Cougar X

Cougar X is finally here!

Our winemaker Cameron Rushton and Five Star Cellars collaborated with the Washington State University Alumni Association’s latest wine project to produce the Cougar X red blend. It represents 10 years of wines produced by Coug-owned wineries and winemakers in the region.

Cameron graduated from WSU’s viticulture and enology program in 2010 and joined Five Star Cellars as an assistant winemaker. For the last 13 years, he has helped grow Five Stars’ presence as a premiere Walla Walla winery and honed his own skills as a winemaker.

Ragaire is Cameron’s private label featuring all of his own work, which he produces alongside the Five Star offerings.

Cougar X is Ruby red in color with aromas of blackberry and black raspberry. It has a fruit-forward approach, with subtle hints of spice. Bursts of berry fruit and meaty flavors flood the palate with every sip, as good acid melds with the balanced tannins. It finishes long and bold.

95% Cabernet Sauvignon | 5 % Cab Franc (Ragaire magic!) | Walla Walla AVA

How to Buy Cougar X

It is limited, so purchase soon if you are interested! Five Star Cellars is selling the wine, exclusively. Go to their Order page and click on Cougar X toward the bottom to purchase online. It is also available for purchase at Five Stars’ Walla Walla and Woodinville tasting rooms!

Wine-by-Cougars club members will receive a bottle in their fall shipment.

Release Event

Five Star Cellars will host a release event over two days in Walla Walla:

• Friday, August 25 from 10 AM – 4 PM

• Saturday, August 26 from 10 AM – 4 PM

Last minute registration is here. But if you can’t make it, you can still buy it!

Spring Release Tastings June 8 & 9

Summer is coming! Stock up your cellar, and join winemaker Cameron Rushton for a night with Ragaire in Woodinville.

June Wine Release

What’s on the bar? Our new 2018 Merlot, new 2018 Wanderer specialty blend, and a fresh Tempranillo. If you’re looking for our signature Cab Franc, we have you covered.

Open Tasting for Thursday: Stop by Thursday, June 8 from 3-7 PM for lite bites and Ragaire wines!

RSVP for Friday: If you plan to come Friday, Dec. 9, please RSVP here! We are hosting a special pizza and wine tasting with Five Star Cellars from 3-7 PM and will be capping the headcount for space.

Location: 19151 144th Ave NE Unit F, Woodinville, WA

PREVIEW OF THE CLUB SHIPMENT

Thinking about joining Ragaire’s Kettle Club membership? Here’s a peek at the spring shipment.

• 3 x $40 - NEW 2018 Merlot

• 2 x $42 - NEW 2018 Wanderer

• 1 x $36 - 2018 Tempranillo

The total cost with the 15% discount is $204 + $17.75 tax = $221.75. Don’t forget, if you upgrade to a case, the discount is 20%!

Pickups add no cost for delivery. Shipment will include an additional charge, dependent on location. 

No cancellation fees! Read more about our club here.

5 Takeaways from Fall 2022 Harvest

First, welcome to the Ragaire family, Oliver!

Congratulations to Winemaker Cameron and his wife Catelyn on the birth of their first son, Oliver Charles Rushton! The Ragaire family is on a rotating snuggle schedule between grape deliveries. 😊

5 Takeaways

1. Harvest arrived about a month later than usual. Why? It was a very wet spring for Walla Walla, and that is OK.

2. Fruit looks excellent, so far. Get ready for delicious wine from 2022’s harvest!

3. Sugar numbers are coming in, but the flavors are taking more time. What does that mean? Winemakers need to practice extra patience this year and wait for that prime picking window.

4. Grapes are throwing a lower alcohol content. Result? Highly concentrated flavor that will flourish with time. 

5. No frost = fantastic finish. 2022 is shaping up as a solid year for Walla Walla wine, better than the last few. Let’s keep that frost away for a bit longer!

