Wine Characters Interviews

These interviews reveal the people behind the bottle.

I hope these story leads are worth your editorial pursuits.

These wine industry leaders would love to hear from you. Consider these interviews your invitation to work with them. See FAQ/Media Resources to learn more.

Marcus Rafanelli, L'Ecole

Marcus Rafanelli is the winemaker at L’Ecole Nº 41 in Walla Walla, WA. He is a Seattle native with extensive domestic and international winemaking experience. He is a 2008 graduate of the Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) Institute for Enology & Viticulture (EV) program and holds a B.S. in Biology from Boise State University. While at WWCC’s EV program, he worked as a harvest intern at L’Ecole N° 41, gaining experience in small-lot winemaking. 

Bobby Richards, Seven Hills

Bobby Richards is the winemaker for Seven Hills Winery in Walla Walla, WA. He grew up in Albany, Oregon, but his path to winemaking began at OSU when a Syrah project with the fermentation science club sparked his passion. After graduating in 2009, he worked harvest at Benton-Lane in the Willamette Valley, where he fell in love with both winemaking and his future wife. He later moved to Washington, gaining experience with Bordeaux, Rhône, Italian varietals, and Chardonnay at Tranche Cellars before joining Seven Hills in 2013. Mentored by founder Casey McClellan.

Lacey Steffey, ESTIVAL

Lacey Steffey is the winemaker for Estival in Horse Heaven Hills AVA, WA. Energy, innovation, and warmth are what make Lacey Steffey the perfect fit for the role of Head Winemaker at Estival, a brand in the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates’ portfolio focused on aromatic white wines.

After working in California’s wine country, Lacey and her family relocated to Washington State in 2015, where she assumed roles such as Harvest Enologist, Vintage Assistant, and Traveling Winemaker before joining Estival as Head Winemaker to craft the first vintage of Estival.

Brian Mackey, Dineen

Brian Mackey became the Winemaker at Dineen Vineyards in Yakima Valley, WA, in March 2025 after a 14-year career at Ste. ​ Michelle Wine Estates. His passion for wine began in childhood, visiting Napa Valley and working at a family-owned winery in Washington. ​ After exploring careers in publishing, software, and film, a trip to the Southern Rhône Valley inspired him to pursue winemaking.

At Chateau Ste. ​ Michelle, he progressed from Harvest Intern in 2011 to Head Red Winemaker in 2018. He joined Dineen in 2025.

Hal Iverson, Tenor

Hal Iverson is the Winemaker for Tenor Wines, under the Avallé portfolio, in the Columbia Valley AVA in Washington State. He’s been crafting the Tenor wines, along with Matthews, since 2021. His path began with a harvest job in his twenties that revealed the perfect blend of science, art, and sensory discovery.

Before joining Avallé, he spent more than a decade at Quilceda Creek, rising to Assistant Winemaker and honing his craft with world-class Bordeaux varietals.

A Washington State University alum, Hal lives in Snohomish with his wife and three kids, where they run a certified organic U-pick blueberry farm.

Ali Mayfield, Jaine

 Ali Mayfield has led winemaking for JAINE, part of the Avallé team in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington State, since the 2022 vintage, bringing nearly two decades of experience and a deep commitment to small-lot, handcrafted wines.

A graduate of Walla Walla Community College’s acclaimed viticulture and enology program, she trained under the late Stan Clarke and went on to refine her skills at Long Shadows Vintners, Corliss Estates, and Tranche Cellars, collaborating with renowned winemakers including Gilles Nicault, Kendall Mix, and consultant Claude Gros.

Alex Stewart, Matthews

Alex Stewart is the winemaker at Matthews, part of the Avallé portfolio of wineries in the Columbia Valley AVA, Washington State. He believes great wine comes from the intersection of adventure and obsession. After studying biochemistry and earning a degree in Enology at Cal State Fresno, he honed his craft across Burgundy, Tuscany, and Switzerland.

Back in Washington, Alex spent 17 years at Quilceda Creek, rising from harvest intern to winemaker, before leading Matthews, Tenor, and Single Barrel in 2021. 

Outside the cellar, he enjoys the Cascades, live music, and family time with his wife Kate and their three kids.

Chaz Bangur, SAMA Cellars

Chaitanya “Chaz” Bangur is the founder and winemaker of SAMĀ CELLARS in Woodinville, WA. The winery is focused on small-lot Rhône-style wines rooted in story, balance, and place. Born and raised in India, Chaz holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and an MBA in Technology Management. Before pursuing a personal passion for winemaking, he spent three decades working in biomedical research, developing cancer therapeutics, and in the high-tech industry, focusing on business and product innovation. He still holds a full-time leadership role in the tech industry and the duality of being grounded in two very different worlds enriches both sides of what he does.