The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

 WALLA WALLA - Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) named Casey McClellan, co-founder of Seven Hills Winery, as interim director for the Institute of Enology and Viticulture.

McClellan will oversee operations, support students, and draw on his knowledge of the wine industry to help guide the program. It is expected that his appointment will last a few months while an exhaustive search is conducted for the next director.

McClellan was raised in Walla Walla. The McClellan family has farmed in the Columbia Basin since the 1880s. While in college, McClellan planted the Old Block Merlot at SHW Estate Vineyard in 1982. He completed a Master of Science in Enology from the University of California, Davis and is regarded as one of the region's most esteemed winemakers.

He and his wife, Vicky, returned to the Walla Walla Valley in 1998 and established Seven Hills Winery. The winery's first plantings at McClellan Estate Vineyard were made in 2003. Over the years, McClellan has produced over 30 vintages emphasizing Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. He sold Seven Hills Winery in 2016 and transitioned into a consulting role.

McClellan is an active member of several industry organizations in the Walla Walla Valley and nationwide.

"WWCC is delighted to welcome someone of Casey's caliber-a widely respected winemaker with extensive experience in all aspects of wine production and winery operations-who can step in and immediately add value for our students and the wine industry," WWCC President Chad Hickox said.

WWCC's Institute for Enology & Viticulture was founded in 2000 to offer academic and hands-on experience in winemaking and viticulture practices. The 15,000-square-foot facility houses classrooms and a fully operational winery. College Cellars is the first student-operated commercial winery at a community college.

Hundreds of Enology and Viticulture graduates remain in the region to live and work. The success of these graduates contributes to the industry's growth in the Walla Walla Valley. More than half of the 95+ point "outstanding" and "extraordinary" Washington wines reviewed by "Robert Parker's Wine Advocate" were made by WWCC Enology & Viticulture graduates.

Learn more about WWCC's Enology and Viticulture program at https://dept.wwcc.edu/enology/ or contact Donna Murray at donna.murray@wwcc.edu or 509.524.5170.