Winemaker Interview Series – Jason Moulton and Katie Leonardini of Whitehall Lane – May 2026

On Wednesday, May 6, 2026, we had the opportunity to interview Jason Moulton and Katie Leonardini. Jason is the winemaker at Whitehall Lane and Katie is the Managing Family Member. During the interview, we covered two white wines: a 2023 Sauvignon Blanc and a 2023 Chardonnay. On the red side, we covered a 2023 Pinot Noir and a 2024 Pinot Noir. For the second half of the tasting, we covered four Cabernet Sauvignon wines: the winery’s 2021 Napa Valley offering, two 2022 single-vineyard offerings, and, wrapping up the tasting, a very limited Cab from the 2023 vintage. We also covered or will be covering a few other wines from Whitehall Lane in future tastings, so you will be able to read all about those wines as well. In this post, you will learn more about Jason and Katie and the history of the Whitehall Lane winery and read our reviews of all of these terrific wines.

Before we get to the wines, I thought I would share some tidbits that Jason & Katie shared in the interview.

• Whitehall Lane was established in the 1970’s. In 1979, two brothers (Art Finklestein and Alan Stein) built the winery and directed their winemaking efforts successfully to Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. They named the winery after the road that runs along the southern border of the property, Whitehall Lane. Their first vintage was made in 1981. They owned the winery from 1979-1987.
• In 1988, after nearly a decade of ownership, the Finklestein/Steen ownership group sold the winery to a Japanese businessman, Hideaki Ando, who then owned it until 1993.
• In March of 1993, Tom Leonardini, Sr. was looking for a business to buy while operating his wine shop in San Francisco that he started in the early 1980s.
• He learned that Whitehall Lane was up for sale. He put an offer in on a Monday and the following week bought the winery.
  • Tom enjoys drinking great wine. It was his interest in wine that led him to buy Whitehall Lane Winery.
  • Once he owned it, he stated “This is not just a hobby. We’re committed to making superior wines”. This still rings true today!
    • They updated the winemaking and barrel aging program.
    • They introduced a scientific approach in the vineyards.
    • All vineyards are farmed utilizing using Napa Green certified and sustainable practices to produce the finest grapes.
  • The winery now owns eight vineyard properties totaling more than 200 acres. Here is a list of all the vineyards.
    • The Estate Vineyard is in the Rutherford Appellation.
    • Leonardini Vineyard in St. Helena.
    • Bommarito Vineyard in the Rutherford Appellation.
    • Millennium MM in the Rutherford Appellation.
    • Oak Glen Vineyard in the Napa Valley.
    • Fawn Park Vineyard is on the eastern hillside at the Silverado Trail in St. Helena.
    • Sonoma Stage Vineyard is in the Petaluma Gap Appellation.
    • Rassi Vineyard is located on the eastern slope of Sonoma Valley at the base of the Mayacamas Mountain range.
  • They are dedicated to growing and making the finest Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Estate wines.
  • All wine is made at the winery in St. Helena.
• Katie Leonardini now the Managing Member of the family winery was never going to be in the winery business.
  • Katie received degree in Political Science from Gonzaga University. Then achieved a master’s degree in education.
  • She had a successful eight-year career in the financial services industry in San Francisco and Philadelphia.
  • After her father closed on the winery and she had three children in a three-year span, and her dad offered her a sweet deal on a renting a house on the property. It was too good of a deal to pass up.
  • So, she moved to Napa Valley. She’s been working with her family at Whitehall Lane ever since. Where she uses her unique blend of business acumen and educational experience to guide the evolution of Whitehall Lane.
• Jason Moulton is the Director of Winemaking and Viticulture at Whitehall Lane. So how did he get there?
  • Jason is from Southern Illinois and attended Southern Illinois University. He studied hospitality.
    • He also worked as a winery intern at Owl Creek Vineyards in Cobden, Illinois during this time.
  • From there he headed to Okanagan College in Canada to achieve a winery assistant certificate in enology.
  • Then he moved on to a harvest lab technician role at Korbel, the sparkling wine producer.
  • That role led to several cellar intern and cellar assistant roles in New Zealand, Stellenbosch, South Africa, and Bordeaux, France.
  • While in New Zealand, he graduated from Lincoln University with a post graduate degree in Viticulture and Enology.
  • Upon returning to the US, he became the Cellar Master and Olive Oil Maker at Long Meadow Ranch.
  • His next role was the Assistant Winemaker at Cliff Lede where he worked with Kale Anderson.
  • He then moved on to Brassfield Estate Winery in Lake County where he started as an Associate Winemaker before he was made winemaker. At this stop he worked with Dave Ramey.
  • Finally in 2016, Jason was introduced as the winemaker for Whitehall Lane. Due to his success in the role, in 2022, the winery elevated his position to Director of Winemaking and Viticulture. This year with be his 10th anniversary with the winery and 20th harvest.
  • In 2024, Jason received a Global Wine Executive MBA from Sonoma State University.
• Some tidbits on the wines.
  • The Sauvignon Blanc is 81% Sauvignon Blanc & 19% Sémillon.
    • Jason worked in Grave. There they are famous for their Bordeaux Blanc.
    • They tend to be 50%/50% in Bordeaux.
    • Jason prefers his wine to be more acidic, so he uses less Sémillon as it can be flabby.
    • The Sémillon is also barrel fermented.
  • The Chardonnay is from the wind sweep Sonoma Stage Vineyard.
    • The Chard was just planted in 2020. It is 2 blocks of Dijon clones.
    • This wine is Dave Ramey influenced. It is made with 60% new oak and 100% malo.
  • The Napa Cabernet Sauvignon comes from five vineyards in the “Napa Valley.”
  • The Leonardini Vineyard in St. Helena is similar to a Margaux vineyard.
    • It is sandy and gravely and needs to be watered a lot.
    • 5 clones are planted here.
  • Millennium MM Vineyard” in Rutherford is similar to a St. Estephe vineyard.
    • It has clay soils.
    • 6 clones are planted here.
  • The New Era wine program was started in 2014.
    • Each your they select two barrels. The best of the best!
    • They select these two barrels from 200 to 300 barrels each year.
    • The “I de V” stands for 1 of 5 Bordeaux grapes. So, this wine is 100% Cabernet.
    • The “V de V” stands for 5 of 5 Bordeaux grapes. That blend includes all five Bordeaux grapes.
  • How are their wines sold?
    • 65% of their wines are offered via wholesale distribution via Wilson Daniels.
    • 35% of their wines are via their wine club, web sales, or via their tasting room. The wine club is the biggest contributor in the direct category.

