{"id":3,"name":"Cavu Cellars","image_url":"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipPjp9UpzGRld-UjO-wnc_u6uQmnMFZ-P8HlmCz-=w426-h240-k-no","district":"Airport","hours":"Daily 11am–5pm","hours_type":"open-daily","dog_friendly":false,"red_wine":true,"white_wine":true,"bubbles":true,"brewery":false,"woman_owned":false,"year_established":2008,"winemaker":"Joel Waite","website":"http://www.cavucellars.com/","phone":"(509) 540-6352","address":"175 E Aeronca Ave, Walla Walla, WA 99362","description":"In a WWII hangar, the Waite family’s CAVU Cellars pairs award‑winning wines with an art gallery; father, mother and son coax Sauvignon Blanc and Barbera Rosé from the airport’s storied runway","lat":46.087563,"lng":-118.279806,"appt_url":null,"walk_in":false,"tasting_fee":"$25 per person waived with $30 purchase","explorer_tags":[],"profile":"# CAVU Cellars — Sommelier Knowledge Profile\n\n## Founding Story\n\nCAVU Cellars is a family-owned and operated winery founded by Jim Waite, Karen Waite (née Viale), and their son Joel Waite, who also serves as the winemaker. The founding story is deeply rooted in an unconventional, organic path rather than years of deliberate industry planning. Jim and Karen both grew up in Alaska — Jim in Anchorage and Karen in Seward — and met as students at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, where they married before Jim's graduation. Jim pursued a military career after earning a B.S. in Geology, and the family lived and traveled extensively around the world during his Army years. After Jim's retirement, he and Karen settled in Virginia working as defense contractors, with Walla Walla on their radar largely because Karen's older sister Marlene had relocated there with her husband Bob, a multi-generational Walla Walla Sweet Onion farmer.\n\nThe catalyst for the winery came through Joel. After years of working in the wine and beverage industry in Washington D.C. — waiting tables, bartending, working as a chef's helper, running a catering company, and working as a private chef — Joel discovered the Center for Enology and Viticulture in Walla Walla during a visit to family. He applied, was accepted, and relocated from D.C. to Walla Walla ahead of his parents. Joel's studies and passion for winemaking eventually drew Jim and Karen to make their own move, and what began as a retirement relocation plan evolved into the founding of CAVU Cellars, a family venture combining Jim and Karen's life savings and Joel's emerging winemaking craft.\n\n## Winemaker\n\nJoel Waite is the winemaker and co-owner of CAVU Cellars. His background is notably eclectic and culinary-driven. Before entering formal winemaking education, Joel spent his formative adult years in Washington D.C. immersed in the food and beverage world — bartending, waiting tables, working as a chef's helper, running his own catering company, and eventually working as a private chef. He developed a strong passion for cooking, often watching culinary programs and making annual visits to Napa Valley to tour wineries and attend cooking classes led by renowned chefs. He also received sommelier training during this period, which helped develop his palate prior to any formal winemaking study.\n\nJoel enrolled at the Center for Enology and Viticulture in Walla Walla, beginning in the second semester of the program. By his family's account, he took to the coursework with extraordinary dedication and zeal. His combined background in cooking, bartending, sommelier training, and Napa Valley exposure gave him a finely developed palate that he channeled directly into learning the craft of fine winemaking. Those who knew him described his transformation as a clear discovery of his calling.\n\n## Tasting Room and Visitor Experience\n\nCAVU Cellars' tasting room is open daily from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and reservations are not required for table seating. The tasting room is located within the Walla Walla Regional Airport complex, giving it a distinctive and memorable setting among Walla Walla wineries. The space doubles as an art gallery, featuring rotating exhibits by regional and professional artists. Current and recent featured artists have included Pam Sharp, a professional painter based in Kennewick with over twenty years of experience; Leo Bowman, a woodworker focused on revealing natural beauty in wood; Terri Rice, whose paintings reflect Pacific Northwest landscapes; Kerry Engbarth, whose mixed-media narrative surrealist works explore aging and memory; and Samuel Drake, whose work reflects personal story, hope, and daily beauty. The gallery hosts formal opening receptions for shows, as well as a recurring monthly event called First Friday Salsa Night, held from 8:30 PM to 1:00 AM with lessons included from 8:30 to 9:30 PM.