Born in Oregon City, Oregon, Casey McClellan is a fourth generation farmer who was raised in Eastern Washington and founded Seven Hills Winery in 1988. Seven Hills Winery is one of the first founding wineries in Walla Walla, Washington. Casey and his wife Vicky drew their inspiration from a cycling trip through European vineyards. Casey McClellan worked alongside his father in 1980 in planting the Old Block of Seven Hills Vineyards. His vineyards have an emphasis on Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, Walla Walla has grown to over 120 wineries with nearly 2.900 acres of vineyards dedicated to mostly red grape varietals.

The Seven Hills Walla Walla Valley Merlot is the entry level bottling of Merlot from this winery, but it distinguishes itself with plenty of character and texture for the price. The deep garnet color unfolds with floral aromas of fresh spices and exotic sweet cassis. The middle is packed with crushed red raspberries and ripe strawberries with an underpinning of cinnamon and sandalwood. It is all wrapped nicely with delicate acidity adding to the freshness of this wine. This wine is immediately appealing and is a great addition to any occasion.

By W Peter Hoyne