Producing Balanced Wines in Santa Barbara County Winemakers will tell you that wine is created in the vineyard, and that a connection to the land is key to their craft. For Native American winemaker Tara Gomez, that connection goes back thousands of years. Gomez is a member of the Santa Ynez Band of the Chumash. She's also the winemaker for Kita, the tribe's new winery.