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Second careers take flight on cutting edge

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Three and a half years of nonstop construction on Aluvé Winery has planted J.J. and Kelly Menozzi firmly on Walla Walla ground.

After more than 23 years in the U.S. Air Force — he flew F-16 fighters and she piloted KC-135 refueling tankers — the husband-and-wife team launched their second careers in the wine industry. Opening the doors over the weekend on one of the most advanced winery production facilities in the state is the final piece in bringing their wine dreams to life.

The 10-acre property above Mill Creek fuses their aviation history into their wine branding, along with a life among the vines, indoor/outdoor tastings with panoramic Valley views, and sustainable growing practices.

The new 4,944-square-foot winery is the first one in the state to use a biobarrier wastewater treatment system for its onsite water treatment and recycling.

“The alternative is a big pond,” winemaker J.J. Menozzi said on a tour of the grounds at 3699 Mill Creek Road.

The system by Kansas-based manufacturer BioMicrobics uses membrane technology to treat winery wastewater that can then be used for vineyard irrigation, landscaping, water features, dust control and other applications. Ultimately, it helps conserve natural resources while also protecting ground and surface water.

The timing comes as new wastewater requirements take effect through the state Department of Ecology.

DOE has spent the last several years researching and developing a new general permit to monitor the discharge of wastewater from winemaking facilities. The permit was implemented last month and runs through July 1, 2024. Coverage under the winery general permit applies to wineries that annually produce more than 53,505 gallons of winery process wastewater ­— the result of about 7,500 cases of wine per year — or discharge process wastewater to irrigation, road dust abatement, a subsurface infiltration system, wastewater treatment plant, lagoon or liquid storage structure, or an infiltration basin.

The Menozzis don’t plan to make more than 1,500 cases of their wines, including estate wines, each year. But the system provided an affordable, scalable strategy for handling wastewater on the rural ridge east of the city.

Aluve’s production and tasting facility is the third and final phase of construction at the property that started in 2010 with the purchase of the land.

Truth be told, though, the dreaming, planning and building has taken closer to 20 years.

The Menozzis, who graduated as classmates from the U.S. Air Force Academy, first came to Walla Walla in 2000 on a visit from Mountain Home, Idaho, where they had been stationed.

Longtime oenophiles — J.J.’s Italian family dinners growing up always included wine — they spent their free time from work exploring wine regions across the globe through more than 15 moves around the world. An article they read about Walla Walla at the time promised a place that was both friendly and truly collaborative for those in the business.

Fewer than 20 wineries operated here when they arrived, but the article was spot on about the community, J.J. recalled.

They fell in love with the place and people, over time forging relationships with some of the Walla Walla wine industry’s most well known figures, from the Dunham family to Stan Clarke, the late founding associate director of the Enology & Viticulture program at Walla Walla Community College. Another contact was Ken Hart of Dunham farming company Appellation Management Group. Hart discovered the available property for the Menozzis before they ever lived in Walla Walla.

The land had been horse pasture with a home in need of work, the couple recalled. But the higher elevation spot near Walla Walla Vintners and several other vineyards — notably Dunham’s Kenny Hill, for one — they moved on the purchase and plantings several years before their retirement.

Fruit from the nearby vineyards allowed Aluvé to make its wine debut before the estate vineyard reached production. Kelly retired in 2013, and the next year she began interning at Walla Walla Vintners for harvest. J.J. followed, working harvest at Dunham in 2015. Together they graduated from the Enology & Viticulture program and learning how to craft their wines, Old World-style.

With the grapes planted, the couple worked on their new home above the vines and surrounded by evergreen trees. They lived in an RV on the property while the home was constructed. First to be built was a garage with a living space above it.

This allowed them to move from the RV into the living quarters and sell the wines from the garage with a special permit every time they opened the doors.

“It was another step in the journey, if you will,” J.J. described.

Once their home was complete, they moved forward on the winery, leaning once again on the relationships they’d formed to explore ideas for an energy efficient space, learning from the lessons of those who paved the way — Dan Wampfler at Abeja, Jean-Francois Pellet of Pepper Bridge Winery, Tim Donahue, Walla Walla Community College’s director of winemaking, and Cory Braunel of Dusted Valley Vintners, to name a few.

Outside, the tasting patio with sweeping views of vineyards and mountains doubles as the crush pad for their cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay focused harvest.

The interior portion includes both a pouring counter and a table for intimate tastings. “Aluvé,” they explained, is a combination of the Italian words for wing and grape. They symbolism for their love of flight and wine extends beyond that with their hombre label that starts at the top in blue, representing the sky and shifts to purple for grapes and into red for wine. The Aluvé name, designed by local calligrapher Jeanne McMenemy, is in the silver of Air Force pilot wings.

A concrete staircase leading underground adjacent to the tasting room opens to where the library wines will be displayed. Narum Concrete created a weathered wood planked look in the concrete walls.

The winery includes a multi-use tank room for fermenting and backup tasting space during inclement weather. That space includes a doorway leading into a small lab that connects back to the main interior tasting room. It also leads to what will be the barrel room as wines age.

That space includes an ultrasonic humidifier and a thermal dividing curtain, so that two different temperatures can be maintained in one space to help manage the needs of the wines.

Outside, the wastewater treatment portion was the biggest hurdle, the Menozzis said. Farther west at the Airport District, wineries have access to the city’s system. But that’s not so of the more rural wineries as they develop east.

“There are very distinct sets of challenges,” J.J. said. “We want to take care of the environment and not have it come back to haunt us in 20 or 30 years.”

