Katie Leonardini got a life-changing phone call from her father when she was in college.

The self-made businessman, a savvy entrepreneur, decided to make a career change and had taken a giant leap. Tom Leonardini Sr. had bought a Napa Valley winery. Because she was still in college, Katie had no idea it would alter the course of her own life.

It was 1993 when her father made the bold decision to purchase Whitehall Lane Winery. That moment marked the beginning of a new family chapter: one rooted in vineyards, Cabernet and the community of St. Helena.

“My dad opened a wine shop in San Francisco in the early 1980s,” Katie said. “He learned that a small winery was going on the market. So he reached out, jumped up and bought it within a week.”

The move reflected his character. However, at the time, Katie didn’t picture herself in Napa Valley. Her career in financial services had taken her from San Mateo to Philadelphia to Hong Kong. But raising three children in three years, coupled with her father’s offer of a home on newly acquired property, made the decision to move to Napa both practical and appealing.

“It felt like coming back home, even though Napa Valley was new to me,” said Katie who is Managing Member at the winery. “There aren’t many places like St. Helena in the country anymore, a safe place with a strong sense of community.”

Since then, Whitehall Lane has built its reputation around wines that deliver quality and value. The Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 ($56) offers black cherry, toasty vanilla, and pipe tobacco notes framed by balanced tannins. The Merlot 2021 ($40) might be the region’s best value in its category; aromatic with plum, strawberry compote and dusty cocoa. All carried forth on a plush mouthfeel.

“People always ask me about our Cabernet and Merlot,” Leonardini said. “They’ll say, ‘this is really good, so why are they so cheap’? To me, $56 isn’t cheap! I believe we have to deliver with every bottle and $56 is expensive.”

Merlot, once unfairly stigmatized after the movie “Sideways,” has found new footing with younger drinkers who never saw the film. Whitehall Lane’s steadfast commitment has paid off.

“We’ve always been known for Merlot,” Leonardini said. “There was a little downturn, but we have no problem selling it. It’s value-driven.”

The Leonardini family has weathered plenty: recessions, wildfires and a pandemic. Through it all, financial discipline kept the winery steady.

“Dad always taught us to be strong with financial discipline,” Katie said. “We’ve never had to lay people off. We question every invoice, every practice and look at how we can do things more efficiently.”

Now 83, Tom Sr. officially retired earlier this year, though his influence endures.

“It’s the best-case scenario,” Leonardini said. “He’s still here, still healthy, and I can still run things by him. I thanked him for giving me a runway.”

With her father’s legacy as a guide, Katie Leonardini is steering Whitehall Lane toward the future.

“I feel like I owe it to the next generation to make sure we are in a good place,” she said. “It’s my obligation to help the winery thrive.”