Abeja

Walla Walla (Columbia Valley)

The Estate
Abeja is located on a century-old farmstead in the breathtaking foothills of the Blue Mountains, four miles east of Walla Walla, Washington.

After more than 35 years in the business community of Portland, Oregon, Ken and Ginger Harrison decided to embark upon a new adventure. It was Ken’s passion for Cabernet Sauvignon and the climate for growing this varietal that brought the Harrisons to Walla Walla. While Ken pursues his love of wine as grower and producer, Ginger applies her gracious hand to operating their small Inn.
John Abbott and Molly Galt met Ken and Ginger Harrison in 2002, completing the partnership. John began his career in the Napa Valley straight out of college at Pine Ridge and later at Acacia Winery. In 1994, he and Molly moved to Walla Walla to begin Canoe Ridge Vineyard, where he was the winemaker for nearly ten years and she was in charge of all on-site marketing and public relations.

Abeja is the Spanish name for bee. They chose this name for its simple beauty and its reminder of times past when farming implied a respect for the environment and a close connection to the earth. They believe that each day they can make a difference in the quality of the care of the land.
Their desire is to farm softly and to minimize the impact on the land they farm. The honeybee symbolizes this idea because they are so affected by how they farm and so important to a complete and healthy cycle of agriculture.
The vineyards have been certified to meet the requirements of sustainable farming methods by LIVE, Salmon Safe, and Vinea.

The Wines

#W1EE818018CHS
UPC: 7 84585 01125 4
2011 Abeja, Chardonnay, Washington State 12/750ml
 Made from 100% Chardonnay.
Aged for 9 months in 100% French oak barrels (medium toast Allier and Vosges: 50% new, 50% one year-old).
This wine is loaded with bright, tree-ripened peach, nectarine, and lemon meringue. Candied peach and vanilla define a richness that is in perfect balance. The finish is really amazing; it just keeps unfolding like that scarf trick that magicians do.

#W1EE818000CHS
UPC: 7 84585 01125 4
2010 Abeja, Chardonnay, Washington State 12/750ml
 Made from 100% Chardonnay.
Aged for 7 months in 100% French oak barrels (medium toast Allier and Vosges: 40% new, 60% one year-old).
This wine is loaded with bright, tree-ripened peach, nectarine, and lemon meringue. Candied peach and vanilla define a richness that is in perfect balance. The finish is really amazing; it just keeps unfolding like that scarf trick that magicians do.

National Retail Price: $47.95 / bottle


















#W0EE818014MRM
UPC: 7 84585 01247 3
2009 Abeja, Merlot, Columbia Valley 12/750ml
 Aged for 16 months in 90% French, medium toast; 5% Central European, 5% American, 60% new, 40% one & two year old.
A brilliant dark red color that lets you know
it is for real. Its fruitful, pretty, brambly nose filled with aromas of black raspberry, mountain blackberry, and dried cherry is woven with vanillin and light shaved chocolate. The mouth follows through with these flavors and traces of cassis and black currant. All of these characters are elevated by a brightness and accented with delicate spice. The final impression is long-lasting and completed by rich, silky tannins. This is a stunning example of a varietal that should not be overlooked, especially when grown on the finer sites in Washington State

#W0EE818011MRM
UPC: 7 84585 01247 3
2008 Abeja, Merlot, Columbia Valley 12/750ml
 Aged for 16 months in 90% French, medium toast; 5% Central European, 5% American, 60% new, 40% one & two year old.
A brilliant dark red color that lets you know
it is for real. Its fruitful, pretty, brambly nose filled with aromas of black raspberry, mountain blackberry, and dried cherry is woven with vanillin and light shaved chocolate. The mouth follows through with these flavors and traces of cassis and black currant. All of these characters are elevated by a brightness and accented with delicate spice. The final impression is long-lasting and completed by rich, silky tannins. This is a stunning example of a varietal that should not be overlooked, especially when grown on the finer sites in Washington State

"The 2008 Merlot was sourced from Sagemoorfs Bacchus and Dionysus vineyards and was aged in 60% new French oak for 18 months. It displays notes of spice box, incense, cedar, cassis, and blackberry leading to a spicy, savory, medium-bodied wine that is slightly shallow on the mid-palate."
-  eRobertParker.com (Issue#196, August 2011), 89 pts



 National Retail Price: $41.95 / bottle

#W0EE818019SYM
UPC: 7 84585 01191 9
2010 Abeja, Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 12/750ml
 The fruit for this wine is grown at an elevation of 1310 feet on the grounds of the Winery. The higher elevation and the proximity to the Blue Mountains, gives this vineyard a longer, cooler ripening season than most other areas of the Walla Walla Appellation. The cooler site results in a style much like that of a classic Northern Rhone with complexity and balance without the concentration and higher alcohol levels of Syrah produced in warmer areas.

