Aluvé on TV: Dialed in Interviews Kelly & JJ

WALLA WALLA, WA - A couple that has lived all over the world decided to settle down in Walla Walla a few years ago. Of course, JJ and Kelly Menozzi have an appreciation of good wine and also a love of flying planes and jets.

"We did a career in the Air Force for a little over 23 years both as pilots and Air Force Academy classmates," said JJ. "I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world and it was a great way to see the world and get enthusiastic about the job we were doing. Being passionate about what we did serving our country. When we were trying to figure out a second career that we were equally as passionate about and could have just as much fun with, the wine making thing seemed to recur. It was always where we went to spend our time off and we would try to go everywhere the Air Force sent us to new wine regions."

"So our last name is Menozzi," said Kelly. "Very Italian heritage on his side. So he remembers great grandpa coming through Ellis Island and making wine in the basement. Just celebrating food and family and marking occasions with wine back in the day."

JJ and Kelly have been married now for almost two decades and they don't believe going from flying to wine making is a huge reach.

"You don't think there are that many parallels between flying and making wine but there are more than people think. It's a lot of art and science," said Kelly. "You have to get the science right and make sure you understand what you're doing there and you can play with the art side a little. When you're flying, we would do what are called procedures and techniques. So you have the procedure that you need to follow and then your technique that might make your flying improved or smoother or better, so we kind of apply that same thing to wine making."

The Menozzis moved almost 20 times and made wine tourism a part of their travels.

"So you get to see the world and there's good and bad but I would say the resounding theme that I learned from all that is to appreciate what we have as Americans," said JJ. "The life that we have is definitely a privilege that's not just given to us. You really just come to appreciate, for all the faults and angryness you might have periodically about things in our country... our problems are minor compared to the rest of the world and I feel honored to be part of America."

If they had to pick a favorite wine region: "For a lot of reasons, maybe it's the Italian heritage, touring the wine regions of Italy has always been fascinating for us. There's a lot we haven't seen over there yet that we hope to get to in the near future," said JJ. "So I would say of all the areas we have seen, the one we truly fell in love with and kept coming back to year after year is Walla Walla."

"Part of an unexpected surprise for us, I would say, is just the outpouring of support we get as veterans here. It was not something that I expected and there is a very strong veterans community here," said Kelly. "So we get a lot of folks who have served themselves and come and want to tell us their story which is really cool."

They discovered Walla Walla while stationed at the Air Force base in Mountain Home, Idaho. Now that they're several years retired they're often asked if they miss flying.

"Some days," said JJ. "There's certainly a liberating fun aspect of it but it's also something we did long enough that we realized it's tough to do part time. It's tough to be a safe pilot without being a proficient pilot so when we're done hopefully getting this business up and running, got it a little bit more on stable footing.. We actually hope to do some instructing at the local aeroclub and maybe some things with some other airports here in town."

Both JJ and Kelly are recent graduates of Walla Walla Community College's wine making program. Aluve Winery does have a sort of substitute tasting room at this point but the couple is in the process of building a dedicated space with plans to break ground this spring.

Wine Enthusiast Nov 2016

91	2012 Primo Volo
90	2012 Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Walla Walla couple flying high with new Aluvé Winery

By Abra Bennett on September 16, 2016

WALLA WALLA, Wash. – This is a tale of new beginnings and helping hands. It’s a tale of relying on your instincts and trusting those of the people around you. It’s the story of JJ and Kelly Menozzi, and their recently established Aluvé Winery.

Up in the sky, whether you’re flying in a fighter plane squadron as JJ did, or jockeying a big mid-air refueling plane, as Kelly did, you need to be in absolute control, all the while working in tight-knit harmony with the rest of your team. Practicing those skills for 23 years in the Air Force served the Menozzis in good stead when it came to starting up a winery. Calm, steady, comfortable with technology and science, good at cooperation, those are traits they have honed to perfection.

In 2010, several years before they retired from the Air Force, the Menozzis bought 10 acres of land above Mill Creek and planted 6,000 vines on 5 of those acres. Those vines are now in fifth leaf, the home they are building on the property is nearly complete, and building a small winery is next in line.

Their dream is to make Old World-style estate wines, to live among their vines, tend them daily and use minimal irrigation and sustainable viticultural practices. They hope to make wines that reveal a distinctive terroir; Mill Creek is a cooler, higher-elevation region where grapes ripen more slowly than in many parts of the Walla Walla Valley. They share this locale with acclaimed Walla Walla Vintners and neighboring vineyards such as Kenny Hill (Dunham Cellars), Yellow Bird (the Chan family) and Tokar. The first Aluvé wines have been made using some of this fruit, while the Menozzis wait for their estate vineyard to reach full production.

New to vineyard work, both are aware of the huge responsibility of caring for 6,000 vines, recognizing that this year’s pruning decisions will affect next year’s crop size. Describing herself as a “reluctant shoot thinner,” Kelly pulls weeds with abandon but hesitates over cutting the vines down to size. JJ follows her down the rows and removes any shoots and leaves she’s been too tender-hearted to pull. Tough-minded though he may be, he still talks to the vines as he works, encouraging and praising them. They have just harvested and pressed this year’s estate Chardonnay, and are delighted to see how their hard work has paid off.

Read the full article.

http://www.greatnorthwestwine.com/2016/09/16/aluve-winery/

Great Northwest Wine Primo Volo: Outstanding!

Primo Volo Rating: Outstanding!

J.J. and Kelly Menozzi moved to the Walla Walla Valley after each served in the Air Force for two decades as pilots, and they have launched their new winery and vineyard they’ve planted near Mill Creek.

Their debut release is this Left Bank-inspired blend that’s heavy on Cabernet Sauvignon (79%) from two nearby vineyards – Wild Rose and Yellow Bird – and they’ve named it for the Italian phrase for “first flight.” It takes off with aromas of blackberry, plum, toasted oak, cocoa powder and minerality. On the palate, there’s a smooth approach with blackberry and black cherry flavors, leading to a rich midpalate. Its expansive finish waves in coffee and baking spices.

The Menozzis made their instructors at Walla Walla Community College proud with their inaugural release "Primo Volo" earning a gold medal and best of class honors at the fourth annual Walla Walla Valley Wine Competition. And perhaps they celebrated with their suggested pairing of Penne with Braised Short Ribs.

Primo Volo wins Gold as "Best In Class" Red Blend at WWV Wine Competition

The Walla Walla Valley Wine Competition is a blind judging of wines made by Walla Walla Valley wineries. It is also a scholarship competition and will benefit future winemakers by providing funds for viticulture and enology students at Walla Walla Community College. We are proud to announce that on June 14, 2016, our 2012 Primo Volo won a Gold medal "Best in Class" Red Blend in this competition hosted by Great Northwest Wine moderators Eric Degerman and Andy Perdue. Our 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2013 Lewis Vineyard Chardonnay were awarded silver medals!

ALUVÉ Winery

46.0836838,-118.19118320000001,15

Location

100 ALUVÉ Lane
Walla Walla, WA 99362
Phone: 509.520.6251

Open March 6, 2020 through mid December by appointment Friday through Sunday. Club members have priority and can call for same day appointments.

For other requests please give us a call or contact info@aluvewine.com. We'd love to see you, share our unique story and taste through our currently available releases.