From Hillside to Glass: The Demetria Estate Experience

Demetria Estate dazzles with its dramatic views and wines that are just as unforgettable as the scenery.

The sprawling hills at Demetria Estate.

Before a single sip of wine is poured, the views at Demetria Estate take your breath away.

The ride up a single-lane, winding road—surrounded by vineyard-covered hills that roll like waves in the ocean as far as the eye can see—pulls visitors to another realm. Everything carried in before that ride seems to vanish. Worried about work? Stressed out about the flight in? Concerned about the kids at school or the playoff fate of your favorite sports team?

It’s all washed away in a sun-splashed environment during a 15-minute circumnavigational trip that reaches a crescendo when you arrive at a beautiful, Tuscan-styled yellow estate. An outdoor tasting site atop the crest of a hill offers panoramic views of the entire 200-acre estate. Tastings take place at picnic tables, under the caress of a few trees that filter the intense sun to provide dappled light.

It’s easy to fall in love with the site.

The Demetria Estate is surrounded by vineyards and a grove of trees.

But Director of Viticulture and Winemaking Ryan Roark knows he can’t rely on the romance of the site. He’s got to make sure the wines at Demetria will travel. Guests who take a sip—in the most beautiful “tasting room” I’ve ever visited—have to have the same experience when they open a bottle at home, at a restaurant or when they pop a bottle received in a shipment as members of the Demetria Wine Society.

"A lot of people come out here and are smitten by the scenery, the music, the vibes, the drive—those charming aspects," Roark said. "Maybe that kind of covers up the wine a little bit. But then, when they go home and talk about this great weekend in wine country, they open the bottle to share with friends—that’s when the wine has to deliver."