Dennis grew up on small farms on the outskirts of St. Helena. His mom had a penchant for horses, and they also raised a few head of cattle and sheep. I seem to remember a story of Dennis being dared by one of his 3 older brothers to ride one and immediately got thrown off.

Dennis attended St. Helena schools through High School and played many sports, including being on the first ever St. Helena little league team. Tennis was also a favorite that he continued with in college. He met Adele Fryer in High School. Pursued her relentlessly, dated forever, and finally got married in 1974. (It was her idea . . .)

His father was a teacher/administrator and Dennis had thoughts of doing the same. After Graduating from St. Helena High, he headed to college to try his luck. Luck wasn’t exactly on his side after drawing an incredibly low draft number. With 2 brothers already ensconced in the war, he headed to the draft board, schmoozed with the lady in charge, and was immediately enlisted in the National Guard.

Upon his “release”, he arrived back home without a job and no money for college. His first job after he returned was at Hans Kornell Champagne Cellers, which is now Frank Family Winery. He stayed there a year and then moved on to Sterling Winery, which was under construction at the time. There was an opening in the warehouse for a forklift driver and a mere seven years later, he was assistant head of the customer center pouring wines made by Ric Forman. Then, a good friend asked if he would like to do some hands-on cellar work. Dennis joined Chuck Ortman at St. Clement Winery and was promoted to winemaker within the year. He was responsible for the wines there until 1999.

Meanwhile, he and Adele bought White Cottage Ranch in 1989, started planting grapes, and released their first official vintage in 1993. Labeled on a picnic table in their back yard, the wine was a quiet success. The winery on the Ranch was completed In 2005, with Dennis designing it with the needs of a winemaker in mind.

The wines are still hand-crafted and hand labeled with love and he still has time to play some golf!

Elaine, daughter of Dennis and Adele Johns, was born in St. Helena, and, like her parents, had the opportunity to be raised the Napa Valley. One of her early memories is of touring a vineyard with her Dad to sample fruit for harvest. At the age of three she just couldn’t understand why they had to walk all over to get grapes from so many different spots when there was a vine right in front if them that had all the grapes they could need. Years later, she now understands.

When the family began farming the White Cottage Ranch property in 1989, at the age of 8, Elaine too began to fall in love with this treasured location. Tromping around the ranch with her younger brother Sam, and Lilly, the family Labrador, she got to appreciate cultivating wine grapes as well as observing the native biology of plants and animals. As the family business grew, she found herself chipping in wherever she could, often times sitting in their living room hand tearing labels.

After receiving her B.A. in Liberal Studies from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo in 2004, Elaine got the invitation to help develop the soon-to-be-finished Winery at White Cottage Ranch. Her work quickly progressed from the original landscape design to full time cellar assistance. She, with her dad Dennis, were the winemaking team to harvest the 2005 vintage, the first vintage to be completely grown and produced on the ranch. Together they have worked hard to craft the finest wines from each subsequent vintage. All along, she has contributed to making the new winery facility homey and welcoming, aiding hospitality and organizing special events. Currently she helps in all aspects of the business, from production, to office management, to hospitality.

Adele Johns

Adele grew up just outside of St. Helena and her first home was surrounded by what were even then considered old vines. Dry farmed and not trellised, the old vines made for great hiding places; perfect for evading her older brother and his buddies. In the summers, she loved carefully walking barefoot in the meticulously tended dirt trying not to leave footprints.

She attended school in St. Helena through high school, growing up with the children of many farmers and winery owners. She met Dennis the first week of high school - he was a senior playing drums in the band, and she was an incoming freshman flautist. He flirted shamelessly. They started “going together” after the Halloween/homecoming dance and the rest is history - Dennis proposed and they were married in 1974.

Adele worked for Wells Fargo Bank, continued some night classes, raised kids, volunteered in their classrooms and helped remodel their old home in St. Helena. Ah, to be young again!

She “retired” from Wells in 1994 to take over the administration of their new, young wine business. Working out of the home, she was still able to be active with the kids, going on field trips and working at their schools. In 005, with the kids out of the house and the construction of the new winery underway, Adele’s miscellaneous job titles turned to “designer” as she set about helping decorate the new tasting room.

Semi-retired (again), she now divides her time between planning yet another remodel of the St. Helena home and brewing up the infused olive oil served in the tasting room.