WINERY HISTORY
Whitehall Lane was founded in 1979 by two brothers who named the winery after the road that runs along the south border of the property, Whitehall Lane. In 1993, the Leonardini Family of San Francisco took control of the Whitehall Lane estate. They updated the winemaking, instituted a new barrel-aging program and continued sourcing the finest vineyards. Owner Tom Leonardini, knowing that the winery had premium vineyard sources and wines that were starting to turn heads (like the 1990 Morisoli Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and 1990 Merlot), he put an offer in on a Monday and the following week bought the winery. "This is not just a hobby. We're committed to making superior wines" is what he said back in 1993 and it still rings true today. Tom is an active owner, involved in sales, marketing and production. The Leonardini Family are directly involved in day to day operations of the winery and they all enjoy the world-class Whitehall Lane wines.
WINEMAKER: Jason Moulton
Jason Moulton is a
hands-on winemaker utilizing the knowledge he has gained at wineries across the
globe. The Leonardini Family introduced Jason as their winemaker in 2016.
He was excited to join the Whitehall Lane team because of the Leonardini’s commitment to
their vineyards and the wine. He has immersed himself in the
nuances of the seven estate vineyards, energized the winemaking
team and
elevated wine quality.
He moved through the
ranks from cellar worker to cellar master, assistant winemaker to winemaker, most
notably at Long Meadow Ranch Winery in St. Helena, Cliff Lede
Vineyards in Yountville and most recently at Brassfield Estate Winery in Lake County. Jason
started his winemaking career in Rutherford, traversed the world and is
back in Rutherford making his mark with world-class wines. He
graduated from the Lincoln University Viticulture and Enology program in New Zealand and has
spent over 17 years making wine in Napa Valley,
Russian River, Canada,
New Zealand, Bordeaux and South Africa. He has had the opportunity to work with
renowned winemakers Philippe Melka, David Ramey, and Ashley Heisey.
Once Jason settled into the winemaking role at Whitehall Lane, he focused on establishing sustainable practices within the entire facility. In 2018, his “Green Team” achieved that goal and the vision of becoming a responsibly sustainable company with energy, water, and green practices was completed through the Napa Green Certification program.
In addition to being a
winemaker, Jason is a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master
Sommeliers and a certified wine judge through the American Wine Society.
He lives in Calistoga with his wife and two children.
There are currently no events available for online booking.