#W0EE818012SYM
UPC: 7 84585 01191 9
2009 Abeja, Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 12/750ml
 The fruit for this wine is grown at an elevation of 1310 feet on the grounds of the Winery. The higher elevation and the proximity to the Blue Mountains, gives this vineyard a longer, cooler ripening season than most other areas of the Walla Walla Appellation. The cooler site results in a style much like that of a classic Northern Rhone with complexity and balance without the concentration and higher alcohol levels of Syrah produced in warmer areas.

 The 2009 Syrah (with 3% Viognier added to the blend) was sourced entirely from estate-grown fruit. A glass-coating opaque purple color, it offers up aromas of earthy minerals, smoked meat, plum, and blueberry. In the glass it reveals ample savory fruit but is in need of more depth and concentration.
 - eRobertParker.com (Issue#196, August 2011), 89 pts

National Retail Price: $37.95 / bottle


#W0EE818017CSM
UPC: 7 84585 01192 6
2009 Abeja, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 12/750ml
 Made from 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot.
Aged for 20 months in 100% French, medium toast; 60% new, 40% one & two year old

#W0EE818013CSM
UPC: 7 84585 01192 6
2008 Abeja, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 12/750ml
 Made from 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc,
Aged for 25 months in 100% French, medium toast; 60% new, 40% one & two year old
"The fruit for the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley came from the Sagemoor and Red Mountain vineyards. The wine is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc aged in 60% new French oak. A glass-coating opaque purple color, it sports a fragrant perfume of toasty oak, mineral, cassis, violets, and blackberry. Round, rich, and concentrated on the palate, this lengthy effort will benefit from 2-3 years of cellaring and will offer optimum drinking from 2013 to 2023"
- eRobertParker.com (Issue#196, August 2011), 91 pts

 "Distinctly savory, with a meaty, herbal character to the modest berry and spice flavors, riding through the finish against refined tannins. Drink now through 2015. 2,482 cases made. –HS"
- Wine Spectator (October 15th 2011), 89 pts

National Retail Price: $51.95 / bottle


#W0CC818016CSM
UPC: 7 84585 01435 4
2008 Abeja, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 6/1.5L
 Made from 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc,
Aged for 25 months in 100% French, medium toast; 60% new, 40% one & two year old

National Retail Price: $99.95 / Magnum


Bottle Shot
#W0EE818015CSM
UPC code: 7 84585 01434 7
 2007 Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve, 6/750ml
VARIETAL COMPOSITION: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
VINEYARD SOURCES: Heather Hill; Sagemoor Farms: Bacchus, Dionysus & Weinbau
APPELLATION: Columbia Valley
HARVEST DATES: September 22, 2007 – October 11, 2007
OAK COMPOSITION: 100% French, medium toast; 100% new
BARREL AGING: 27 months
CHEMISTRY: Alc. 14.9%, pH 3.71 TA .58 g/100ml


"The winery flagship is the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, a wine produced only in what Abeja considers the best vintages (with 2002 and 2005 being the most recent). The fruit was sourced from several vineyards and the wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 100% new oak. Deeply colored, it proffers an enticing nose of sandalwood, exotic spices, incense, truffle, mocha, black currant, and blackberry. In the glass it reveals dense, layered, succulent fruit, a suave personality, superb balance, and a 60-second finish. It has an excellent chance of seeing its 20th birthday in fine form.
eRobertParker.com (Issue#196, August 2011), 94 pts


National Retail Price: $ / bottle


#W0CC818009CSM
UPC code: 
 2007 Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve, 6/1.5L
The winery flagship is the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, a wine produced only in what Abeja considers the best vintages (with 2002 and 2005 being the most recent). The fruit was sourced from several vineyards and the wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 100% new oak. Deeply colored, it proffers an enticing nose of sandalwood, exotic spices, incense, truffle, mocha, black currant, and blackberry. In the glass it reveals dense, layered, succulent fruit, a suave personality, superb balance, and a 60-second finish. It has an excellent chance of seeing its 20th birthday in fine form.
eRobertParker.com (Issue#196, August 2011), 94 pts


National Retail Price: $ / Magnum