" We don't sell the wine without touching the vine "
Abeja Merlot Columbia Valley 2015
Our Price: $52.00 $48.00
6 bottles with free shipping for: $288.00
12 bottles with free shipping for: $528.00
6 bottles with free shipping for: $288.00
12 bottles with free shipping for: $528.00
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| Country: | United States |
| Regions: | Washington Washington (Columbia Valley) |
| Winery: | Abeja |
| Grape Type: | Merlot |
| Vintage: | 2015 |
| Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
Product Description
This one-hundred-percent Merlot has really nice, bright red fruit, rose petals, and a richness on the nose. Flavors of plum, mountain strawberry and mocha come together with a balanced mouth feel and a long finish. Though it was a cooler vintage, I feel we have still captured the powerfully elegant style for which we are known.
Review:
"Good dark red. Sexy, slightly exotic scents of black raspberry, blueberry, mocha, tobacco, chocolate, spices and licorice. Plush, densely packed and alive, conveying a restrained sweetness and outstanding depth to its pliant red berry, mocha and spice flavors. Spreads out to saturate the palate on the back half, finishing with serious but suave tannins and superb persistence. This utterly seamless Merlot really showcases its vintage. While it will give pleasure early for its sheer density and breadth, it maintained its verve for 48 hours in the recorked bottle and should age well. The swan song of longtime winemaker John Abbott, this beauty was finished by new winemaker Dan Wampfler. - Stephen Tanzer"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (October 2017), 93 pts
Winery: Abeja
The Abeja Winery
The Abeja Winery sits at the base of the Washington Blue Mountains, just east of Walla Walla, on a farm estate over 100 years old.
Ken and Ginger Harrison spent 35 years in Portand, Oregon before their strategic move to Walla Walla. The growing climate was ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon, Ken’s preferred varietal, which made this the perfect location for Abeja Winery. Ken focused on growing and producing, while Ginger operated the Harrison’s Inn.
In 2002, Ken and Ginger met the perfect additions to their Abeja Winery team, John Abbott and Molly Galt. Hailing from the Napa Valley since college, John worked at Pine Ridge and Acacia Winery. He and Molly later began Canoe Ridge Vineyard in Walla Walla. Molly handled all of the marketing and public relations and John was the winemaker for almost ten years.
When choosing a name for their vineyard, they wanted to represent a period of farming that had respect for the environment and close connection to the earth. The word “Abeja” is Spanish for bee. The simplistic nature and beauty of the word complimented their “farm softly” style. The honeybee is the ultimate symbol for their way of life because honeybees are so impacted by how one farms and yet very important to an ample and robust style of agriculture. The Abeja Winery truly strives to make a difference by minimizing impact and nurturing the land. Abeja vineyards are certified sustainable farming by organizations such as LIVE, Salmon Safe, and Vinea.
Some wines from Abeja Winery:
- Abeja, Chardonnay, Washington State
- Abeja, Merlot, Columbia Valley
- Abeja, Syrah, Walla Walla Valley
- Abeja, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley
- Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve Columbia Valley
Any Abeja wines we have in stock are listed below, if you don’t see the wine you are looking for please don’t hesitate to ask for it.
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Avennia Sestina Red Blend is made from 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc
The Sestina is a poetic form from Medieval France. Just as a contemporary poet can use an old form like the Sestina to express modern ideas, we use the traditional Bordeaux blend to make modern wines that express Washington fruit. Sestina is our vision for an old vine blend where the focus is on structure, balance, and complexity. This wine is designed for the cellar, but is enjoyable now.
Sestina: This wine is a blockbuster, with black currant, black raspberry, saddle leather, freshly tilled earth, vanilla, and violet on the nose. Exceedingly rich and balanced on the palate, with great poise and structure for long aging. The finish echoes with fresh black fruits, minerally touches, and floral notes.
