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Seven Hills, Walla Walla
Part 19, Washington State: visiting one of North America's leading wine
growing regions
The next stop in the Washington State wine trip was Walla Walla, and
a beautiful old 1904 building that was previously a cabinet-making
plane mill. This is the home to Seven Hills Winery, and we met with
owners Casey and Vicky McLellan, and sales/marketing person Eric
McLaughlin.
Walla Walla is an appellation that straddles a state boundary. It's
both Washington State and Oregon, but the wines fit much more easily
into the Washington State scene than they do into Pinot
Noir/Willamette Valley dominated Oregon. Seven Hills started out on
the Oregon side in 1988, and the Seven Hills vineyard was planted by
Casey and his father in 1982. 'We spent 10 years trying to get the
Oregon wine brand extended beyond the Cascade Mountains,' says
Casey. They ended up moving north over the state border in 2000.
'This historical bias has improved over the last decade,' he
acknowledges.
Casey McLellan
They developed the Seven Hills vineyard until 1995, when they sold
it. They still have 10 hectares of estate grapes, but buy in from
growers (including buying wine from the original vineyard). In 2016
Seven Hills was sold to the Crimson Wine Group (who also own
Seghesio, Archery Summit and Pine Ridge), but Casey and Vicky are
staying on running the show, and retain the McLellan Estate
vineyard. Crimson have purchased the Seven Hills Vineyard, too,
uniting the winery and vineyard again.
‘We tend to pick a little earlier than others,’ says Casey, ‘and use
a little less oak. The aim is to let the vineyard personality show
through.’ He’s also a fan of Merlot. ‘Merlot is exceptionally suited
to Washington State. If you make it carefully it ca be pretty
ageable, too.'
'The next frontier of Washington State wine is moving beyond style,
making wines that are more true to place and variety,' he says.
'There is a general quality level in Washington State that is
extraordinary, but the style hand is heavy among certain producers.
Seven Hills has been the flag bearer of restraint.'
We tried current releases plus some older bottles. I really like
these wines. The Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are both lovely, and
the Pentad, a blend of the five best of the six Bordeaux red
varieties each year, is quite special. I loved the 1994 Cabernet
Sauvignon, which was beautiful. Small quantities of varietal Malbec
and Petit Verdot are also made, and these are really interesting.
THE
WINES
Seven Hills Merlot Seven Hills Vineyard 2013 Walla Walla,
Washington State
Very fresh with nice definition to the
blackcurrant and blackberry fruit. Ripe with good definition and
purity. 92/100 (08/16)
Seven Hills Merlot Seven Hills Vineyard 2012 Walla Walla,
Washington State
Sweet and quite rich with nice
definition. Hints of chocolate and spice. Nice density here with a
bit of grip and generous fruit. 92/100 (07/15)
Seven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Seven Hills Vineyard 2012
Walla Walla, Washington State
Supple, sweet and rounded
with nicely defined blackcurrant fruit. Subtle and textured with a
bit of spiciness. Very pretty and pure with lovely finesse. 93/100
(07/15)
Seven Hills Pentad 2012 Walla Walla, Washington State
They vinify all the six Bordeaux red varieties for this
wine, but include only the five best each year. Sweet and richly
textured with a lovely smooth, silky mouthfeel. Elegant and pure but
still has lovely definition to the blackcurrant and black cherry
fruit, with some floral overtones. Supple and pretty yet not lacking
in concentration. 94/100 (07/15)
Seven Hills Merlot 2001 Walla Walla, Washington State
Fresh, really elegant nose is supple with a lovely sappy,
leafy green edge. Elegant, pure and open with nice purity and some
good detail. Nicely integrated green notes. 93/100 (07/15)
Seven Hills Pentad 2001 Walla Walla, Washington State
Debut vintage of this wine. Fine and expressive with a
complex, perfumed nose and fine green, herby, olive-tinged detail to
the sweet cherry and berry fruits. Ripe but smooth with lovely
elegance and some warm autumnal flavours. 94/100 (07/15)
Seven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Walla Walla, Washington
State
Supple, ripe and smooth with nice open black
cherry and plum fruit. So supple and open. Textured and expressive
with lovely weight. Fine, gentle and pretty. 93/100 (07/15)
Seven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Walla Walla, Washington
State
A warm vintage. Developed, with a perfumed, aromatic nose of dried
mushrooms and soy, with fine herbs and fresh cherry fruit. This has
clarity and detail still, but drink up. 94/100 (07/15)
Seven Hills Ciel du Cheval Vineyard 2013 Red Mountain,
Washington State
Concentrated and a bit spicy with some
meatiness. Spicy and vivid with some phenolic notes. Grippy and
structured. 91/100 (08/16)
Seven Hills Ciel du Cheval Vineyard 2012 Red Mountain,
Washington State
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (50%)
with Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. So different, and very
Red Mountain. Vivid red berry and spice fruit with some
blackcurrant. Very stylish with ripe but structured fruit. 94/100
(07/15)
Seven Hills Cabernet Franc 2014 Walla Walla, Washington
State
Lovely freshness here: very detailed and fresh
with sweet black cherry and blackberry fruit. Nicely textured and
generous, with some grip too. Rich but focused. 93/100 (08/16)
Seven Hills Petit Verdot McLellan Estate 2013 Walla Walla,
Washington State
Vivid and fresh with raspberry,
blackberry and cherry fruit. Fresh, floral and expressive with good
structure. 92/100 (07/15)
Seven Hills Malbec McLellan Estate 2013 Walla Walla,
Washington State
Planted in 2008, and aged in Hungarian
and Russian oak. Pretty, pure and aromatic with floral red fruit and
some spice and even passionfruit. Vibrant and supple on the palate
with grippy raspberry fruit and some juiciness. Delightful. 93/100
(07/15)
WASHINGTON STATE WINES
 Introduction
Betz
Columbia
Winery
De
Lille
WT
Vintners
Savage
Grace
Chateau
Ste Michelle
Andrew
Will
Airfield
Estates
Hedges
Milbrandt
Vineyards
Ciel
du Cheval Vineyard
Col
Solare
Powers/Badger
Mountain
J
Bookwalter
Pacific
Rim
Gordon
Estate
Long
Shadows
Seven
Hills
Charles
Smith
Geology
with Kevin Pogue
Leonetti
Woodward
Canyon
Gramercy
Cellars
L'Ecole
No 41
Columbia
Crest
Maryhill
Memaloose/Idiot's
Grace
COR
Cellars
Syncline
Wines
tasted as indicated
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