As a final post on my outing to Walla Walla, Washington -- I have two shining stars. Gramercy Cellars, a small (5K cases) winery, which is relatively new, totally excellent, but very slick for this little town, and Abeja, even smaller (4K cases) and what I consider one of the crown jewels of Walla Walla.
To start, Gramercy.
It's a relatively new operation, founded in 2005 by a Master Sommelier, Greg Harrington, and his wife, Pamela. The couple was living in New York where Greg was working and went to a tasting of Walla Walla wines. I guess he and I aren't too dissimilar because he found what I found in the wines: that they were totally different from anything else in the U.S. -- earthy but fruity, with awesome balance. Shortly thereafter he booked a few trips out west and then made it a goal to move to Walla Walla to make wine.
Gramercy aims to make wines from top vineyards with an optimal balance of earth, fruit, and structure (tannin, acid, alcohol). They're all about minimalist winemaking techniques and letting the terroir come through in the wine.
I didn't meet Greg Harrington, and that was just fine because instead I got to hang out for an hour with Assistant Winemaker and Partner, Brandon Moss. In the backdrop of a polished New York-meets-Walla Walla tasting room, Brandon set the tone and made it more Walla Walla than New York.
Moss is a Walla Walla native and has so much passion for the area and for wine. He was fun, loved dorking out, and was so down-to-earth. A truly normal wine person. I have to admit that when I think back on the whole trip, a major highlight was the fun I had laughing with Brandon and discussing wine in Walla Walla.
As you'll see in the reviews below, their wines kick ass. Which is a good thing since it would have been a shame if we had fun but the wines sucked. Thankfully, these guys know what they are doing too! Here's the lineup:
The Wine: 2012 Rosé
Price: $25
Grapes: Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah
Alcohol: 13.2%
Quick description: A pale salmon color with lemon, herbal smells. It was bone dry with nice lemon, light raspberry, a little salty, bready flavor. Very nice herbal finish with great acidity.
Drink or sink?: Drink. Great dry rosé -- super nice for sipping but I would have loved it with cheese.
The Wine: 2010 L'Idiot de la Village, Columbia Valley
Price: $42
Grapes: 80% Syrah, 12% Mourvedre, 4% Grenache, 4% Cinsault
Alcohol: 14.2%
Quick description: Thick tears from the alcohol with a lighter ruby color, this looked hefty. It smelled like decaying leaves, spice, cinnamon, and plums. It tasted like red berries and tons of black pepper and cinnamon spice, with long, chewy tannins and good mouth cleaning acidity.
Drink or sink?: Drink. This was absolutely awesome. Full of flavor and texture. This, like many of the best Syrah and Syrah blends in Walla Walla came from the "In the Rocks" vineyard, which has rocks (galets, as the French call them) similar to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, reflecting heat and light for great ripening and big flavor.
The Wine: 2010 Walla Walla Syrah
Price: $55
Grapes: 100% Syrah
Alcohol: 13.9%
Alcohol: 13.9%
Quick description: Dark ruby with dark fruit, plum, saddle leather, and black pepper aromas. This wine just screamed Syrah. The wine tasted like black pepper, blackberry, and ripe plums, with chewy, strong tannins that were slightly astringent but balanced by good acidity and moderate alcohol.
Drink or sink?: Drink. This wine is very, very young but has enormous potential to be outstanding. One to hold.
The Wine: 2010 Columbia Valley Lagniappe Syrah
Price: $55
Grapes: 100% Syrah
Alcohol: 14.2%
Quick description: A dark ruby with thick tears, the wine had aromas of strawberry with coffee beans, saddle leather, and brewed coffee. It tastes like black pepper, raspberry, blackberry, and strawberries with leathery notes. Moderate tannins and acid gave the wine good balance and it didn't feel hot, despite the 14% alcohol.
Drink or sink?: Drink. A nice wine with lots going on. A little more strongly flavored but surprisingly simpler than the Walla Walla Syrah. Very good.
The Wine: 2009 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Price: $50
Grapes: 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot
Alcohol: 14.2%Quick description: A brownish, crimson color, the wine smelled like blackcurrant, black cherry, dried fruit, cinnamon, nutmeg, and walnuts. Strong flavors of black cherry, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cola with tame tannins and nice mouthwatering acid.
Drink or sink?: Drink. A great wine -- super balanced with great baking spice and ripe fruit. A great deal at $50 too!
_________________________________________
Abeja
A partnership between two couples, this small winery may be the pinnacle of Walla Walla wines for me. In 2002, Ken and Ginger Harrison on the business side, and John Abbott and Molly Galt on the winemaking/ marketing end, created an oasis for wine lovers on the east side of Walla Walla.
Right out of college, John Abbott, a kind, modest, and smart guy went to Napa to work for Pine Ridge in the Stag's Leap District and then Acacia in Carneros. He and Molly moved to Walla Walla to start Canoe Ridge Vineyard, owned by Chalone, where he was head winemaker and she was in charge of hospitality and PR.
