History
How it all started
Back in 2005 John Zahoudanis was on the hunt for vineyard property. Growing up on a farm near Mount Olympus in Greece, his childhood was dotted with olives, citrus groves, and a small plot of grapes for homemade wine. His dream had always been to have a vineyard and winery of his own for his family to enjoy. Upon finding this property it was love at first sight. John and his wife Sandra purchased the estate and named it after their daughter Demetria, who herself was named for the Greek goddess of harvest, Demeter.
Demetria Today
We are still very much a family operation. John and Sandra’s son, Alexis, has lived and worked on the estate full-time since 2009. He works closely with winemaker and vineyard manager Ryan Roark, who came on board in 2019. We’re proud to be one of the first vineyards in Santa Barbara County to be farmed biodynamically – with forty-five acres planted to Rhone varietals, five white and five red. Demetria also makes Burgundy-style wines, sourcing organic Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes from trusted vineyards in cooler appellations here on the Central Coast.