R.I.P. PAX ?

WINE TALK
1

The label, not the winemaker obviously…

I imagine some of you got the same email I did from Joe Donelan today (unless this is old news in which case, sorry…)

it reads in part:

'After purchasing the remaining portion of PAX wines not already owned by my family, I have had a number of meetings, and great visits with friends, customers, and trusted advisors. Based on those valuable conversations I’d like to share our plans moving forward.

Starting with the 2008 vintage, we will become the Donelan Family of Wines, trading under the Donelan label. While some have asked “what took so long?” I believe this was a natural progression and, like all things in successful winemaking, the timing was just right. ’


Interesting to dump a premium brand like that, any scoop out there on why?

2

Wow, I’m happy for Pax and Pamela. Congratulations!

3

it is very easy to support Wind Gap.

4

Speaking of Wind Gap; any chance it can now change to Pax? Or is that not even desirable at this point?

5

I’m going to go out on a limb and say there is no chance of that.

6

+1

my guess is that donelan HAD to change the name as part of the settlement agreement and that the name cannot be used again . . . or at least for a long long time!

Cheers!

7

My guess is that there was a negative reaction to the split amongst customers, so best to rename the brand and move on.

8

Pax, as a brand, has been in a lot of trouble financially for a few years. They are sitting on oceans of wine that they cannot even sell for 50% off.

Do not believe me, make an offer to Joe Donelan on stuff he still has. Mix up 10 cases, he will love you for it.

The Pax brand is dead. The wines that were unrated by Parker never sold at all, and anything 92 points and under sold poorly.

California Syrah is not a desirable category. Yes, I have said it before, and I will say it again. California Syrah is not a desirable category.

I am sure the amount of wines produced by Donelan will be significantly less than what Pax Mahle produced at Pax.

9

I’m emerging from a cave where I posted nothing, here or on Squires. I’ve been so busy its difficult to get time to post anything thoughtful (though somehow I found time to wax on about the STL Carindals playoff prospects on Squires). I was reminded by Todd to revisit the site today when I received 4 emails from him regarding the new server and here you are talking about the transition.

It is interesting to sit in my chair and watch people postualte about the transition. I can see why high profile people tend to be tight lipped regarding what might be seen as “juicey” topics. It’s just so fruitless to debate what really went on when you’ve been living it for so long. I think most people “in it” would just rather move on, and I think that this is what it is all really about. For all Joe and Pax’s differences, they had a lot of similiarities, this is often lost in their recent dispute and divorce; but in the end they both are passionate about great wine, and both will go on to produce and be a part of great wine.

People will take sides because like politics, certain people are going to see justice and injustices in the same situation, and we all have a hard time placing ourselves in someone else’s shoes (including Joe and Pax; in fact I’m sure both would emphatically disagree with my middle of the road position!). What can one do about it but move on? In five years who will remember? Wine geeky people like us for sure, but wine geeky people like us - and don’t let this offend or shock you - do not drive THE MAJORITY of sales or quality!!

Daniel’s observation has been the most trenchant I have seen thus far. No matter your reasons for choosing one side or the other (or none at all), the reality is that starting back in 2006 (or maybe sooner) PWC got ahead of themselves. I think they were riding the high of their popularity, but Syrah became very crowded. I was at a seminar on the topic before harvest and it was common for a producer to be mystified at the dearth of success for Syrah. I think producers in general said “hey this stuff is great, I love the Rhone, let’s make some and sell it to our customers.” Well, no one asked the consumer if they wanted it.

Now that doens’t mean it doesn’t sell, but the ship must be right sized and the opportunity to do that is now. I am amused by the people who refuse to buy because Pax is no longer associated. They have every right to do so, but the implication is often that it is because the wine MUST be SO different. Well, they are different, that is unavoidable, but if we believe the vineyard makes the most difference (as I know Pax does, and as I do), and you love Walker Vine Hill, or Obsidian, or whatever and you love tasting great wine, why not buy unless you have some philosophical reason to oppose Donealn (which maybe you do, no problem with that). But a philosophical reason is not a quality reason per se. Let’s not forget, this is all for pelasure, that is what wine is all about!

