Uplifting Community Through Wine and Music: Shahron Chaudhry Joins ‘The Day With Trae’
On a recent episode of The Day With Trae, guest host Deaunte Damper sat down with Shahron Chaudhry, co-founder of Saanj Winery, to discuss wine culture, business growth, and the upcoming launch of his new social house in Seattle.
The Origins of Saanj Winery
Reflecting on the origins of Saanj Winery, he shared that the idea was born twelve years ago on a first date with his now-wife and co-founder, Kye Freeman-Chaudhry.
Chaudhry recalled taking her to a tasting room in Woodinville, Washington. While falling in love with the artistry of winemaking, he felt a deep, personal connection to the process.
"This lady had poured this glass of Syrah and she's talking about the grape-growing aspects. And my parents, my grandparents, my great-grandparents were all farmers in northern India, an area called Punjab,” he said.
Noticing a lack of diversity and representation in the space, Chaudhry pitched a sudden idea to Freeman-Chaudhry.
"I asked her a really simple question. I was like, 'What if we started our own winery?' ... She's like, 'You lost your damn mind. It's our first date,’” he said.
Years later, that initial idea evolved into Saanj Winery. Chaudhry explained the cultural significance behind the brand's name.
"Saanj is a northern Indian word, a Punjabi word that means uplifting the community towards a common goal. So the way that we see wine is a little bit different than most wineries, mainly because for us, wine is a lifestyle product, but it also gives us an opportunity to use [it] as a medium to talk about our culture and our background,” he said.
Pacing Growth and Merging Art Forms
Navigating the business landscape required patience and intentionality. When asked how Saanj managed to thrive, Chaudhry highlighted the importance of pace and communal connection. Starting with monthly pop-up events, the venture has since expanded to 40 retail locations.
"Wine is communal, so our business should also be communal, too,” he said.
A distinct feature of the Saanj experience is its integration of curated music. Rather than relying on rigid terminology, Chaudhry pairs each wine variety with a dedicated playlist featuring emerging artists. Drawing from their combined heritages, incorporating R&B, hip-hop, rap, and Punjabi music, the playlists aim to offer a holistic and approachable experience for every guest.
A New Chapter: The Lower Queen Anne Social House
Saanj Winery is expanding its presence with the grand opening of its first social house on October 17, 2026. Located in Lower Queen Anne's KEXP Plaza near the Space Needle, the venue aims to redefine the traditional tasting room concept.
"We want to move away from that and we're moving towards a social house concept where we want to be able to provide a platform to new and emerging artists, both in music and film, to showcase their art paired with our art, which is our wine,” he said.
The grand opening celebration will feature live musical performances by Seattle-based artist Thomas Veli and New York-based artist DYLEUTH.
Balancing Family, Legacy, and Vulnerability
The journey has been personal for Chaudhry and Kye, who launched the winery right around the time their two-year-old child was born. Chaudhry reflected on the delicate balance of scaling an enterprise while raising a young family:
"It's easy to blur the lines, but sometimes we got to kind of separate the lines to give ourselves a little bit of rest and breather, and to also understand that our blessings come in twos,” he said. “The blessing for our family and the blessing for our community."
Reflecting on his family's farming lineage in Punjab and the sacrifices made to build the social house, Chaudhry highlighted the emotional reality of entrepreneurship.
"Seeing an actual physical location of our social house, being a part of construction from when it was like nothing to now something, it's been a crazy ride and an emotional ride. And I think a lot of business owners that are coming in, I think it's also important to share that vulnerability, too,” he said.
Saanj Winery is hosting its Social House Grand Opening: Wine, Vibes, & Community on Saturday, October 17th at 4 - 8 p.m. at 140 4th Ave N suite E 180 Seattle. Get your tickets today on Eventbrite.
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