St. Paul, Minn. – Sept. 25, 2024 – Johnson Brothers, a family-owned and operated distributor since 1953, is excited to announce the expansion of its partnership with Whitehall Lane Winery into the Nebraska market beginning October 1. This move adds to existing collaboration in Hawaii, Indiana, and North Carolina. The luxury division of Johnson Brothers, Oxford Street Merchants, will oversee management of the portfolio.
Whitehall Lane, a family-owned Napa Valley winery, is renowned for its exceptional hospitality and authentic wines, primarily crafted from Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varietals. Since acquiring the winery in 1993, the Leonardini family has upheld traditional winemaking values while embracing innovation, sustainable practices, and diversity. Their commitment to modern technology, eco-friendly farming, and creative winemaking ensures a warm, approachable experience for wine lovers, preserving the winery’s legacy for future generations.
“Johnson Brothers shares our family-owned values and commitment to quality, making them the ideal partner to help us extend our reach in Nebraska,” said Tom Leonardini II, Proprietor and Vice President of Whitehall Lane Winery. “We look forward to sharing the distinctive character and tradition of Whitehall Lane wines with even more Nebraskans through this collaboration.”
“We are pleased to further our partnership with Whitehall Lane, a family-owned winery that shares our passion for quality and commitment to excellence,” said Yale Johnson, President of Sales for Johnson Brothers, who leads Oxford Street Merchants. “Together, we look forward to driving the business to new heights throughout the Cornhusker state.”
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 3,800, 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.