Below is a summary of the wine offerings from Whitehall Lane that we covered with Jason & Katie. The links below are to our full reviews. If you are interested in ordering and trying these wines, you will find some of these wines via your favorite fine wine shop or on top quality wines lists. You can also purchase these wines on the Whitehall Lane website. Click here for New Release Whites and here for New Release Reds.

1) Whitehall Lane 2023 Sauvignon Blanc “Rutherford” $30 (KWGTP 92)
2) Whitehall Lane 2023 Chardonnay “Dijon Clone” (Petaluma Gap) $70 (KWGTP 92)
3) Whitehall Lane 2023 Pinot Noir “Sonoma Stage Vineyard” (Sonoma Valley) $50 (KWGTP 93)
4) Whitehall Lane 2024 Pinot Noir “Sonoma Stage Vineyard Pommard Clone” (Sonoma Valley) $70 (KWGTP 92.5)
5) Whitehall Lane 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon “Napa Valley” $56 (KWGTP 93)
6) Whitehall Lane 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon “Leonardini Vineyard” (St. Helena) $125 (KWGTP 93.5)
7) Whitehall Lane 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon “Millennium MM Vineyard” (Rutherford) $125 (KWGTP 95.5)
8) Whitehall Lane 2023 “I de V” $225 49 cs (Napa Valley) 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (KWGTP 95)

Additional Lasseter Wines Covered In Other Tastings

9) Whitehall Lane 2024 Sauvignon Blanc “Rutherford” $30 (KWGTP 92.5)
10) Whitehall Lane 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon “Napa Valley” $56 (KWGTP 93)
11) Whitehall Lane 2023 Merlot “Napa Valley” $40 (Review to follow August Blind Tasting)

You can find reviews of past and future Whitehall Lane wines that we cover on the Whitehall Lane KWG winery page on our website. We hope you enjoy these terrific wines as much as we did. Cheers! – Ken