High in the hills along the Foxen Canyon trail, you come upon something unexpected: an estate that looks and feels like a corner of the Mediterranean, with a small hand-painted Byzantine chapel tucked among the vines. This is Demetria, where a Greek family poured their heritage into California ground.

A family, a faith, and a farm

Demetria Estate was founded by the Zacharia family, who named it for their daughter Demetria and built it around their Greek roots and a deep commitment to biodynamic farming. The estate is farmed organically and biodynamically, treating the vineyard as a single living system, and the Mediterranean spirit runs through everything, from the architecture to the chapel to the long, generous table. It is one of the most distinctive and beautiful estates in the valley.

The wines

Demetria works two great traditions on its high Foxen Canyon ground: the Rhone, with Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, and aromatic whites like Viognier and Roussanne, and Burgundy, with cool-site Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Biodynamic farming and a gentle hand in the cellar give the wines an energy and purity that reflect the living estate behind them.

Demetria dates to 2005, when John Zahoudanis went looking for vineyard land and found 213 acres in the hills above Foxen Canyon. He had grown up on a farm near Mount Olympus in Greece, among olives, citrus, and a small family plot of grapes, and a winery of his own had always been the dream. He and his wife Sandra named the estate for their daughter Demetria and, fittingly, for Demeter, the Greek goddess of the harvest. The property sits high enough to look out over the Santa Ynez Valley, which has made it one of the more scenic stops on the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail.

From the start the family farmed biodynamically, making Demetria one of the first estates in Santa Barbara County to do so. Biodynamics treats the vineyard as a single living system, timing the work to natural cycles and feeding the soil with compost and cover crops rather than chemicals. Forty-six of the acres are planted to Rhone varieties, five white and five red, on hillsides that catch the same cool Pacific air that makes this end of the valley so good for these grapes.

The cellar splits its attention between two French traditions. The estate Rhones, led by Syrah and Grenache with whites like Roussanne, Marsanne, and Viognier, come straight off the property. The Burgundian side, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, is built from organically farmed fruit sourced from cooler California appellations. Across both, the wines aim for balance and transparency rather than power, which is the natural language of a biodynamic estate.

What to drink it with

The Syrah and Grenache are built for the grill: Santa Maria tri-tip, lamb, or, fittingly, Greek-style roast lamb with herbs, where the wine’s dark fruit and spice meet the char. The Pinot Noir loves salmon, duck, or mushrooms, and the white Rhones, full and aromatic, are naturals with roast chicken or a meze spread of grilled vegetables and cheese.

Plan your visit

Demetria pours at its hilltop estate on the Foxen Canyon trail near Los Olivos, with the chapel, the gardens, and the views making it one of the most memorable tasting visits in the county. Reservations are recommended.

Frequently asked questions