From First Date to Fine Wine: The Journey of Saanj Winery
Photos by Jordan Somers
Recently on The Day With Trae, Shahron Chaudhry founder Saanj Winery visited host Trae Holiday to discuss Saanj Winery's Launch Party on June 29th and the commencement of pre-order sales for their inaugural wines.
The journey to Saanj Winery began when Chaudhry took his now-wife, Kye Freeman-Chaudhry, out to dinner on their first date.
“I wanted to really impress her and show that I wanted a real relationship. So I took her out to a wine tasting room in Woodinville,” Chaudhry said. “From there, we immediately got captivated by the art of winemaking and the amount of work that goes into growing grapes.”
This experience deeply resonated with Chaudhry, whose parents both immigrated from Punjab, the northern part of India.
“Within our ancestry, my parents were farmers, my grandparents were farmers, my great-grandparents were farmers,” Chaudhry said. “Hearing about that aspect in the form of grape growing and wine production, I resonated a lot with that. I remember whispering to Kai on our first date, ‘Hey, wouldn't it be cool if we had our own winery?’ And she said, ‘No, you're crazy, this is our first date, what are you thinking?’”
Eight years later, the couple is just a few weeks away from their launch party.
The name “Saanj Winery” was chosen to reflect their cultural heritage while being easy to pronounce and understand.
“Saanj” originates from Northern India, particularly Punjab, and signifies uplifting the community towards a common objective. For Chaudhry, Saanj Winery embodies this essence — it aims to welcome consumers of all levels, demonstrate their visibility, foster inclusivity, and offer opportunities for involvement in the vibrant wine industry.
After considering 40 different art and logo concepts, the couple defined their identity in the wine industry.
"The art you see represents Northern Indian art deco and truly captures the personality of Saanj Winery," Chaudhry said. "It embodies the essence of our family, myself, and Kai. We aim to fit your vibe, so as you're drinking our wine, you define the vibe."
Saanj Winery has partnered with local winemakers in eastern Washington to create wines catering to a broad spectrum of enthusiasts. Collaborating closely with vineyards and winemakers, they ensure the wines produced are approachable and appealing to a wide range of palates, avoiding complexities that may deter newcomers.
Recognizing wine's versatility, the team focuses on specific flavor profiles, employing meticulous attention to detail and understanding the substantial compliance requirements in the industry. They prioritize building a sustainable company, understanding that factors like accounting and finance are essential for long-term growth and appeal.
“Our model is based on a hybrid model,” Chaudhry said. "We're doing direct-to-consumer sales, allowing people to purchase wine on our website and delivering within Washington state in two or three days."
The next step for Saanj Winery involves organizing pop-up events throughout Washington, particularly in the greater Seattle area, to bring their wines closer to their core consumers. These events are scheduled monthly from September to December.
Saanj Winery officially launches next month in June. For more information on Saanj Winery, go to saanj-winery.com.
For more on local businesses you can support in Seattle, tune into Trae every weekday at 11 a.m. on all Converge Media platforms and The Day With Trae YouTube Channel.
