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his expertise to Ambassador Wines of Washington along with
consulting winemaker, Tom Rinaldi. Tom has worked in Napa
Valley for over three decades, having built a career on expertly
crafting elegant Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots. Mike
Amato, partner, hails from the world of finance and works to
develop the marketing and branding strategy for Ambassador
Wines of Washington. Like Amato, Allison Engman, partner
and Chief Operating Officer, also brings a finance background
to the winery, along with experience in event planning with a
multitude of charities throughout the Puget Sound area. She
manages all facets of the winery business including sales and
distribution, as well as marketing, events, and compliance.
Engman's father, Michael Towers, brings his production
experience to the team, drawing from his past experience with
Duckhorn Vineyards in Napa Valley.
Despite coming from rather diverse backgrounds within and
beyond the wine industry, the team maintains a great sense
of humor about winemaking. In fact, it's one of the three
guiding principles at Ambassador Wines of Washington: "Take
the process, not ourselves, seriously." The team also believes
that life is too short to drink anything other than spectacular
wine, and finally, they will only put their names on truly
exceptional wine.
ABOVE & LEFT: Ambassador's Woodinville tasting room features a
sophisticated ambience that feels miles away from it's industrial warehouse
location.
Photographs by Richard Duval