Review:
"The 2015 Sestina is showing very well, offering up a rich, more exuberant bouquet than the 2014 rendition. This emphasizes notes of cassis, black plums, dark chocolate, espresso roast and a subtle framing of new oak. On the palate, it's full-bodied and lavish but controlled, with an ample, more sun-kissed core of fruit and fine-grained structuring tannins. Like the 2014, it's a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. While the 2014 and 2015 are quite different in style, it's hard to choose between them qualitatively. While it needs a few years in the cellar, I suspect the 2015 will hit its peak sooner. - William Kelley"
- Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate (Issue 237, June 29th 2018), 96 pts
Number #93 On Top 100 Cellar Selections From Wine Enthusiast
"The flagship 2015 Sestina checks in as 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc brought up in 60% new French oak. Gorgeous notes of blackcurrants, black cherries, graphite, wet river rock, and leafy herbs all emerge from this beautifully balanced, fresh, classic wine that's still tight and backward. It's not a blockbuster but has building richness and tannin, as well as a great finish. Give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy over the following 10-15."
- Jeb Dunnuck (April 2018), 95+ pts
What we are offering today is the holy grail of the Rhone Valley: Mordoree Lirac Blanc Plume de Peintre 2017. This wine is only produced in special vintages, 2012 being the last and now 2017 which is by far a superior Rhone vintage.
So, we have a wine rarely produced from one of Rhone’s top estates and the near perfect vintage combined with only 10 cases imported. All of which make this wine the most sought after wine not only in our portfolio, but in all of the Rhone Valley.It is no surprise this is considered the finest Lirac produced since the Delorme family of Mordoree was the force behind the rejuvenation of the Lirac region two decades ago.
Review:
Tasted a week before bottling, the 2017 Lirac Blanc la Plume du Peintre is a blend of five varieties and was barrel fermented and aged in new oak (six Saint-Martin barrels, to be precise). Honey and caramel notes adorn tropical fruit, with hints of pineapple and guava framed and supported by orange and lime zest. It's full-bodied and rich, with a long, lively finish. - Wine Advocate 92-94 Points
Antica Vigna Valpolicella Ripasso DOC Superiore is made from 65% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, 10% Corvinone, 5% Merlot
Ripasso Superiore DOC is an elegant and refined wine, showing a beautiful and intense ruby color. Spicy, with cherry hints and wild berries notes, it features great personality and complexity. In the palate it is rich, very fruity, elegant and still young but already very well-orchestrated, with the typical notes of wild berries that blend well with the complexity of the wine.
20% in steel· 80% in wood for 6 months of which 2/3 in American and French barriques, half of which are used for the second and third time 1/3 in large barrels
Aging:
Fermentation time: about 7/10 days the first and 15 days the second.
Fermentation: at a controlled temperature of 18/20° and second fermentation on the skins of Amarone at 18/20°C.
Vinification: soft crushing of destemmed grapes to obtain Valpolicella.
Drying: the grapes are not dried but vinified fresh.
Harvest: mid-September with manual harvesting of the grapes.
VINIFICATION AND AGENG:
Vineyard management: sustainable agriculture and great attention to natural cycles
Vine density: 4,000 to 5,400 vines per hectare
Vine planting year: from 1972 to 2009
Vineyard training system: guyot and pergola
Soil type: limestone
Exposure: south
Height: 350/400 meters asl
Geographical location: Tenuta di Mezzane, Tenuta di Cazzano di Tramigna
THE TERRITORY:
Pairs well with grilled and roasted meats, as well as cheese.
Try these Similar In Stock Wines
Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley is made from 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot.
Aged for 20 months in 100% French, medium toast; 60% new, 40% one & two year old
The nose leads off with plum, bright blackberry, and dark bing cherries. A touch of dried blueberry rounds out the fruit proï¬le. Floral notes and cocoa, with nuances of cedar and spice, are sprinkled throughout. All of these characters follow through on the palate and, with a pleasant minerality and continuity, weave a tapestry of complexity and youthful exuberance.
