Chaz Bangur of Samā Cellars
Growing up in India, Chaz Bangur did not drink wine or any other form of alcohol. It was taboo in many families. Graduate study for a PhD in Biochemistry first brought him to the US in 1993, specifically to Buffalo, New York. In 1999, he moved to Seattle where he worked in biotech on developing innovative cancer therapies. He also completed an MBA in technology management at the University of Washington, and eventually went to work for Microsoft. He developed friendships with people interested in wine, and they took him on trips to Woodinville and, eventually, to Eastern Washington vineyards and wineries. He fell in love not only with WA wine, but also with the winemaking process, which he discussed with all the winemakers he met. When his daughter went away to college, he decided to enroll in the Northwest Wine Academy to learn how to make wine on a commercial scale.
Chaz’s first vintage was 2022, and he opened his Samā Cellars Wine Lounge in June 2025. The spacious and comfortable tasting room is in the Redmond Town Center, and is the only wine tasting place in the area. The name Samā means balance, harmony and equilibrium in about a dozen different languages, so is the perfect name for a wine brand. Chaz is partial to Rhone grape varieties, so has dedicated Samā Cellars to Rhone style wines, both blends and single varietal wines. The various flights on offer arrive in custom-made wooden racks holding test tubes with wine pours, a nod to Chaz’s science background. The Syrah flight is not to be missed. And for summer sipping, the chilled Cinsault will not disappoint. Samā Cellars is a wonderful addition to the Redmond Town Center and to the list of WA wineries.
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