I hate leaving bad reviews, but since I understand tastings can be pricey and there are a lot of wineries in Walla Walla to consider, I thought it was important to put it out there.
Wine: 3.5 stars I didn't feel that they were well balanced or stand-out wines, but they were decent.
Grounds: 5 stars It was so beautiful. I can see why people would want to have weddings here
Host: 0 stars This is the reason we won't be back. We felt unwelcome and uncomfortable the whole time. It started with our host physically removing the wine glasses out of our hands when she decided we weren't 21 and ended with being kicked out of our table after an hour because they "needed the table back" even though there were multiple other tables open.
We have been to many tasting rooms in California, other places in Walla Walla, and the Willamette Valley and have never been treated this way. In the future I will be spending my money elsewhere.
My wife and I have been to Walla Walla quite a few times before. We have stayed in a variety of places. Abeja is certainly very nice, conveniently located, and peaceful. We stayed in the Edison “cabin.” It is spacious and very cozy with amenities for either hot or cold weather stays. The staff were very pleasant and inviting, making it very clear that should we need anything they would be able to assist.
We did a tasting. I found the Chardonnay an interesting take on a distinctively different approach and bought a bottle. I really liked their 2014 Cabernet offering as well. I bought a bottle of the 2017 beekeeper blend. It has a little more merlot in it and is ready to drink, where the newest offering was a little tannic at the moment.
Breakfasts were really exceptional with very appropriate portions for an average appetite. We also had the charcuterie tray ( I would recommend this ) and a lunch that they were very willing to wrap and put in our refrigerator for when we returned.
The grounds are great with a great backstory. I do wish that there was more walking paths available. There’s a really pretty bridge on the backside but a very strongly worded sign saying Abeja guests keep out. That’s a little sad because it would be nice to walk down the gravel road. I doubt the average Abeja guest is looking to go inside those people’s homes or even interrupt their space; it smacks of a small minded neighbor dispute. It’s too bad really.
It is pricey and not necessarily something we would do every time we go there, but worth it at least once.
