{"id":55,"name":"Seven Hills Winery","image_url":"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipMFv_fbQSPaF4wCC_O-tgJ3k09AIWpUcnLpgkPv=w408-h272-k-no","district":"Downtown","hours":"Daily, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.","hours_type":"open-daily","dog_friendly":true,"red_wine":true,"white_wine":true,"bubbles":false,"brewery":false,"woman_owned":false,"year_established":1988,"winemaker":"Bobby Richards","website":"https://www.sevenhillswinery.com/","phone":"(509) 529-7198","address":"212 N 3rd Ave, Walla Walla, WA 99362","description":"A founding estate of Walla Walla, Seven Hills crafts authentic Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon expressions from the valley’s first significant plantings, pouring heritage and place into each glass","lat":46.0685635,"lng":-118.3423437,"appt_url":"https://www.sevenhillswinery.com/visit/","walk_in":false,"tasting_fee":"$35 per guest waived with $70 purchase","explorer_tags":["bold reds","experi","knowledge"],"profile":"# Seven Hills Winery — Knowledge Profile\n\n## Founding Story\n\nSeven Hills Winery was established in 1988 and stands as one of the founding estates of Walla Walla Valley. The winery takes pride in its identity as a pioneer that first championed the region, and its heritage is rooted in longstanding relationships with some of the most renowned growers in the Pacific Northwest. The founding vision centered on a deep belief that Walla Walla Valley presents ideal conditions for growing Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon — a conviction the winery has upheld throughout its history. Their estate SHW Founding Vineyard encompasses what are described as the first significant plantings of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in the region, with founding blocks planted in the early 1980s, predating the winery's official establishment.\n\n## Winemaker\n\nThe winemaker at Seven Hills Winery is Bobby Richards. While the scraped content does not provide detailed biographical background or formal training history for Richards, he is featured in winery communications and hosts virtual events — including an exclusive club member Zoom conversation — where he discusses everything Seven Hills Winery has to offer. His presence in member-facing programming suggests a hands-on, communicative approach to engaging with the winery's community of wine enthusiasts.\n\n## Vineyard Sources\n\nSeven Hills Winery draws from several distinct vineyard sources across multiple AVAs. Their estate **SHW Founding Vineyard**, located in the Walla Walla Valley AVA, contains the original founding blocks of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon planted in the early 1980s and serves as the source for their flagship varietal bottlings. The **McClellan Estate Vineyard**, also in the Walla Walla Valley AVA, is featured across multiple vineyard-designate wines including Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. **Ciel du Cheval Vineyard** is situated in the Red Mountain AVA and contributes to a red wine blend described for its power, elegance, and ageability. The **Quintessence Vineyard**, also on Red Mountain, is described as situated on sun-soaked slopes and is the source for a single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. The winery also sources from **The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater** — a sub-appellation within the Walla Walla Valley — for their Syrah and their Defiant label, with the ancient soils of that appellation cited as producing wines of truly unique and complex flavor profiles. Their **Reserve Sauvignon Blanc** is sourced from the **White Bluffs** appellation, while entry-level whites and the Rosé are sourced from the broader **Columbia Valley** AVA. The website notes the winery's heritage is built on longstanding relationships with the most renowned growers in the Northwest, indicating a mix of estate and contracted fruit.\n\n## Signature Wines\n\nSeven Hills Winery specializes in Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines, though their portfolio spans all traditional Bordeaux varietals and extends into Rhône-style wines. Key wines include:\n\n- **Pentad Red Wine** — The winery's flagship blend, produced only in the most exceptional vintages. Earned 94 points and is the centerpiece of a dedicated vertical tasting experience at the winery.\n- **Defiant** — Sourced from The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, described by Harvey Steiman of *Wine Spectator* as \"perhaps America's most distinctive example of terroir.\"\n- **SHW Founding Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon** — Described as their flagship Cabernet Sauvignon showcasing elegance and strength; earned 94 points.\n- **SHW Founding Vineyard Merlot** — Drawn from estate founding blocks; earned 93 points.\n- **Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red Wine** — Reflects the power, elegance, and ageability of the Red Mountain appellation.\n- **Quintessence Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon** — Expresses the essence of Washington's most powerful reds from Red Mountain.\n- **McClellan Estate Vineyard Malbec** — Seven Hills claims to have been the first winery to produce Malbec in the Walla Walla Valley.\n- **Carménère** — Described as the \"long lost grape of Bordeaux,\" reflecting the winery's commitment to all traditional Bordeaux varietals.