We first met Briana Clark, co-owner of Amos Rome, at Taste Washington a couple of years ago, and became instant fans of their Grüner Veltliner. We knew at that time that we’d stop by their Manson winery, when we next visited the Lake Chelan AVA. Well, that time finally came last month. Briana and her co-owner and talented winemaker husband, Travis Clark, hosted us and our good friends, Patty and Jim Jenkins, and we were impressed with his entire lineup. Travis kindly poured eight wines for us to taste. Read on for details.
The Amos Rome Story
Amos Rome is a family-owned-and-operated winery, with sweeping views of Lake Chelan. They have several vineyards, including Primary, where the 1998 block is the initial commercial vineyard in Lake Chelan. They grow Albariño, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Syrah, and Tempranillo.
During our visit, winemaker and co-owner Travis Clark proudly told us Amos Rome is focused on 100% estate wines grown within the Lake Chelan AVA, which showcase the special climate and ancient glacial soils of the region. “The AVA is on granite, all granite, and not affected by the Missoula floods (under ice), so it’s really different than rest of Washington in terms of soil profile. If it’s an Amos Rome wine, you will know it’s from Lake Chelan.”
And in case you’re wondering about that unique Amos Rome logo? (You can see it behind the photo below of Travis and Briana.) The brand symbol represents “a glyph designed to evoke the heritage of the Native Americans who lived on this land. If you look carefully at the logo, you’ll see it spells AMOS ROME.”
Amos Rome People
Travis attended the Northwest Wine Academy, completed the WSU Viticulture Certificate program, and interned with our friend John Bigelow at JM Cellars in Woodiinville. In 2017, Travis, Briana, and her parents founded Amos Rome Vineyards, where he also became head winemaker. They named the winery after two family cats.
Brianna, who handles sales and marketing, studied in Argentina, where her drink of choice became a glass of Malbec. She works full-time in cybersecurity sales, in addition to managing the tasting room and wine club, among other things. She and Travis have three adorable young children, whom we met during our visit.
As mentioned, Brianna’s parents, Tom and Teddi Pettigrew, are also co-owners of Amos Rome. Tom also earned a certificate in Viticulture from WSU. He was a board member of the Lake Chelan Wine Valley from 2014-2019, and subsequently became Vice-Chair of Visit Chelan County, and is on the WA Winegrowers Government Affairs Committee.
Amos Rome 2025 Estate Chenin Blanc ($29)
This Chenin Blanc is a star. It wowed us with its crisp, citrus flavors, mineral edge, and bracing acidity. This is one of the most exciting white wines we’ve tasted from Washington state. We could easily drink it without food on our lakeside deck, but it is one of the most food-versatile white wines. Pair it with roasted chicken, grilled pork, or seared scallops. In other words, it’s a perfect summer wine but we’ll drink it all year with some of those tasty dishes.
Bighorn 2024 Concrete Sauvignon Blanc ($25)
This is not a New Zealand-style Sauvignon Blanc. Rather, Bighorn Concrete Sauv Blanc is chockful of juicy tropical fruits, pears, and peaches. The concrete fermentation brings an edge and texture. Travis told us that the freeze of 2024 meant he had to source SB grapes from the Yakima Valley. Therefore, he produced the wine under his second label, Bighorn. The Amos Rome brand sources fruit only from the Lake Chelan AVA.
2022 Estate Chardonnay ($38)
When we reach for a white wine in our cellar, it’s not typically Chardonnay. However, this 2022 Estate Chardonnay is one that we can definitely appreciate. Travis aged it for 24 months in neutral oak, so it’s not overpowering on the palate. In addition, this Chard is not buttery at all. Instead, we found flavors of lemons and pineapple, with some minerality. A lovely white wine from the Chelan valley.
2023 Sandstone Grüner Veltliner ($32)
Initially, Briana poured 2023 Sandstone Grüner Veltliner for us at Taste Washington, and it became an instant favorite. And it’s even better with three years on it. Better yet, Travis told us it will be delicious for another few years. This is one of three Grüners that Travis crafts (Estate and Concrete, as well as Sandstone) — the grape excels in the Lake Chelan AVA. Of note, it’s one of the few wines in the state aged in a sandstone vessel. As a result, this white wine is rich, complex, and substantial, with a briny salinity. We loved the grapefruit flavors and minerality. Wish we had purchased more.
2025 Estate Cabernet Franc Rosé ($25)
This standout Cabernet Franc Rosé makes me think of summer. Ballet-slipper pink and pretty, it features crisp red fruit and minerality. Travis called it a thoughtful rosé, with depth, body, and acidity that will pair well with food and friends. He added that this Cab Franc grape is only grown for rosé production. This vintage is the first with fruit from an outside block, Meraki Vineyards, half a mile away from their facilities.
2023 Estate White Pinot Noir ($35)
Travis sourced grapes for 2023 Estate White Pinot Noir from old vines on the east side of their vineyard, the oldest commercial vines in Chelan Valley, planted in 1998. We don’t often find a White Pinot Noir in Washington, and this one is delightful — smooth, round, and textured, with flavors of pears and peaches. Travis recommends serving it with parmesan dishes, mushroom risotto, or seafood.
2022 Tempranillo (38)
What a light, delicate, magical red wine. This is 100% Tempranillo and simply beautiful, with bright fruit flavors, and a smooth mouthfeel. Travis said the 2022 season was cool and late, so every minute of the growing window was needed to achieve the necessary ripeness. And wow, Travis harvested the fruit on November 2 — unusually late in WA — and just one day before the season’s first snow in the Lake Chelan AVA.
2022 Estate Cabernet Franc ($42)
Cabernet Franc is one of my favorite wines, and this is one of the best I’ve had lately. Savory and elegant, with a gorgeous nose, leading into flavors of cherries, dried herbs, and baking spices. Travis sourced the grapes from a blend of Amos Rome Estate Block ’14 and Block ’98, leaning heavily on the older vines for structure and depth. He described it as “varietally true and from Chelan.” A round of applause from us.
Summary: Amos Rome
In conclusion, we are very impressed with Amos Rome wines, and the hospitality shown us by Travis and Brianna Clark. Amos Rome is now a must-stop during any trip to Lake Chelan. And we recommend you also visit when you’re in the area.
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Cheers!
Margot and Dave