"Offers finesse and structure with elegantly expressive blackberry, basil and black olive flavors that build richness towards polished tannins. Drink now through 2028. - TF"
- Wine Spectator (October 2019), 94 pts
The 2015 growing season was the warmest ever recorded in Washington State. We achieved sufficient shoot growth early in the season to provide the fruit shading during the hottest June days. We have also installed overhead misters in all of our vineyard sites to cool the fruit, if needed, to produce the finest grapes we can grow, regardless of extreme weather. Almost all of our Cabernet Sauvignon achieved its final ripening under perfect, mid-70 degree Fahrenheit temperatures in October. The results were very small and concentrated berries full of flavor and freshness.
The 2015 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley is a truly majestic wine with great purity, class and breed. The wealth of blackberry, blueberry and black cherry fruit is remarkable, with hints of spring flowers, cocoa powder, roasted herbs, forest floor and minerals. This wine will have a large drinking window due to the seamless integration of all its elements. Drink now through 2037. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Paul Golitzin, Director of Winemaking
Review:
"The flagship is the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon mostly from Champoux with the balance from Palengat and Wallula vineyards. Crème de cassis, graphite, black licorice, unsmoked tobacco, and hints of chocolate and emerge from this beauty and it continues to gain depth and nuance with time in the glass. Full-bodied, deep, and layered with an incredible purity and elegance on the palate, it's already accessible but has more than enough tannin, depth, and balance to evolve for two decades or more."
- Jeb Dunnuck (April 2018), 99 pts
Waterstone Merlot Napa Valley 2013 is 100 percent Merlot
Sweet cherry, ripe plum, hints of vanilla and overtones of anise and aged leather appear in the aroma. On the palate, this generous wine features cherry, plum and blackberry fruit with supple tannins and a lingering finish.
Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Red is made from
76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec |
Vineyards: Champoux, Discovery, DuBrul, Galitzine, Klipsun, Palengat, Shaw, Tapteil and Wallula
Paul Golitzin, Director of Winemaking, comments:
The 2014 Quilceda Creek "CVR" Columbia Valley Red Wine is a Bordeaux-styled wine filled with satisfying layers of black and red fruits, smoke, spice and minerals. The "CVR" is an exciting preview into the 2014's which are historic wines in the making. This blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec was aged 20 months in 100% French oak. Approachable now, this wine will best be enjoyed over the next 15 years.
Review:
"The entry-level 2016 Columbia Valley CVR is a beauty and well worth purchasing, particularly as it drinks well right out of the gate where the top cuvee benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age. Full-bodied, ripe, and sexy, with terrific notes of kirsch, black cherry liqueur, lead pencil shavings, and graphite, it has plenty of tannins as well as terrific balance and elegance."
- Jeb Dunnuck (April 2019), 93 pts
Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Red is made from
76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec |
Vineyards: Champoux, Discovery, DuBrul, Galitzine, Klipsun, Palengat, Shaw, Tapteil and Wallula
Review:
"The 2017 Columbia Valley CVR is smoking stuff. Based on 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc sourced from the Champoux, Galitzine, Palengat, and Wallula Vineyards, it has loads of cassis, toasted spice, graphite, and dried tobacco notes as well as full-bodied richness, a broad, expansive mouthfeel, and sweet tannins. It’s not far off the top releases here, and it remains a stunning value in world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink it any time over the coming 15 years or more."
- Jeb Dunnuck (April 2020), 95 pts
Winery SALE!
Betz Family Pere de Famille is 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, and 4% Merlot
This initial question raised by this vintage of Pere de Famille is how this wine, with such a depth of color, aromatic complexity and balance of the Old World. The answer isn’t precise, but is a reflection of a remarkable Columbia Valley vintage, plus small changes in maturation and the varietal concentration of the final blend. Its inky purple color, muscular structure and plush texture all point to its New World origins. But the aromas of pure, layered black fruits, graphite, crushed rock and lavender (think St. Julien?) lead me back to the Old World. The 2012 Père de Famille has the highest level (90%) of Cabernet Sauvignon that we’ve ever used in this wine. Add to that the high concentration of Red Mountain grapes (84%), deep and structured, and it yields a wine as generous as any Cabernet we’ve made. It showed such density in barrel that we added three months barrel aging to resolve the tannins and body. It’s weighty and yet balanced, fleshy yet fine grained, powerful yet polished. And unabashedly Cabernet Sauvignon, with its black currants, anise/thyme, savory mouth feel and dusty finish. Its dimension and precision indicate long aging ability, but you might be tempted far earlier.