\n- **Cabernet Franc** — A wine the winery has grown increasingly enchanted with as a remarkable stand-alone bottling over the years.\n- **Rosé** — Crafted from Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot; described as embodying tradition with a touch of enchantment.\n- **Reserve Sauvignon Blanc** — Described as a harmonious blend of time and technique in the cellar, sourced from White Bluffs.\n\n## Tasting Notes\n\nThe winery's tasting language emphasizes terroir, elegance, and varietal authenticity. Descriptors used across their portfolio include: **power, elegance, and ageability** (Ciel du Cheval); **unique and complex flavor profile** (The Rocks District Syrah); **elegant and complex** (Walla Walla Valley Merlot); and wines that **vividly express** the essence of their appellation (Quintessence Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon). The Rosé is described as embodying **tradition with a touch of enchantment**, and the Reserve Sauvignon Blanc as a **harmonious blend of time and technique**.\n\n## Wine Club\n\nSeven Hills Winery offers three tiers of club membership, all featuring customizable shipments:\n\n- **Guild** — Twelve bottles per shipment, 36 bottles per year; 20% bottle savings; shipping included; complimentary tastings for the member and three guests; guaranteed access to limited production wines.\n- **6 Bottle** — Six bottles per shipment, 18 bottles per year; 20% bottle savings; $20 flat-rate shipping; complimentary tastings for member and three guests; priority access to limited production wines.\n- **3 Bottle** — Three bottles per shipment, nine bottles per year; 15% bottle savings; standard rate shipping; complimentary tastings for member and one guest; access to limited production wines.\n\nAll club members receive invitations to winery events in Walla Walla and Seattle, as well as special offers throughout the year. A notable additional benefit is eligibility for **Crimson Collective** membership privileges, which extends access and exclusive event invitations to partner wineries including Archery Summit in Dayton, OR; Pine Ridge Vineyards in Napa, CA; Seghesio Family Vineyards in Healdsburg, CA; and Chamisal Vineyards and Malene Wines in San Luis Obispo, CA.\n\n## Tasting Room\n\nSeven Hills Winery's tasting room is located in downtown Walla Walla and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with the exception of Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. The winery occupies the **historic Whitehouse-Crawford building**, built as a wood mill in 1904 and listed on the **National Register of Historic Places**. The building underwent restoration in 2000 to house the winery while preserving its architectural integrity. The winery describes itself as downtown Walla Walla's only historic working winemaking facility, making it a unique destination in the region.\n\nThe tasting room welcomes both walk-ins and appointments, with three distinct tasting experiences available:\n\n- **Solstice Sips** — A 60–90 minute seated tasting of current releases priced at $35 per guest (waived with a $70 purchase; complimentary for club members), with optional Rhône and Cabernet Sauvignon add-ons at $15 each.\n- **The Pentad Experience: Past, Present & Future** — A vertical tasting of Pentad including a library vintage, current release, newest release, and a barrel sample of an upcoming release; includes a cellar tour; 90 minutes; $65 per guest ($52 for club members; waived with $150 purchase).\n- **Secret Sips Blind Tasting Experience** — A mystery blind tasting in which wine labels and colors are concealed; prizes awarded to guests who correctly identify the wines; $50 per guest ($40 for club members; wa","somm_notes":[],"wines":[{"name":"Rosé","vintage":"2025","variety":"Rosé","price":"$20"},{"name":"Sauvignon Blanc","vintage":"2024","variety":"Sauvignon Blanc","price":"$20"},{"name":"Quintessence Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":"2023","variety":"Cabernet Sauvignon","price":"$65"},{"name":"Carménère","vintage":"2023","variety":"Carménère","price":"$50"},{"name":"Cabernet Franc","vintage":"2023","variety":"Cabernet Franc","price":"$50"},{"name":"Reserve Sauvignon Blanc","vintage":"2023","variety":"Sauvignon Blanc","price":"$40"},{"name":"Merlot","vintage":"2023","variety":"Merlot","price":"$30"},{"name":"Pentad","vintage":"2022","variety":"Red Blend","price":"$85"},{"name":"Ciel du Cheval Vineyard","vintage":"2022","variety":"Red Blend","price":"$65"},{"name":"McClellan Estate Vineyard Malbec","vintage":"2022","variety":"Malbec","price":"$50"},{"name":"The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater Syrah","vintage":"2022","variety":"Syrah","price":"$50"},{"name":"Ciel du Chavel Vineyard","vintage":"2022","variety":"Red Blend","price":"$65"},{"name":"McClellan Estate Vineyard Petit Verdot","vintage":"2022","variety":"Petit Verdot","price":"$50"},{"name":"Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":"2022","variety":"Cabernet Sauvignon","price":"$35"},{"name":"Defiant","vintage":"2022","variety":"Red Blend","price":"$85"},{"name":"SHW Founding Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":"2021","variety":"Cabernet Sauvignon","price":"$65"},{"name":"McClellan Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":"2021","variety":"Cabernet Sauvignon","price":"$60"},{"name":"SHW Founding Vineyard