Jason Moulton is the winemaker for Whitehall Lane Winery in Napa Valley, California. The Leonardini Family introduced Jason as their winemaker in 2016. In 2022, Jason was elevated to Director of Winemaking and Viticulture. Jason joined the family winery because of their commitment to sustainable traditions in their vineyards and winemaking. Since 2016, Jason has immersed himself in the nuances of the eight estate vineyards, energized the winemaking team, and elevated wine quality to a new level.
Through the years, Jason has ascended the ranks from cellar worker to cellar master to winemaker. He graduated from Lincoln University Viticulture/Enology program in New Zealand and spent more than a dozen years making wine in Napa, Russian River, Canada, New Zealand, Bordeaux, and South Africa before joining Whitehall Lane. In 2024, Jason received a Global Wine Executive MBA from Sonoma State University.
Media Inquiries: Kate Combs kate@glodownead.com | https://whitehalllane.com/
What’s the ONE THING most unique, authentic, & memorable about your brand?
For me, Whitehall Lane is defined by the long-term vision of a multi-generational, family-owned winery. We own eight vineyards that we farm and control 100%. Though this transition did not happen overnight. The Leonardini family worked towards this goal for 30+ years, achieving our first all estate-managed vintage in 2023. Prior to that, we supplemented with purchased fruit to meet market demand, but as we gradually moved toward estate farming, we saw a meaningful leap in quality. Having complete control over the vineyards (from farming decisions to harvest timing) has allowed us to fully express the character of our sites and speaks to the evolution as a family-owned winery.
Describe how and what you’d do with your winemaking career or winery business if you were not constrained.
Early in my career I spent significant time working in both Bordeaux and New Zealand – two places that feel like second homes to me. If there were no constraints, I’d split my time between Marlborough and Bordeaux, two regions with very distinct personalities. Producing wines in both regions while also farming vineyards in those landscapes would be incredibly fulfilling! I’d also love the freedom to experiment with a wide range of winemaking vessels and techniques (concrete, amphorae, glass fermenters) to explore how different materials influence texture and expression.
What is the One Wine most emblematic of your brand and/or winemaking style? Tell us its story.
Our Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is our flagship wine from Whitehall Lane. It’s a true example of a wine from the Napa “valley floor.” There is no mountain fruit influence, and the Cabernet Sauvignon offers consistent, even-ripening on the valley floor. The diversity of soil profiles is dreamy: volcanic, sand, clay, and gravel. These soil profiles give our Cabernet Sauvignon the varietal expression and texture that makes the wine so pair well with the region. The continuity and history of this wine goes back 40+ years with our brand and represents Napa Valley at its best. Read my review of the Cab Sauv here.
Bonus Question: Why Winemaking?
Winemaking is one of the only professions that keeps you in tune to so many fascinating teachings in life. It moves you to understand farming, microbiology, chemistry, gastronomy, commerce, meteorology, soil science, and business. On top of all that, there is the sensory experience of seeing, smelling, tasting, and sensing texture with everything I do to make that perfect wine. There’s never a dull day. The love for learning and passion for the profession keeps me on my toes.