Founded by Redmond residents Chaitanya “Chaz” and Salima Bangur, Sama Cellars produces exclusively small-lot Rhone varietal wines. For a fledging winery, they are quickly gaining recognition for what Chaz terms as “methodical winemaking that is rooted in my background as a biochemist and technology innovator.” Chaz trained at the Northwest Wine Academy and holds a WSET Level 2 certification.
“Redmond has been home to us for the past 15 years,” say Salima and Chaz. “Opening the lounge here allows us to deepen our ties to this community while inviting more people to experience our wines and the stories behind them.”
Located in a center courtyard of Redmond Town Center, the Sama Cellars Wine Lounge offers a soulful and serene vibe, combining modern minimalism with cultural warmth. “Natural textures, soft lighting and elegant detailing create an atmosphere more akin to a listening room than a tasting bar,” says Chaz.
The word Sama, derived from Sanskrit and multiple global languages, means balance, equality, and harmony. “Sama serves as a guiding principle shaping every choice, from vineyard sourcing to wine making to the meditative pacing of the tasting lounge itself,” Chaz explains.
“Rhone grapes allow us to tell textured, layered stories. They reveal structure without shouting, and beauty without artifice,” says Chaz. Here, guests can enjoy flights of current Rhone-focused releases, including guided flights, glass pours, and exclusive small-lot selections available only on-site.
Sama’s portfolio champions varietals such as Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, and Viognier, all sourced from esteemed, sustainably farmed vineyards such as Red Willow, Lawrence, Stoneridge, WeatherEye, Naravane, and San Tomasso in The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater.
The lounge also hosts live music, wine and food pairing events, and seasonal dinners highlighting regional ingredients and global flavors.
The tasting room is located at 7425 166th Ave NE, Suite C-110, Redmond; open daily except Tuesdays, walk-ins welcome, reservations encouraged for groups. Learn more at www.samacellars.com.
Below are five releases we recently reviewed:
Sama Cellars 2023 BHUMI | Red Willow Vineyard Syrah Yakima Valley
93 pts.
A precise beam of pure red fruit streams across the textural palate, complexly layered with violet and loamy hints, joined by blueberry notes that surface on the minerally-edged finish cut with citrus-infused acidity. $62
Sama Cellars 2023 RAGA | Grenache Columbia Valley
92 pts.
Powerful yet smooth, displaying flavorful raspberry and strawberry fruit melded to savory expressions of forest floor, juniper berry and white pepper, revealing underlying cherry paste. Ends with muscle and verve on the lingering aftertaste filled with red berries and spice details. $38
Sama Cellars 2023 KHYAL | Rohn Rouge Red Wine Columbia Valley
92 pts.
Broad and generous, this Rhone-style red blend is Grenache dominant, bursting with red and black currants, jammy dark raspberry and plum. Opulent, with black tea, anise, savory spice and loamy earth elements echoing throughout the finish. $38 Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault
Sama Cellars 2024 KHYAL | Rohn Blanc White Wine Columbia Valley
91 pts.
This delightful white blend of Grenache Blanc and Viognier offers a fine texture, leading with fragrant aromas of white peach, honeysuckle tangerine peel, and crushed rock. Juicy flavors of yellow apple are joined by lemon and lime zest on the crisp and fruit-filled finish. $28
Sama Cellars 2023 RAGA | Cinsault Columbia Valley
91 pts.
This juicy, medium-bodied red offers a fruity profile of strawberry, raspberry and red currant with subtle underpinnings of loam, black pepper and dried herbs on the easygoing finish. $32
Sama Cellars 2023 RAGA | Syrah Columbia Valley
93 pts.
A gorgeous and complex Syrah sourced from four vineyards across four different AVAs. A gush of raspberry and blue fruit dusted with cacao nib intertwines with savory accents of forest floor, fresh-dug earth, bits of tar, briar patch and saline minerality. A tug of grainy tannins flash across the finish with thoughtful concentration and finesse. $48