McClellan

WALLA WALLA — Casey McClellan, co-founder of Seven Hills Winery in Walla Walla, is the interim director for the Institute of Enology and Viticulture at Walla Walla Community College.

The Institute for Enology and Viticulture, founded in 2000, is an academic institute for hands-on experience in winemaking and viticulture practices. Students from across the United States are drawn to the 15,000-square-foot facility that houses classrooms and a fully operational and bonded winery called College Cellars — the first student-operated commercial winery at a community college.

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

The former director, Stylianos Logothetis, recently resigned from the position he held since July 2022.

“It was fairly sudden,” said WWCC President Chad Hickox. “He was on leave briefly and then resigned fairly quickly. He told me he was returning to Greece.”

However, Hickox said McClellan already is doing excellent work in the role.

“We are extremely excited to have him,” Hickox said. “He’s already adding a lot of value and we’re just really excited that he’s joined the team.”

Devyani Gupta, advisory committee chair and head winemaker at Valdemar Estates, said McClellan had served the community for decades as a leader, mentor and advocate for the wine business.

“I am very grateful for his wealth of experience and perspective that he will be able to share with our students as they prepare to enter the wine industry,” Gupta said.

McClellan, a winemaker, is a fourth-generation farmer. McClellan earned a master’s degree in enology from University of California, Davis.

He and his wife, Vicky, returned to the Walla Walla Valley in 1998 and established Seven Hills Winery. The first plantings at McClellan Estate Vineyard were made in 2003. He sold Seven Hills Winery in 2016 and transitioned into a consulting role.

“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,” Hickox said.