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Northwest Living By Paul Gregutt
A Welcome InnAt Abeja, wine, scenery and serenity are served
IT WOULD BE difficult to imagine a more perfect introduction to the pleasures of Walla Walla wine country touring than to spend a few days at The Inn at Abeja. Abeja (pronounced uh-BAY-ha), which means bee in Spanish, spreads comfortably across 32 acres of wooded farmland and vineyard on the eastern fringe of Walla Walla. It's close enough to town to be convenient for wine touring and college functions, yet it is far enough away (at least for the moment) to offer the weary visitor a respite of almost matchless beauty and serenity. The inn consists of a collection of beautifully renovated, century-old buildings that now hold a winery, tasting room, guest suites and cottages. A stately farmhouse overlooks them all, home to owners Ken and Ginger Harrison, who purchased the property six years ago. With their business partners, John Abbott and Molly Galt, the Harrisons have created a world-class inn that would make Martha proud. The resident boutique winery encapsulates everything that is seductive and brilliant about the state's most high-profile wine region. If there is a down side to Abeja it is simply that the place is so unique and appealing that room reservations must be made months in advance. Five suites or cottages are available, all lovingly restored and furnished with antiques and eclectic collectibles. Guests can take breakfast in the Small Barn or have a basket of lighter fare delivered to their quarters. Local ingredients are celebrated on menus that might include Baked Walla Walla Apples With Plum Sauce or Egg Roulade With Walla Walla Sweet Onions and Tillamook Cheese. What the winery has to offer Despite its practical past, there is nothing rustic about the place today. Winemaker John Abbott, now wrapping up his 18th professional vintage, is a meticulous craftsman who oversees every detail. Much of Abeja is customized to meet his exacting demands, from the placement of the must-chilling jackets to the mechanical puncher-downer (that's a technical term) to the two separate sorting tables. Visitors to the winery, which is open to Abeja guests (non-guests must call ahead for an appointment), are treated to personalized, in-depth tastings, usually guided by one of the founders. Apart from the winery's chardonnays and cabernets — its main calling cards — visitors to the tasting room may also purchase, at certain times of the year, rare offerings such as the estate-grown viognier or syrah, and the Beekeeper's Blend, a red table wine. This last is the winery's gift to the residents of the Walla Walla Valley, sold only at the winery and by the bottle or glass at certain favored restaurants such as the Whoopemup Hollow Café in Waitsburg. Tucked among the winery's fall releases is Abbott's first Abeja merlot, and given his extraordinary track record at Canoe Ridge with the grape, it is sure to sell out quickly. The best way to find these limited wines is to sign up for the Abeja mailing list. The Inn at Abeja and Abeja Winery are at 2014 Mill Creek Road, Walla Walla. The inn is open March 1 through Dec. 20, Thursday through Monday. Call the inn at 509-522-1234, the winery at 509-526-7400. Rooms are $235 to $280 (one night) or $210 to $255 per night (two-night minimum). For more information, check the Web site at www.abeja.netor e-mail: reservations@abeja.net. The old Carriage Barn contains the Locust Suite and Carriage House Suite, each more than 800 square feet, including fully equipped kitchens and well-appointed living rooms. The Locust Suite has a king bed, slate floors, original paneling and a private terrace overlooking Titus Creek. The Carriage House Suite, also with king bed, tile shower and kitchenette, has the bedroom upstairs. It's brighter and sports the better view, with a trellised brick patio that faces the sunsets. Just slightly smaller is the Summer Kitchen Cottage, once used to provide meals for the crews who worked the harvest. Today its kitchen has been modernized and decorated with images of early farm life. The upstairs sleeping room and bath hold a king-sized bed and a claw-foot tub, as well as an east-facing balcony overlooking the original vineyard. "A perfect place," say the owners, "for holding hands and counting stars." The smaller accommodations are the Chicken House Cottage (546 square feet) and the Bunk House Cottage (404 square feet). The names reveal their former functions. Both have cozy kitchens and living rooms, small private patios and queen-sized beds. The Chicken House also has high ceilings and plenty of windows to let in light from the rose garden nearby. The well-tended grounds include gardens, bird sanctuaries, a winding creek and many acres of vineyard. Opening out to the north are unbroken wheat fields, a vast sea of gently rolling farmland that ranges from an almost iridescent green in spring through all shades of gold and tan and copper in summer to chocolate brown after the earth has been tilled. The Blue Mountains loom to the east, the creek ripples along the property's southern border, and more newly planted vineyard stretches back toward town. Abeja winery is rarely open to the general public, but guests of the inn can always schedule a visit and tasting. Seattle Times wine writer Paul Gregutt can be reached at wine@paulgregutt.com. Ken Lambert is a Times staff photographer.
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