Merlot","vintage":"2021","variety":"Merlot","price":"$55"},{"name":"Defiant","vintage":"","variety":"Red Blend","price":"$85"}],"patti":null,"visitor_ratings":[{"source":"tripadvisor","rating":4.8,"count":191},{"source":"google","rating":4.5,"count":90},{"source":"yelp","rating":4.2,"count":52}],"sample_reviews":[{"source":"yelp","reviewer":"John B.","rating":null,"rating_max":5.0,"text":"My favorites are the Carmenere and Petit Verdot at this time although the Ciel du Cheval is really smooth.","date":null},{"source":"yelp","reviewer":"Jason R.","rating":null,"rating_max":5.0,"text":"The tasting room is open and relaxed and very conveniently located in downtown Walla Walla.","date":null},{"source":"reddit","reviewer":"u/odedi1","rating":null,"rating_max":null,"text":"Seven Hills McClellan Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Walla Walla Valley","date":"2026-03-21"}],"critic_scores":[{"wine_name":"'Pentad' Red Wine","vintage":2021,"score":94,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Pentad' Red Wine","vintage":2020,"score":94,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Seven Hills Vineyard' Merlot","vintage":2021,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Columbia Valley' Sauvignon Blanc","vintage":2023,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"' Walla Walla Valley' Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2022,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Walla Walla Valley' Merlot","vintage":2021,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Walla Walla Valley' Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2021,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Founding Vineyard' Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2020,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Columbia Valley' Sauvignon Blanc","vintage":2022,"score":91,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Rose","vintage":2022,"score":91,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Shw Founding Vineyard' Merlot","vintage":2020,"score":91,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null}],"community_scores":[{"wine_name":"Pentad Vintage Red","vintage":2022,"score":93,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.3/5 (207 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Klipsun Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2014,"score":93,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.3/5 (39 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Merlot","vintage":2012,"score":93,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.3/5 (44 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"McClellan Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2021,"score":92,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.2/5 (27 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"McClellan Estate Vineyard Petit Verdot","vintage":2015,"score":92,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.2/5 (25 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Vintage Red","vintage":2014,"score":92,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.2/5 (102 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Dry Rosé","vintage":2014,"score":92,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.2/5 (29 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"McClellan Estate Vineyard Malbec","vintage":2013,"score":92,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.2/5 (33 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2018,"score":91,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.1/5 (57 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Merlot Columbia Valley","vintage":2014,"score":91,"source":"Wine Berserkers","critic":"John_Glas","tasting_note":") Best of the 3 bottles. Nice minerality along with cherry, plum, spices and floral notes. Good use of oak and very balanced. Drink now or hold for a few years. _("},{"wine_name":"Seven Hills Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2012,"score":91,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.1/5 (162 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Sauvignon Blanc","vintage":2022,"score":90,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.0/5 (97 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Seven Hills Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2022,"score":90,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.0/5 (662 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Seven Hills Vineyard Merlot","vintage":2016,"score":90,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.0/5 (36 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Dry Rosé","vintage":2023,"score":89,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.9/5 (427 ratings)"}],"events":[{"title":"Pentad Gathering","start_date":"2026-11-06","start_time":null,"url":"https://www.sevenhillswinery.com/","is_members_only":false},{"title":"Fall Release Open House","start_date":"2026-11-06","start_time":null,"url":"https://www.sevenhillswinery.com/","is_members_only":false},{"title":"Fall Release Open House","start_date":"2026-11-06","start_time":"10:00","url":"https://www.sevenhillswinery.com/events/fall-release-open-house/","is_members_only":false},{"title":"Club Exclusive Virtual Conversations with Bobby Richards","start_date":"2026-12-10","start_time":null,"url":"https://www.sevenhillswinery.com/events/club-exclusive-virtual-conversation-with-bobby-richards/","is_members_only":false}]}