Page 7 - Grapevine SeptOct 2021

In The Winery

of Rhône grapes, including Viognier, Marsanne, constellations (Aries, Sagittarius, Leo) and are ideal
Roussanne, Picpoul Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Cinsault, for harvesting crops. For some, planting accord-
Counoise, Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, plus ing to lunar cycles is somewhat of a mystery, but
small plantings of Tempranillo and the Greek proponents consider this an attempt to harmonize
Assyrtiko. Demetria also produces Burgundy-style with nature to maximize yields and keep the vine-
wines, sourcing organic Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, yard sustainable.
Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris grapes from select cool-
er-climate vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills and “Our consultant, [Armenier], works with our vine-
Santa Maria Valley. yard manager and vineyard foreman to care for the
vines,” Zahoudanis said, “and I let the wines speak
From the beginning, the Zahoudanis family has for themselves. The fruit is really gorgeous and
farmed sustainably and biodynamically. Their first expresses itself beautifully as a more natural prod-
winemaker, Michael Roth, now of Lo-Fi Wines in uct.”
nearby Los Alamos, was a big proponent of nat-
ural wines, as is current winemaker Ryan Roark. Demetria applies the principles of biodynamics
Philippe Armenier, the renowned biodynamic and sustainability in the cellar as well as in the vine-
expert from the Rhône Valley, guides Demetria’s yard. “We know our vineyard well, and we know
farming practices. They treat the vineyard as a liv- when to pick so we don’t have to manipulate the
ing organism, with soil, plants and animals working fruit,” Zahoudanis said. “We use minimal sulfur,
together to promote health and vitality. Farming and we don’t add acid or tannins. We don’t want a
is entirely organic, meaning no chemical fertilizers, chemical experiment going on in our winery.”
herbicides or pesticides. For example, sheep on the
property eat weeds and fertilize the soil during late Demetria relies on native yeasts to start fermenta-
winter and early spring when the vines are dor- tion and does not inoculate for malolactic fermen-
mant. Demetria also plants cover crops, including tation. Zahoudanis said they filter their wine simply
nitrogen-rich legumes and daikon radishes, to pro- by racking and will only apply fining if the tannins
tect the topsoil and nourish the vines. The major are too harsh, and then they will use bentonite, a
pest, according to Zahoudanis, is leafhoppers, natural product. Ultimately, he explained, the goal
which are controlled using natural predators such is to “produce wines that are complex, while being
as ladybugs and organic, biologically-approved pes- food-friendly and approachable, not just for the
ticides, including sprays contain-
ing fermented and herbal teas.

From pruning to planting to
harvest, vineyard tasks are deter-
mined by a biodynamic calen-
dar, which categorizes days into
four groups—flower, fruit, leaf
and root—based on lunar cycles
and astrological signs. Each day
also coincides with one of the
four elements of nature—earth,
water, fire and air. Root days,
for example, are when the
moon travels through any of the
Earth signs (Capricorn, Taurus, Far right, Alexis. Others: The other gents are Logan Livermore,
Virgo) and are best for planting, Steven Gorey and Nick Marchi. They all work at Demetria, Logan
replanting and pruning. Fruit is the Sales and Hospitality Manager, Nick is the Wine Society
days are associated with the Fire Manager and Steven is one of our Brand Ambassadors.

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