Review:
The 2015 Père de Famille is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, and 4% Merlot that's mostly from Red Mountain aged 20 months in 70% new French oak. This inky colored effort is packed and stacked, with deep blackberry and currant fruits intermixed with lots of graphite, crushed rock, and minerals as well as smoky, violets aromas and flavors. This full-bodied beauty has gorgeous purity and elegance. It needs 2-4 years of bottle age and will keep for two decades. -Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points
A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Famille exhibits complex aromas of pencil lead, inky dark fruit, wild blueberries, black truffle, incense and anise. On the palate, it's full-bodied, layered and very concentrated, with a deep core of sappy fruit, rich structuring tannins and a long, penetrating finish. This will need some time in the cellar, but it's very complete and full of promise. -Robert Parker 96 Points
- back
Betz Family La Serenne Syrah is 100% Syrah
La Serenne is the most reflective of the site/vintage dynamic of our three single-site 2012 Syrahs. Lovers of this wine know that its source, the Boushey Vineyard, is the highest altitude of the three vineyards and is typically the latest harvested. This cool site was accentuated by the cooler season and the results reflect the seriousness of this vineyard and its care.
An extraordinary, nearly impenetrable black purple color leads to a concentrated, inky aromatic impression: smoky black cherry and wild blackberry dominate, but a litany of supporting aromas is already emerging: smoke, violet, mushroom, roasted meat, Chinese 5 spice and minerals. It has a full attack on entry and a big, rich mouthfeel that goes on and on.
2012 is our 13th harvest from this site and these rows. We continue to be impressed with the chameleon nature of this vineyard, in cool years and hot, in heat spikes and cool springs: it provides us with surprises and opportunities at every harvest. While the themes of deep black fruits and pliant structure always surface, the nuance of this vineyard and its care (thank you, Dick Boushey) make it some of the most satisfying fruit we work with every harvest.
Review:
"The pure, elegant and textured 2014 Syrah la Serenne offers that classic violet and floral characteristics of the cuvee, as well as medium to full-bodied richness, lots of black raspberry fruit, fine, sweet tannin and a great finish. It’s not as powerful or concentrated as the La Cote Rousse, yet it’s a joy to drink and will cruise for a decade or more on its balance and purity. - Jeb Dunnuck"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #225, June 2016), 93 pts
The Grade Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard is made from Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
“2016 produced wines that are very giving, round, coating and streamlined. Year after this year, this bottling aims to highlight the best attributes of the Winfield Vineyard, and also creates a wine that possesses qualities that allow it to age well in the cellar and evolve over many years.
“This wine expresses a focused balancing act of dark, rich black fruit, and a fine tannin structure, illuminated through the core with a laser-like acidity. The wine displays a deep purple-red hue with a cranberry halo. Aromas of cassis, cinnamon, citrus oil, roasted meat, and lilac swell from the glass.
“The palate is marked by a wave of jet-black brambly fruit up front, followed by an exotic spice mid-palate and a long, complex finish that lasts and lasts expressing notes of flowering jasmine, and oolong tea. The silky tannins hold everything together and will certainly allow this wine to evolve in the cellar for at least 7-10 years.” - Thomas River Brown
Review:
Coming from the Winfield Vineyard in Calistoga, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is another brilliant wine from the hands of winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. This deep purple-colored effort boasts tons of blueberry and jammy blackberry fruits as well a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, yet elegant style on the palate. It has the purity of fruit that’s the hallmark of the vintage, ripe, sweet tannins, and no hard edges, and is already hard to resist. Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
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