Eight years later, Abeja was formed on a refurbished site of a working farm that was built from 1903 to 1907. 
Abeja ("bee" in Spanish) has an Inn on the property that is made up exclusive quarters from the old farm buildings. The winery's production and business take place in the old silo, which has breathtaking views of Walla Walla's Blue Mountains and the valley. The place is a secluded and deluxe, and utterly beautiful. As you can guess -- staying is not easy on the wallet. 
Although it's beautiful and buccolic, the best part of Abeja is the wines. The problem: They are small and if you're not staying there you may not get access to their stuff! The other, better option for all of us not in Walla Walla is to get on the mailing list, which I highly recommend because these wines are worth seeking out. John aims to make wines that are good with food and well balanced. He's apparently a perfectionist in the vineyard and that leads to outstanding results.I spent a lot of time with Molly. She gave me a tour of the grounds, showed me the winemaking facilities and introduced me to Ken and John. Everyone at Abeja was wonderful and modest. Even better, each wine I tasted was exceptional.The Wine: 2012 Walla Walla ViognierPrice: $30Grapes: 100% Viognier
Quick description: A pale yellow with lots of floral notes and a great saltine cracker smell. The flavor was awesome -- like a sugar cookie with some bread flavor -- almost like a lemon curd croissant. The wine had a ton of richness -- it felt soft and round but still had great acid.
Drink or sink?: Drink. An amazing Viognier -- one of the best I've ever had. Between the neutral barrel fermentation and the whole cluster pressing, which gives that salty earth flavor, John has completely mastered this grape. The biggest problem with this wine -- only about 250 cases produced. I wish they'd step up production because it is insanely good.
The Wine: 2010 Walla Walla SyrahPrice: $40Grapes: 96% Syrah, 4% Viognier
Quick description: An inky plum color with a light rim, the Syrah was co-fermented with Viognier (á la Côte Rotie in Rhône), which is known to pull color from Syrah and make the wine darker. More intense and French-like than any other Syrah I had on the Washington trip, this smelled like oregano, black pepper, and cinnamon, with black cherry and black plum. The flavors were black pepper, black cherry, black raspberry, and plum with a touch of leather. The wine had chewy tannins and great acid to keep it in balance.
Drink or sink?: The best Syrah of the entire trip and one of the best domestic Syrahs I've ever had. This is an outstanding wine. A must-try.
The Wine: 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Heather Hill Vineyard, Walla Walla
Price: $55 (should be twice that for the quality)
Grapes: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Quick description: Ruby with stained tears, it smelled like dusty earthiness with dried strawberry and green pepper. The flavors were like dried strawberry, tea leaves, forest floor, and black fruit. The wine had chewy tannin but was balanced by moderate alcohol and excellent acid.
Drink or sink?: Drink. Another excellent Abeja wine. From the Heather Hill Vineyard on the south side of Walla Walla, this small area produces outstanding, layered, and perfectly balanced Cabernet Sauvignon. Add on expert winemaking and this wine is delicious. The best Cabernet of the trip and drinks like a $100+ bottle.
The Wine: 2010 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Price: $45
Grapes: 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot
Quick description: A bright ruby with aromas of thyme, cinnamon, black currant, and berry with some black pepper. The wine tasted like black fruit, plum, cinnamon, nutmeg, dust, leather, cigar box, and dried fruit. It was nutty and kind of like a fruitcake. Softer tannins, with medium acid.
Drink or sink?: Drink. Another stellar wine with lots of different flavors. The sourcing from Red Mountain and the Dionysis and Bacchus vineyards gives this wine lots of dimension and makes the wine more approachable and fruity now. Highway robbery for $45. This is better than a lot of $90 Cabs I've had._________________________________________
Small fries, but great wines. If you can get your hands on these two producers' wares, you won't be let down! Let me know if you've had these wines and what you think!!
Price: $55
Grapes: 100% Syrah
Alcohol: 14.2%
Quick description: A dark ruby with thick tears, the wine had aromas of strawberry with coffee beans, saddle leather, and brewed coffee. It tastes like black pepper, raspberry, blackberry, and strawberries with leathery notes. Moderate tannins and acid gave the wine good balance and it didn't feel hot, despite the 14% alcohol.
Drink or sink?: Drink. A nice wine with lots going on. A little more strongly flavored but surprisingly simpler than the Walla Walla Syrah. Very good.
The Wine: 2009 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Price: $50
Grapes: 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot
Alcohol: 14.2%Quick description: A brownish, crimson color, the wine smelled like blackcurrant, black cherry, dried fruit, cinnamon, nutmeg, and walnuts. Strong flavors of black cherry, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cola with tame tannins and nice mouthwatering acid.