Hope that sheds a little light. I’ve probably gone too far as it is.
Tyler Thomas
Donelan/Pax Wines

10

Tyler,

Nice to see you roaming around here and I’ll bet its nice to have things slowing down a bit. Thanks for taking the time.
I must say, when Russell and I stopped in, you looked like you could use a rest.

For myself, I already miss the full on craziness of crush and being back in FL makes me miss it all the more.

As for syrah; it is a tough sell these days but for those of us who love it and can’t seem to let go - well, I guess we’ll just make a little less.

BTW, how goes your personal wine project?
Best, Jim

11

Jim -

Good to see you too. When you and Russell came by we certainly had been through a stretch! You’re right, there are plenty of people who love it, but maybe not as much as we all thought…YET!!

Personal wine project? Forgive me if I am missing the innuendo or joke, but I have no personal wine project. Look me up next time you are back our here!

12

Tyler

Thank you for chiming in. As you can see from my post, I took no sides, but rather, I offered a harsh reality of many producers of CA Syrah.

I think you saw it that way as well.

Good luck with the wines.

13

Daniel - a harsh reality indeed! I took your post as exactly that and appreciate your reasoned position.

Thanks,

14

The bottom line for me with Pax (I still have a case or so of the 05’s) is that it was (is) just too damn expensive. LIke the wine. Haven’t bought since 05 simply because I could do as well elsewhere for far less than they were charging.

15

Tyler,

Nice to ‘see’ you again as well! And I hope that you are having as much fun as you hoped you would!!! You work with some great vienyards and some great fruit - I’m sure from a strictly winemaking standpoint - if you or I or anyone else is actually able to look at it just from THAT standpoint - you are ecstatic.

I hear what Posner has to say, but I for one am sitting things in motion to actually DO something about syrah - instead of simply lamenting about it . . .

Let’s talk sometime!

Cheers!

16

Larry - no doubt we want to do something about it too! We are committed to the varietal and it represents most of what I drink!

I am thrilled with our vineyards, it’s a treat to work with such quality juice.

17



I think both Tyler and Paul are saying the same thing, Paul perhaps a little more directly. I completely agree, which is why I’m mystified by what Joe’s planning for his first offering:

2008 Venus - April 2010 - $48
2008 Cuvee Christine - Fall 2010 - $57
2008 Cuvee Moriah - Fall 2010 - $50
2007 Richards Family - April 2011 - $90
2008 Kobler Family - April 2011 - $60
2008 Obsidian - April 2011 - $75
2008 Walker Vine Hill - April 2011 - $55
2008 Griffin’s Lair - April 2011 - $55
2008 Cuvee Keltie - April 2011 - $65


These are close to, if not the same, as Pax’s pricing for these wines. So we have wines that didn’t sell at these prices under the much more well-known Pax name, now being offered under the Donelan lable which no one outside of the small wineboard community has ever heard of. I know that the fruit sources are the same and that may be more important to the quality of the wine than the winemaker, and I’ll accept that Tyler can make wines every bit as good as Pax, maybe better. But is it reasonable to assume th Pax name had no value whatsoever? From a purely marketing perspective, how can these wines be sold at the same prices under a new (and unknown) name when they were a tough sell before, and have to be severely discounted now to clear out the inventory?

As someone in retail myself, I can tell you that syrahs over $50 simply aren’t moving at all unless they have an incredible score (a la the 100 point Saxum) to generate traffic. From where I sit, Donelan is “getting ahead of themselves” right out of the chute.

Tyler, I wish you and Joe the best of luck. But making your own luck by pricing these wines where the market will accept them would be better than trying to maintain a price that didn’t work the first time around.

18

I was a big Pax fan. And buyer. Drank an '05 Cuvee Keltie over Thanksgiving. I think someone accidentally dropped some grapefruit juice into the tank. Maybe a lot.

19

Pax sucked big. Like in a big kind of way. That’s the real reason they are not around anymore. Nothing more than a marketing gig catering to a RP palate. Awful wine.

20

I don’t think PAX sucked, and I don’t think it was horrible wine. I do think it was expensive, and I just simply do not have the palate or the wallet to appreciate that >$50 for anything makes that much difference. I have been in enough blind tastings to know that my, most of this Board, and WA/WS palates are not frequently in the same place, and more likely are all over the place.