St. Paul, Minn. – July 2, 2024 – Johnson Brothers, family-owned and operated since 1953, is thrilled to announce the expansion of its distribution of Whitehall Lane Winery’s portfolio into Hawaii, as of July 1. This expansion marks the addition of Hawaii to the existing partnerships in Indiana and North Carolina. Their dynamic portfolio will be managed by Johnson Brothers’ luxury division, Oxford Street Merchants.
Napa’s Whitehall Lane Winery, often hailed as a best-kept secret, is one of the few remaining family-run wineries in the region. Renowned for its welcoming hospitality and honest wines crafted from Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux grapes, Whitehall Lane offers bottles that create a sense of having a winemaker for a friend.
The Leonardini family, who purchased Whitehall Lane in 1993, continues to uphold traditional values while embracing future advancements. Their investments in new technology, sustainable farming, innovative winemaking, and diversity are pivotal in ensuring the winery remains family-owned for generations.
“We are incredibly excited to continue building our partnership with Johnson Brothers and unlocking growth in the Hawaiian luxury wine category,” said Tom Leonardini II, Proprietor and Vice President, Whitehall Lane Winery. “Throughout the Johnson family’s nearly 40 years operating in Hawaii, they have demonstrated a commitment to executional excellence that we believe will expand brand awareness and deliver growth across the market.”
“We are thrilled to deepen our partnership with the Leonardini family and further expose Whitehall Lane’s exceptional wines to the Hawaiian market,” said Yale Johnson, Vice President of Johnson Brothers, who leads Oxford Street Merchants. “Our two family organizations have a tremendous amount of shared DNA – a commitment to excellence, authenticity, and a passion for quality. We are excited to share this shared commitment with our customers and consumers across Hawaii.”
About Johnson Brothers
Johnson Brothers is a multi-generational family-owned wine, beer, and spirits distributor in the United States. Founded by Lynn Johnson in 1953, the company remains committed to its founding values of work ethic, passion, innovation, teamwork, excellence, and integrity. Through forging strong partnerships with top-tier suppliers globally, Johnson Brothers offers an exceptional portfolio of world-class brands to customer partners across 17 states. With a dedicated team of 4,000, Johnson Brothers remains committed to delivering excellence and continued growth across its operations. For the second consecutive year, Johnson Brothers has been honored as one of the Most Trustworthy Companies in America by Newsweek. For more information about Johnson Brothers, please visit Johnsonbrothers.com | LinkedIn | Instagram.
About Oxford Street Merchants
Oxford Street Merchants is an organization of Johnson Brothers, a leading wine, beer, and spirits distributor in the United States, focused on luxury spirits and estate wines. Its dedicated, knowledgeable, and accredited team members bring a passion for brand stewardship and storytelling, ensuring each encounter leaves the customer with an unparalleled luxury experience. Committed to executional excellence and standards of performance, Oxford Street Merchants combines innovation and analytics to drive results. Its name pays homage to 43 Oxford Street, the Saint Paul, Minnesota building where Lynn Johnson founded the third-generation, family-run business. For more information, visit oxfordstmerchants.com | Instagram.
About Whitehall Lane Winery
Napa’s Whitehall Lane Winery has been called a best-kept secret in Napa. One of the region’s few remaining family-run wineries, the company is known for its humble and welcoming hospitality, honest wines made with Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux grapes, and bottles at prices that make you feel like you have a winemaker for a friend. The Leonardini family purchased Whitehall Lane in 1993 and continues to hew to its traditional values while also looking toward a bright future. Investments in new technology, sustainable farming and winemaking measures, and creativity and diversity in winemaking are helping ensure family ownership remains for generations to come.
