My goal at Seven Hills Winery is to set the benchmark for Merlot—not just in Washington, but in the U.S. and throughout the world.
People often fall into one of two groups: beer lovers or wine lovers. For Bobby Richards, it was his role as brewmaster for the fermentation science club at Oregon State University that eventually led him to a career as a winemaker. Bobby was raised in Albany, Oregon, surrounded by the vines of the Willamette Valley. But it wasn’t until 2008 when the fermentation science club received one ton of Syrah grapes, that Bobby was introduced to winemaking.
Having enjoyed his college wine experiment, Bobby entertained the idea of winemaking as a profession. After graduation in 2009, he decided to work a harvest at Pinot Noir specialist Benton-Lane in Willamette Valley to learn the ropes. There, he fell in love, not just with winemaking but with the woman who eventually became his wife. The experience offered a connection to the land and the art of crafting a product by hand.
Interested in diversifying the varietals he was working with, Bobby and his wife, Maddie, relocated to Washington State where Bobby became the harvest intern at Tranche Cellars. There he worked with Bordeaux, Rhone, and Italian varietals, as well as Chardonnay. Bobby came onboard as a harvest intern in 2013 and after working his way up, today serves as Winemaker. During this time, he completed the online degree from UC Davis in Enology and Viticulture.
It’s Bobby’s goal to create wines that don’t just showcase the varietal in its terroir, but also provide enjoyment from youth to maturity, so that a wine is just as pleasurable on release as it is after 10 years of aging. Outside his winemaking work in the Pacific Northwest, Bobby’s travels have taken him to wine regions around the world, including Ribera del Duero, Rhone Valley, Portugal, Margaret River, Yarra Valley, Southern Oregon, California, and Texas.
We wanted to do something original, and we believed Walla Walla Valley had the potential to produce wines that could shine on a worldwide stage.
Visionary winemaker Casey McClellan has championed the diversity and distinct character of Walla Walla Valley wines for more than three decades. Recognized for developing a portfolio of benchmark Washington State wines—with an emphasis on Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines—Casey has established a storied wine program known for its character and focus.
Casey’s roots run deep in the Northwest. He was born in Oregon City, Oregon, and was raised in Walla Walla, Washington. A fourth-generation farmer, Casey started working wheat and pea harvests at 15 years of age, spending every summer in the rolling fields of the Walla Walla Valley. In the early 1980s, he joined his family in planting the winery’s estate founding blocks, which has since emerged as one of the Northwest’s most respected sites.
Planting the vineyard was a transformative experience for Casey, sparking a lifelong dedication to grape growing and winemaking in the Pacific Northwest. In 1985, after earning a degree in pharmacy from the University of Washington, Casey enrolled at the University of California, Davis. There he completed a Master of Science in Enology. During his studies, Casey won several coveted awards, including the Wine Spectator, August Sebastiani and Gino Zepponi scholarships. Upon graduation he worked in Porto for a year before returning to Walla Walla Valley with his wife, Vicky, to found the winery.
Having produced over 30 vintages of wine, Casey’s unfaltering focus and commitment to the Walla Walla Valley appellation shines in the iconic wines of Seven Hills Winery.
My goal at Seven Hills Winery is to set the benchmark for Merlot—not just in Washington, but in the U.S. and throughout the world.
People often fall into one of two groups: beer lovers or wine lovers. For Bobby Richards, it was his role as brewmaster for the fermentation science club at Oregon State University that eventually led him to a career as a winemaker. Bobby was raised in Albany, Oregon, surrounded by the vines of the Willamette Valley. But it wasn’t until 2008 when the fermentation science club received one ton of Syrah grapes, that Bobby was introduced to winemaking.
Having enjoyed his college wine experiment, Bobby entertained the idea of winemaking as a profession. After graduation in 2009, he decided to work a harvest at Pinot Noir specialist Benton-Lane in Willamette Valley to learn the ropes. There, he fell in love, not just with winemaking but with the woman who eventually became his wife. The experience offered a connection to the land and the art of crafting a product by hand.
Interested in diversifying the varietals he was working with, Bobby and his wife, Maddie, relocated to Washington State where Bobby became the harvest intern at Tranche Cellars. There he worked with Bordeaux, Rhone, and Italian varietals, as well as Chardonnay. Bobby came onboard as a harvest intern in 2013 and after working his way up, today serves as Winemaker. During this time, he completed the online degree from UC Davis in Enology and Viticulture.
It’s Bobby’s goal to create wines that don’t just showcase the varietal in its terroir, but also provide enjoyment from youth to maturity, so that a wine is just as pleasurable on release as it is after 10 years of aging. Outside his winemaking work in the Pacific Northwest, Bobby’s travels have taken him to wine regions around the world, including Ribera del Duero, Rhone Valley, Portugal, Margaret River, Yarra Valley, Southern Oregon, California, and Texas.
We wanted to do something original, and we believed Walla Walla Valley had the potential to produce wines that could shine on a worldwide stage.
Visionary winemaker Casey McClellan has championed the diversity and distinct character of Walla Walla Valley wines for more than three decades. Recognized for developing a portfolio of benchmark Washington State wines—with an emphasis on Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines—Casey has established a storied wine program known for its character and focus.
Casey’s roots run deep in the Northwest. He was born in Oregon City, Oregon, and was raised in Walla Walla, Washington. A fourth-generation farmer, Casey started working wheat and pea harvests at 15 years of age, spending every summer in the rolling fields of the Walla Walla Valley. In the early 1980s, he joined his family in planting the winery’s estate founding blocks, which has since emerged as one of the Northwest’s most respected sites.
Planting the vineyard was a transformative experience for Casey, sparking a lifelong dedication to grape growing and winemaking in the Pacific Northwest. In 1985, after earning a degree in pharmacy from the University of Washington, Casey enrolled at the University of California, Davis. There he completed a Master of Science in Enology. During his studies, Casey won several coveted awards, including the Wine Spectator, August Sebastiani and Gino Zepponi scholarships. Upon graduation he worked in Porto for a year before returning to Walla Walla Valley with his wife, Vicky, to found the winery.
Having produced over 30 vintages of wine, Casey’s unfaltering focus and commitment to the Walla Walla Valley appellation shines in the iconic wines of Seven Hills Winery.