Mike Paul, one of the pioneering vintners of Washington’s Walla Walla growing region and owner of Patrick M. Paul Winery, has died. He was 58.
Paul passed peacefully at his home in Walla Walla, with his wife and partner Teresa Paul by his side, Wine Business reports.
Patrick M. Paul Vineyards was bonded in 1988 and is one of the oldest wineries in the Walla Walla Valley.
Considered a boutique winery that began with a planting of Cabernet Franc in 1984, it produces 350 cases of small lots of premium, handcrafted Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and its famous Cabernet Franc.
Paul was an enthusiastic ambassador for wine — especially Walla Walla wine — and traveled the Pacific Northwest sharing his stories as a grower and winemaker.
Helping others understand the complexity of making wine and the unique lifestyle of a winemaker were some of his favored topics. For years, Paul could be heard monthly as the co-host of a radio talk show segment that informed and entertained local audiences about the business of making wine.
Paul also was an originating member of the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance Board, and served as Associate Chair until May 2008.