\n\n## Event Venue\n\nCAVU Cellars also operates an event space within its facility, making it available for private events and gatherings. The combination of tasting room, art gallery, and event space positions the winery as a multifaceted cultural destination within the Walla Walla airport complex.\n\n## Signature Wines\n\nCAVU Cellars' current new releases include the **2021 Malbec**, the **2023 Barbera**, and the **2022 The Big Stud**. The variety in their portfolio — spanning Malbec, Barbera, and a named proprietary bottling — suggests a winery that explores both classic and less conventional varieties for the Walla Walla region. No detailed tasting notes or varietal descriptions were available in the scraped content.\n\n## Wine Club\n\nCAVU Cellars actively accepts wine club members. Club membership provides discounted pricing on all wines, priority access to limited release wines, and regular wine shipments tailored to individual member preferences. Further tier details were not specified in the available content.\n\n## Winery Character\n\nWhat distinguishes CAVU Cellars within the Walla Walla wine community is its genuine family identity and the unlikely, adventure-filled path that led to its creation. The winery reflects a convergence of Alaskan roots, Army life, culinary passion, and academic winemaking training — all channeled into a family business where Jim, Karen, and Joel each play integral roles. Its location at the Walla Walla Regional Airport complex, its commitment to showcasing local and regional artists, and its lively community programming (including monthly salsa dancing events) give CAVU Cellars a personality that extends well beyond wine alone.","somm_notes":[{"title":"Patti's notes on Cavu","content":"With a wide selection of wines to choose from, this is the spot to enjoy a tasting while taking in work from some of Walla Walla's many talented artists."}],"wines":[{"name":"Sauvignon Blanc","vintage":"2024","variety":"Sauvignon Blanc","price":"$20"},{"name":"Barbera Rose'","vintage":"2024","variety":"Rosé","price":"$25"},{"name":"Barbera","vintage":"2023","variety":"Barbera","price":"$40"},{"name":"The Big Stud","vintage":"2022","variety":"Red Blend","price":"$50"},{"name":"Rule Breaker III","vintage":"2022","variety":"Red Blend","price":"$50"},{"name":"Malbec","vintage":"2021","variety":"Malbec","price":"$40"},{"name":"Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":"2020","variety":"Cabernet Sauvignon","price":"$50"}],"patti":null,"visitor_ratings":[{"source":"google","rating":4.8,"count":40},{"source":"tripadvisor","rating":4.6,"count":12},{"source":"yelp","rating":4.4,"count":15}],"sample_reviews":[{"source":"yelp","reviewer":"Dan H.","rating":null,"rating_max":5.0,"text":"During the process of scheduling our attendance at the event, Karen was extraordinarily helpful and just a delightful person.","date":null}],"critic_scores":[],"community_scores":[{"wine_name":"Malbec","vintage":2008,"score":91,"source":"Wine Berserkers","critic":"John_Glas","tasting_note":") Really liked this Malbec. Dusty with blue fruits, spice, earth and minerals. I could drink this often. ("},{"wine_name":"Barbera","vintage":2008,"score":90,"source":"Wine Berserkers","critic":"John_Glas","tasting_note":") This proves there is potential for Barbera in Washington. Cherry, spice, floral, rustic edge to the wine and nice finish. Drink now. ("},{"wine_name":"Les Collines Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":null,"score":91,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.1/5 (31 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Alder Ridge Vineyard Barbera Rosé","vintage":null,"score":89,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.9/5 (37 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Alder Ridge Vineyard Barbera","vintage":null,"score":87,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.7/5 (61 ratings)"}],"events":[]}