Today we share one of the outstanding outposts of Walla Walla. I have long enjoyed visiting this scenic site in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. Abeja is one of the most beautiful sites you will see in the Walla Walla Valley. They have a brand new facility there that is spacious and squeaky clean. Abeja wines were first made by illustrious winemaker John Abbott as this location boasts eight luxury cottages, with a large farmhouse, creeks, and gardens on the 38 acre property. Abeja relies on the winemaking talents of Dan Wampfler and Amy Alvarez-Wampfler. Both Dan and Amy have more than 30 years of combined winemaking experience. They work closely together on the wines and craft truly one of the great overall lineups of wine. There is little doubt that the Abeja Chardonnay has been one of the benchmarks for Washington State.
I love the new 2023 Abeja ‘Washington State’ Chardonnay (OB, 94) which is a stunning bottling that comes from several Columbia Valley sites. Just as good is the gorgeous 2023 Abeja ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Viognier (OB, 94) which has an awesome push-pull in terms of richness and tension. is rich with outstanding flavor complexity and great underlying tension. Learn more about this outstanding winery at http://www.abeja.net/ Here are the great new wines by Abeja.
2023 Abeja ‘Washington State’ Chardonnay- The outstanding 2023 Abeja ‘Washington State’ Chardonnay comes from a range of sites throughout the Columbia Valley. It is seamless and beautifully balanced, coming off fat on the mouth, yielding layers of buttercream, poached pear and baking spice laced Challah bread flavors. Medium to full-bodied with good underlying tension, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 94
2023 Abeja ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Viognier- The 2023 Abeja ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Viognier is a fabulous release by winemakers Amy and Dan Wampfler. Stored in mostly neutral oak, on the nose this shows off bright star jasmine and honeysuckle notes alongside shades of papaya and rich honeydew melon. The palate is refined and elegant with a smooth mouthfeel. Generous and well-structured, enjoy now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 94
2022 Abeja ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Chardonnay- A gorgeous 2022 Chardonnay coming from the Mill Creek and Skysill Vineyards, this offers brioche and Golden delicious apple on the nose alongside roasted pineapple. The palate is plush and refined with a seamless texture and great veil of tension running through the core of melon, orchard and citrus fruits. Enjoy this beauty now and over the next decade. Drink 2024-2034- 95
2022 Abeja ‘Columbia Valley’ Merlot- The 2022 ‘Columbia Valley’ Merlot is a 100% varietal wine sourced from the Red Mountain, Walla Walla Valley, and White Bluffs AVAs. Toasty oak and espresso grounds mark the nose alongside chocolate covered black cherry. The palate is refined and luxurious in terms of weight, texture and structure. A stunning wine from this slightly cooler vintage, enjoy now and over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2024-2039- 95
2021 Abeja ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 Abeja ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a beautiful rendition of this wine that has 13% Merlot blended in and hails from the Red Mountain, Walla Walla Valley, and White Bluffs AVAs. Once on the nose this offers dark currants and sandalwood tones alongside Black Forest cake and tar accents. The palate is deep and refined with a smooth mouthfeel and great sense of concentration. Generous and delicious to consume now, this will cellar well for at least another fifteen years. Drink 2024-2042- 96
2021 Abeja ‘Heather Hill’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 Abeja ‘Heather Hill’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a downright gorgeous offering that has a long way to go in the cellar. Sourced from the Heather Hill Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley, this shows off dried herbs, creme de violette and Turkish coffee notes on the nose. The palate is luxurious and refined with serious texture, verve and flavor density. A joy to consume now, enjoy now and over the next twenty years. Drink 2024-2044- 97