Drink or sink?: Drink. A great wine -- super balanced with great baking spice and ripe fruit. A great deal at $50 too!_________________________________________
Abeja
A partnership between two couples, this small winery may be the pinnacle of Walla Walla wines for me. In 2002, Ken and Ginger Harrison on the business side, and John Abbott and Molly Galt on the winemaking/ marketing end, created an oasis for wine lovers on the east side of Walla Walla.
Right out of college, John Abbott, a kind, modest, and smart guy went to Napa to work for Pine Ridge in the Stag's Leap District and then Acacia in Carneros. He and Molly moved to Walla Walla to start Canoe Ridge Vineyard, owned by Chalone, where he was head winemaker and she was in charge of hospitality and PR.
Eight years later, Abeja was formed on a refurbished site of a working farm that was built from 1903 to 1907. 
Abeja ("bee" in Spanish) has an Inn on the property that is made up exclusive quarters from the old farm buildings. The winery's production and business take place in the old silo, which has breathtaking views of Walla Walla's Blue Mountains and the valley. The place is a secluded and deluxe, and utterly beautiful. As you can guess -- staying is not easy on the wallet. 
Although it's beautiful and buccolic, the best part of Abeja is the wines. The problem: They are small and if you're not staying there you may not get access to their stuff! The other, better option for all of us not in Walla Walla is to get on the mailing list, which I highly recommend because these wines are worth seeking out. John aims to make wines that are good with food and well balanced. He's apparently a perfectionist in the vineyard and that leads to outstanding results.I spent a lot of time with Molly. She gave me a tour of the grounds, showed me the winemaking facilities and introduced me to Ken and John. Everyone at Abeja was wonderful and modest. Even better, each wine I tasted was exceptional.The Wine: 2012 Walla Walla ViognierPrice: $30Grapes: 100% Viognier
Quick description: A pale yellow with lots of floral notes and a great saltine cracker smell. The flavor was awesome -- like a sugar cookie with some bread flavor -- almost like a lemon curd croissant. The wine had a ton of richness -- it felt soft and round but still had great acid.Drink or sink?: Drink. An amazing Viognier -- one of the best I've ever had. Between the neutral barrel fermentation and the whole cluster pressing, which gives that salty earth flavor, John has completely mastered this grape. The biggest problem with this wine -- only about 250 cases produced. I wish they'd step up production because it is insanely good.
The Wine: 2010 Walla Walla SyrahPrice: $40Grapes: 96% Syrah, 4% Viognier
Quick description: An inky plum color with a light rim, the Syrah was co-fermented with Viognier (á la Côte Rotie in Rhône), which is known to pull color from Syrah and make the wine darker. More intense and French-like than any other Syrah I had on the Washington trip, this smelled like oregano, black pepper, and cinnamon, with black cherry and black plum. The flavors were black pepper, black cherry, black raspberry, and plum with a touch of leather. The wine had chewy tannins and great acid to keep it in balance.
Drink or sink?: The best Syrah of the entire trip and one of the best domestic Syrahs I've ever had. This is an outstanding wine. A must-try.
The Wine: 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Heather Hill Vineyard, Walla Walla
Price: $55 (should be twice that for the quality)
Grapes: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Quick description: Ruby with stained tears, it smelled like dusty earthiness with dried strawberry and green pepper. The flavors were like dried strawberry, tea leaves, forest floor, and black fruit. The wine had chewy tannin but was balanced by moderate alcohol and excellent acid.
Drink or sink?: Drink. Another excellent Abeja wine. From the Heather Hill Vineyard on the south side of Walla Walla, this small area produces outstanding, layered, and perfectly balanced Cabernet Sauvignon. Add on expert winemaking and this wine is delicious. The best Cabernet of the trip and drinks like a $100+ bottle.The Wine: 2010 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Price: $45
Grapes: 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot
Quick description: A bright ruby with aromas of thyme, cinnamon, black currant, and berry with some black pepper. The wine tasted like black fruit, plum, cinnamon, nutmeg, dust, leather, cigar box, and dried fruit. It was nutty and kind of like a fruitcake. Softer tannins, with medium acid.Drink or sink?: Drink. Another stellar wine with lots of different flavors. The sourcing from Red Mountain and the Dionysis and Bacchus vineyards gives this wine lots of dimension and makes the wine more approachable and fruity now. Highway robbery for $45. This is better than a lot of $90 Cabs I've had._________________________________________
Small fries, but great wines. If you can get your hands on these two producers' wares, you won't be let down! Let me know if you've had these wines and what you think!!
I have only had the Abeja Columbia Valley cab, and it was simply amazing. I will have to seek out some more of these given what you are saying about them.
ReplyDeleteJeff,
ReplyDeleteI LOVED Abeja. They were such rock stars. The issue with them, as with a lot of the smaller Walla Walla producers is availability. They have so little and sell out so fast. They wouldn't even let me buy any while I was there!
If you have a chance to try some more of their wines, do it. They are artists. Some of the best out there.
Thanks for writing!
Elizabeth