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The 2024 growing season opened with one of the coldest winter events we’ve seen in years—mid‑January dropped to negative five and held there. Bud damage was real, and with the harvest uncertain, we left extra buds at pruning, hoping to give the vines every chance they’d take. Then the year shifted. April and May came in warm and dry, almost as if the valley was making up for winter’s blow, giving us clean, confident conditions. Summer followed with steady heat—nothing excessive—setting us up for a September and October that was ideal. Harvest rolled in under clear skies and cool nights, letting us pick exactly when the fruit hit its ideal flavor profile. Despite the drama of winter, the growing degree days settled right on the long‑term average. Yields depended on site, but every vineyard gave us fruit—something that felt a bit like luck and a bit like resilience. The 2024 wines carry that energy: structure, depth, and a balanced line of acidity that keeps everything focused.
Spring has arrived in the Walla Walla Valley, and the vineyards are coming to life. Budbreak is underway, with the first tender green shoots emerging from the vines. This marks the start of a new growing season and a critical point in vine development, as uniform shoot growth sets the foundation for canopy management and fruit set in the months ahead.
We are pleased to share our May Club Release, a selection that reflects both the vintage’s precision and our focused approach in the cellar. This shipment includes the 2024 Carménère, 2024 Cabernet Franc, and 2023 Petit Verdot, each offering a distinct expression of variety and structure. Together, they highlight a balance of aromatic lift, refined tannin, and varietal character that speaks to both the growing season and our winemaking intent.
We invite you to experience these wines with us during our Spring Release Open House. Join us at the winery to taste through the new releases, connect with our team, and experience the winery at a dynamic stage of the season.
Be sure to explore our full lineup of events for the year ahead. From focused tastings to seasonal gatherings, the calendar offers opportunities to engage more deeply with our wines and our process. We look forward to sharing these releases with you.
-Bobby Richards
2024 Cabernet Franc $50 retail
Walla Walla Valley
We work with all the traditional Bordeaux varietals, including Cabernet Franc. Sourced from the southern hills of Summit View Vineyard and the volcanic-laced silt loams of McClellan Estate Vineyard, this wine reflects two of the most compelling Cabernet Franc sites in the Walla Walla Valley. While it has long played an important role in our blending program, over time we have become increasingly drawn to its depth and nuance as a standalone wine.
This bottling is composed of 100% Cabernet Franc, with 59% from Summit View Vineyard and 41% from McClellan Estate Vineyard, both located in the southwest Walla Walla Valley and defined by deep silt-loam soils and moderate elevation. The wine was open-top fermented and aged for 14 months in 25% new 300L French oak barrels, then crossflow filtered prior to bottling.
We have worked with Cabernet Franc as a blending component in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pentad, our Grand Vin, for more than two decades, and have produced it as a single-varietal wine since 2012.
This Cabernet Franc beautifully reflects both its varietal character and the unique terroir of the vineyard’s deep silt-loam soils and hillside slopes. The wine pours a garnet hue, offering aromatic layers of strawberries, black raspberries, and a subtle note reminiscent of freshly shaved #2 pencil, complemented by hints of anise and fresh thyme. On the palate, it is medium light in body with balanced acidity, delivering flavors of strawberries and black cherries with touches of 60% dark chocolate and tobacco leaf. Silky, integrated tannins frame the wine, carrying through a lingering, elegant finish. Perfect alongside mushroom risotto, beef bourguignon, herb-crusted lamb chops, or aged gouda. Enjoyable now, this vintage also has the structure to evolve gracefully over the next 3 to 5 years.
2024 Carmènére $50 retail
Walla Walla Valley
We work with all the traditional Bordeaux varietals, including Carménère, often referred to as the “long-lost grape of Bordeaux.” Sourced from the southern hills of Summit View Vineyard, the volcanic-laced silt loams of SHW Estate Vineyard, and the northern site of Minnick Hills, this wine reflects three distinctive expressions of Carménère within the Walla Walla Valley. While it has long contributed depth and character in our blending program, we have become increasingly compelled by its complexity and identity as a standalone wine.
This bottling is composed of 100% Carménère from SHW Estate Vineyard, Summit View Vineyard, and Minnick Hills Vineyard, spanning both the southwest and northern reaches of the valley and emphasizing deep silt-loam soils and moderate elevations. The wine was open-top fermented and aged for 14 months in 25% new 300L French oak barrels, then crossflow filtered prior to bottling.
Harvest was conducted in three passes, beginning with Summit View on October 8, followed by Minnick Hills on October 22, and concluding with the estate block on October 24, capturing a range of ripeness and structure across sites.
Garnet with purple hues, the wine opens with bold aromas of blueberries, crushed blackberries, and plum, with a little white peppercorn and pimentón dulce in the background. The palate is medium‑light, juicy, and silky, with integrated tannins carrying blueberry and black raspberry flavors, plus a touch of baking spice and vanilla on the finish. It pairs well with lentil stew, carnitas tacos, barbecue ribs, or grilled skirt steak with chimichurri. It’s also an easy entry point for anyone just getting into red wine—this Carménère is a friendly way to expand a palate.
2023 McClellan Estate Petit Verdot $50 retail
Walla Walla Valley
Each year, we bottle small amounts of traditional Bordeaux blending varietals as standalone wines. Only the most compelling lots are selected for varietal bottling, requiring both exceptional quality and a clear expression of the grape’s inherent character. Petit Verdot is defined by its structure, with firm tannin, bright acidity, dark fruit, and savory undertones. We have farmed Petit Verdot at McClellan Estate Vineyard since 2003, incorporating it into our top Cuvée, Pentad, and other wines since 2001.
This wine is composed of 100% Petit Verdot from fan-trained vines at McClellan Estate Vineyard. It was open-top fermented, then aged for 22 months in 50% new 225L Russian oak. The wine was crossflow filtered prior to bottling.
The 2023 growing season began with a warm, steady spring, closely tracking the growing degree accumulation of 2021. Summer conditions were balanced and consistent, with warm days and cool evenings that supported even ripening. The season concluded with an extended, temperate fall, allowing the fruit to hang until optimal ripeness was achieved.
Harvest took place in two passes, on September 18 and September 28, capturing both freshness and phenolic maturity within the final blend.
Deep garnet, opening with lifted aromatics of plum, black cherry, and cedar, backed by subtle notes of roasted coffee bean and worn leather. On the palate, it shows off a solid frame—structured but still plush—carrying concentrated flavors of marionberry, Bing cherry, and a touch of baking spice. Hints of pipe tobacco weave through the mid palate, supported by firm, persistent tannins and a medium plus line of acidity that keeps everything moving. It’s a bottle you can absolutely enjoy on its own, but it really shines alongside roasted lamb shoulder, rosemary sage venison, or anything with wild mushroom and truffle. Drink it now for its power and freshness, or let it settle into itself over the next three to five years.
Join Seven Hills Winery for our Spring Release Open House, celebrating the arrival of spring in Walla Walla with expressive new wines and tasting room gatherings.
Seven Hills Winery warmly invites you to a Spring Pig Roast Party, where flavors dance, music fills the breeze, and memories are made under the golden glow of summer.
Join us for an exclusive experience with winemaker Bobby Richards to explore everything Seven Hills Winery has to offer.
Join us for a high-energy, communal celebration centered around our flagship Pentad blend.
Join us at the winery for one of the most anticipated weekends of the year.
December 31 – Noon Year’s Eve
For more information or to reorder these wines:
Please contact us at INFO@SEVENHILLSWINERY.COM or 509-593-6226