January 28, 2016 — After 28 vintages, Seven Hills Winery owners Casey and Vicky McClellan decided it was time for a change from the busy day-to-day operations required in running and managing a family-owned winery business. The deal, finalized late yesterday afternoon, involves the sale of Seven Hills Winery to Crimson Wine Group, headquartered in Napa, Calif. whose holdings include six wineries—three in California wineries and three in the Pacific Northwest.
Several family members, including winemaker Casey McClellan, Vicky, and daughter Glynis, will remain involved in winery operations. Casey is a fourth-generation farmer who planted Seven Hills Vineyard with his father, Jim, in 1982, and will continue in his role as winemaker and general manager for at least another three years.
Considered one of the founding wineries of the Walla Walla Valley, the McClellans launched Seven Hills in 1988, the fifth in the Valley at the time (following Leonetti, Woodward Canyon, L’Ecole No 41 and Waterbrook). Their focus remains Bordeaux style reds, especially the varietals of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
“Joining the Crimson portfolio is an exciting and logical next step,” says Casey McClellan. “It was critical to our family to transition Seven Hills Winery into the right hands, and Crimson’s commitment to producing quality wines from the best-of-class vineyards and wine estates is well aligned with our philosophy. We are confident Crimson will preserve the integrity of what my family has built over the years, while providing the resources to take our wines to the next level.”
“It brings us back more to the winemaking, and our customers,” Vicky told Washington Tasting Room magazine, describing how the sale to Crimson Wine Group will allow her and Casey to focus more of their time on the aspects of the winery they cherish most. “It brings us back to the Walla Valley and 80-acre family farm.”
In a press release announcing the acquisition, Crimson Wine Group’s president and CEO Patrick DeLong says, “We are constantly evaluating the market for the right growth opportunities and fit, and Seven Hills Winery is a strategic match for Crimson. The acquisition of Seven Hills Winery is complementary to the Crimson mission and portfolio, adding a high-quality growing region that excels in the production of Merlot and Bordeaux-style red blends. We see significant opportunities for growth and we’re honored that Casey and Vicky have entrusted us to care for this historic Washington wine estate moving forward.”
Based in the Napa Valley, Crimson Wine Group owns and manages over 895 acres of vineyard land across five distinct regions. Crimson’s wine brands include Pine Ridge Vineyards (Napa, Calif.), Seghesio Family Vineyards (Healdsburg, Calif.), Chamisal Vineyards (San Luis Obispo, Calif.), Archery Summit (Dayton, Ore.), and Double Canyon (Prosser, Wash.).