Seven Hills Winery

Seven Hills Winery was founded in 1988 by Casey and Vicky McClellan, becoming the fifth bonded winery in the Walla Walla Valley AVA. The deeper origin story begins in 1980, when Casey, a fourth-generation farmer who had spent his teenage summers working wheat and pea harvests in the valley, joined his father Jim McClellan in planting what is now known as the SHW Founding Vineyard. Those 1980 plantings of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon were among the first significant plantings in the Walla Walla Valley and remain in production today, producing over thirty vintages. The McClellan vision was to make balanced, graceful wines that authentically expressed specific vineyard sites, an appellation-driven philosophy that has continued under successive winemaking leadership.

• Founded 1988 by Casey and Vicky McClellan; fifth bonded winery in the Walla Walla Valley AVA
• Casey McClellan is a fourth-generation farmer who planted the founding blocks with his father Jim in 1980
• The 1980 plantings of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon were among the first significant plantings in the Walla Walla Valley
• Founding philosophy: balanced, graceful, site-driven Bordeaux varietals

Seven Hills occupies a singular position in downtown Walla Walla, operating from a 1904 building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The structure was restored in 2000 and remains downtown Walla Walla's only historic working winemaking facility, with active production happening alongside the tasting room. Located at 212 N 3rd Ave, the site visually anchors the McClellan family's appellation-driven story to the agricultural and architectural history of the valley town itself.

• 1904 building listed on the National Register of Historic Places
• Restored in 2000; remains downtown Walla Walla's only historic working winemaking facility
• Active winemaking operations co-located with the tasting room
• Located at 212 N 3rd Ave, Walla Walla, WA 99362

The Seven Hills vineyard story spans two key estate sites. The SHW Founding Vineyard refers to the 1980 plantings of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon established by Casey and his father Jim, situated within the broader Seven Hills Vineyard site near the Oregon border. The McClellan Estate Vineyard, planted directly adjacent to the original founding blocks, is planted to Bordeaux red varieties on deep silt loam soils. The estate vineyards sit on silt loam soils. Together these two sites supply the winery's single-vineyard tier and contribute estate fruit to the Pentad flagship blend.

• SHW Founding Vineyard: 1980 plantings of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, among the first significant plantings in the Walla Walla Valley
• McClellan Estate Vineyard: planted adjacent to the founding blocks
• McClellan Estate planted to Bordeaux red varieties on deep silt loam soils
• Estate sites on silt loam soils

Pentad is the flagship wine and the bottling that most clearly expresses Seven Hills' identity as a Bordeaux specialist within Walla Walla. The blend is built from five grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Carmenere). Composition varies by vintage based on which varieties excel: a 2012 release was 67% Cabernet Sauvignon with 11% Petit Verdot, 8% Merlot, and the balance Malbec and Carmenere. Pentad is barrel-selected, blended, then returned to barrel, with aging typically running 22 months in roughly 50% new French oak. The broader portfolio runs from a Walla Walla Valley Merlot and Walla Walla Valley Cabernet at the moderate tier, into the single-vineyard premium tier (Seven Hills Vineyard Cabernet, SHW Founding Vineyard Cabernet, McClellan Estate Vineyard Cabernet), and up to the Pentad and Reserve bottlings. The white program is anchored by Sauvignon Blanc.

• Pentad flagship: blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Carmenere; aged ~22 months in ~50% new French oak
• Pentad is released only in vintages Seven Hills considers exceptional, each carrying a single vintage
• Single-vineyard premium tier: Seven Hills Vineyard Cabernet, SHW Founding Vineyard Cabernet, McClellan Estate Vineyard Cabernet
• White program: Sauvignon Blanc alongside the Bordeaux red focus

Crimson Wine Group, the Napa-based wine company, acquired Seven Hills Winery in 2016 for $5.75 million, with the deal covering the brand, inventory, and winemaking equipment. Casey McClellan continued as winemaker and general manager under Crimson ownership until June 2021, when he transitioned to a consulting role and Bobby Richards was named head winemaker. Richards had joined the winery as an intern in 2013, spent the following seven years working alongside Casey across cellar and vineyard roles, and earned his UC Davis winemaking certificate while at the property, giving the leadership transition the character of multi-year apprenticeship rather than external hire. A frequent point of confusion: the Seven Hills Vineyard property itself (distinct from the winery brand) has had separate ownership history. In October 2023, Dennis Murphy of Caprio Cellars acquired the Figgins family's ownership stake in the Seven Hills Vineyard along with the SeVein land company interest, in transactions that involved the vineyard property rather than Seven Hills Winery as an operating brand. Seven Hills Winery itself remains under Crimson Wine Group ownership.

• Crimson Wine Group acquired Seven Hills Winery in 2016 for $5.75 million (brand, inventory, equipment)
• Casey McClellan transitioned to consulting role June 2021; Bobby Richards named head winemaker
• Bobby Richards joined as intern 2013; spent seven years working alongside Casey before assuming head winemaker role
• Distinct from the winery: in October 2023, Dennis Murphy of Caprio Cellars acquired Figgins family stake in the Seven Hills Vineyard property and SeVein land company