For the learning curve, Kelly added, they couldn’t have picked a better spot than Walla Walla for their next career and a life among the vines.

“It was a journey we were supposed to be on, for sure,” she said.

Vicki Hillhouse can be reached at vickihillhouse@wwub.com or 526-8321.

Recent Wine Scores

Jeb Dunnuck Reviews

2018 Aluvé Estate Chardonnay ($35)  91 pts

The 2018 Chardonnay Menozzi Vineyard is an impressive white with clean, crisp notes of stone fruits, white flowers, spice, and a kiss of brioche. Brought up in a mix of new and neutral French oak, it’s medium-bodied, balanced, and just rock-solid as well as a good value. 

2017 Menozzi Vineyard Estate Red Wine ($52) 91-94 pts

Looking at the barrel samples, the 2017 Red Wine Estate Menozzi Vineyard (61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Petite Verdot, and 9% Merlot) has terrific purity as well as a floral quality that emerges with time in the glass. It's elegant, medium to full-bodied, has beautiful fruit and a layered, seamless texture. It's impressive.

2017 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($48) 90-92 pts

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Menozzi Vineyard offers a similar floral quality, yet displays slightly darker fruits and a more structured, closed style on the palate. Both these have outstanding potential. This wine is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot that will spend two years in 60% new French oak.

Rand Sealey Reviews

2019 Aluvé Sangiovese Rosé, Walla Walla Valley ($23)

Light copper-pink colored, this possesses enticing aromas of raspberry, Rainier cherry, watermelon and tangerine with scents of cherry blossoms, wildflowers and white incense. The flavors show more extraction than the color would seem to indicate, with notes of grape skin, melon rind and minerals. The back picks up raspberry and cherry liqueurs and tangerine peel on the way to a pleasing dry finish. One of the nicest Sangiovese rosés I’ve tasted so far this year. 18.5+/20 points.

 2018 Aluvé Estate Reserve Chardonnay, Menozzi Vineyard Walla Walla Valley ($42)

Selected from the three best barrels of Chardonnay, this shows a brilliant gold color and lovely aromas of Asian pear-apple, white peach, citrus, pear tree blossoms, acacia flowers, lemon verbena and white incense. The flavors, are true to variety, with notes of peach stone, pear skin and Mill Creek minerals. The back reveals poire and pêche liqueurs and touches of crème fraiche (from sur lie aging), toasty oak (66% new French) and lemon zest on the lingering, resonant finish. 19/20 points

2018 Aluvé Sangiovese, Walla Walla Valley ($44)

Composed of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine features a brilliant ruby-crimson color and seductive aromas of wild raspberries, cherries, red currants, red roses, mulberry, orange peel, lilac, amaro and whiffs of white incense. The medium bodied young flavors are elegantly styled, with notes of red licorice, chocolate, Italian roast coffee beans and loamy minerals. The back picks up raspberry and cherry liqueurs and a bit of toast and baking spices, followed by a long smooth tannin finish that is lifted by bright fruit acids. 19/20 points.

2018 Aluvé Estate Chardonnay, Menozzi Vineyard Walla Walla Valley ($22)

Brilliant gold colored, this wine possesses lovely aromas of Asian pear-apple, white peach, citrus, pear tree blossoms, acacia flowers and white incense. The flavors, are true to variety, with notes of peach stone, pear skin and Mill Creek minerals. The back reveals poire and pêche liqueurs and touches of crème fraiche and lemon zest on the lingering, resonant finish. 19/20 points.

2017 Aluvé Estate Red Wine, Walla Walla Valley, Menozzi Vineyard ($42)

Composed of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Petit Verdot and 9% Merlot, this is a striking wine. It exhibits a ruby-crimson color and perfumed aromas of wild raspberry, cherry, Damson plum , wild rose petals, sweet pea flowers and wood smoke. The flavors are satiny yet authoritative, with focused dark fruits that are endowed with licorice, cocoa, French roast and gravelly minerals. The penetration continues on the back with macerated berries, roasted walnuts, kirsch and framboise liqueurs and toasty oak, followed by a lingering fine grained tannin finish. 19+/20 points.

2017 Aluvé Petit Verdot, Walla Walla Valley, Menozzi Vineyard ($52)

Brilliant ruby-crimson colored, this wine emits seductive aromas of wild fruits – raspberries, strawberries, currants – with scents of wildflowers, violets and oriental incense. The flavors are deliciously ripe and satiny, with notes of black licorice, cocoa powder French roast and gravel. The back reveals pressed berries, roasted pecans, mocha, toffee, integrated oak and pencil lead, all leading seamlessly into a long, elegant, lightly spiced smooth tannin finish. 19+/20 points.

James Suckling Reviews

2016 Primo Volo ($48) 93 pts

Handy depth to this blend with ripe dark berries and cherries, as well as pastry and some stylishly rich, spicy oak on offer. The palate has a plush feel with a wealth of deep-set fruit that carries long on the finish. The tannins are nicely groomed. 50% cabernet sauvignon, 32% petit verdot and 18% merlot. Drink over the next eight years.

2017 Estate Chardonnay ($34) 91 pts

This has a ripe array of yellow peaches and mangoes with some glossy, almost toffee-like nuances. The palate is long, rich and smooth. Drink now.

ALUVÉ Winery

46.0836838,-118.19118320000001,15

Location

100 ALUVÉ Lane
Walla Walla, WA 99362
Phone: 509.520.6251

As of Nov 15, 2020 we are closed for wine tasting.  We are available for curbside pickup, online sales and free local delivery. 

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.

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100 Aluvé Lane, Walla Walla, WA 99362 | Phone: 509-520-6251
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