Kettle Club Updates

Calling all club members! Expect your shipment right before Thanksgiving. Details on dates, pickups, shipping, and what Cameron has decided to put in your box to come. 

Non club members . . . Kettle Club receives 15% off anything up to a case and 20% on case+ purchases. There is no cancellation fee and you get hand-selected wine twice a year! Read more.

December Wine Release 

Cameron will be pouring at Ragaire’s fall release December 8 & 9 in Woodinville. Mark your calendars and check back here or in the next email for the details!

Varietals for Sale

Looking to stock up for the holidays? Ragaire wines make excellent gifts for friends (or just for you!) Temperatures have dropped, so shipping is back up and running. 

Wanderer 2017 — 75% Merlot | 15% Cab Sauv | 10% Cab Franc

Tempranillo 2018 — 90% Tempranillo | 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

Merlot 2017 — 100% Merlot

Coming soon . . . 2019 Cab Franc

Talk soon!

— The Rushton family

Start your 4th of July weekend early with us!

All of the Ragaire family together last weekend! Come see these happy faces in person. 😊

Come by the Woodinville tasting room for a sip of the latest Ragaire varietals! Winemaker Cameron Rushton will be in town pouring to get your holiday weekend started off right. This is a casual tasting, so come and go as you please. Sandals welcome, friends encouraged, and no appointments necessary. 

Date: Thursday, June 30th

Time: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. 

Address: 19151 144th Ave NE #F in Woodinville

For those of you new to the Ragaire family, we offer tastings out of the Five Star Cellars tasting room, our sister winery. You can taste Ragaire any time you visit!

New Varietals

Wanderer — 75% Merlot | 15% Cab Sauv | 10% Cab Franc

Cameron has finally introduced a new specialty red blend to our mix of offerings from the Walla Walla Valley. The new Wanderer comes in a freshly designed, solid black label and boasts a dark crimson hue. Accompanying the color are clear black cherry notes and spice box aromas. Each taste has a dense mouthfeel with a meaty finish. 

Tempranillo — 90% Tempranillo | 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

Leaning into Spanish styles, Cameron has ventured beyond his traditional reds and is ready to share this beautiful Tempranillo. Rich and deep in color, expressive yet elegant on the nose, this wine has an outstanding aromatic array. Juicy fruit with a meaty finish, it’s evenly balanced with each sip.

Want to pre-order for pickup? Purchase by June 26th for pickup in Woodinville!

Don’t forget! Kettle Club members receive 15% off anything up to a case and 20% on case purchases. 

Interested in joining the club? There is no cancellation fee and you get hand-selected wine twice a year! Read more.

We hope to see some of your lovely faces in a few weeks. We’ve missed this time with our wine family — truly. 

— The Rushton family

Welcome to Ragaire Cellars!

Thanks to all who enjoy our wine, we have grown to levels that require a change to carve out a unique space for our wines in the Walla Walla Valley and greater Pacific Northwest region.

The transition from Raptor to Ragaire recognizes a name emblematic of our family roots and our inspiration when making, pairing, and sharing our wines. 

Ragaire is an Irish Gaelic noun to describe someone who enjoys ragaireacht, wandering and sitting up talking long into the night. The connection for our family and winery is two parts: (1) we are an Irish family and our history runs deep in cultural tradition; and (2) our wines create special moments where family, friends, and new acquaintances can enjoy food and the good company of others, long into the night.

Our top selections will maintain the same fruity and robust flavors for which our winemaker Cameron Rushton is known, and his winemaking will continue to let the fruit drive from select growers who share in our commitment to quality. Moving forward, expect new varietals from Cameron’s work (including a new Tempranillo soon!) 

Our wine club Kettle Club members will continue to receive Cameron’s hand picked selections twice a year, with special early access to our newest additions to the cellar. Thank you for continuing to let us share our love of wine with you!

Stay tuned for information on our fall release (sign up for our newsletter here), and find us at our new website www.ragairecellars.com, Facebook, and Instagram. 

Wander with us.

— The Rushton family