Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Is Closing Kitá Wines
Tara Gomez Was First Native American Winemaker to Work for Her Own Tribe
Kitá Wines — which was founded in 2010 as the first brand to be owned by a Native American tribe with a Native American winemaker at the helm — is closing down in April.
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians said the move was a business decision and is parting ways with winemaker Tara Gomez, a Chumash descendant. The closure comes right after Gomez and her wife, Mireia Taribo — who together make another brand called Camins 2 Dreams — were the subject of national media attention and awards. They were featured in large September 2021 stories for both Food & Wine and Bon Appétit magazines and, in October, won a Next Wave Award from the website VinePair.com for “spirits, wine, and beer professionals who have distinguished themselves in the past year for propelling the industry forward to a brighter, more equitable, and sustainable future.”
So why, given the national attention, growing praise, and continued global emphasis on Indigenous rights and overall equity, would the tribe end the brand now?
