pricing, and a Tuesday half-price deal that makes it genuinely worth planning around. Send your friends here and tell them to skip the Chardonnay.
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