Kita Wines tasting room opens its doors to the Lompoc community

Kita Wines tasting room opens its doors to the Lompoc community.

“They are really supporting the local community and economy here, ” said Lompoc resident Lindsey Velasco.

The tasting room, located on N. 12th Street and Highway 246, has its own winery and production right on site.

The label is owned by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. Until now tastings were by appointment only but with the new storefront opening, now all can share the experience.

“The wine industry is growing in Lompoc so it’s great they have their own production right here in town,” Velasco.

Winemaker Tara Gomez said Kita means our valley oak in the Chumash native Samala language. The idea for the name stems from the rings that grow over time in oak trees. The name is a tribute to Chumash ancestry.

“Kita Wines was established in 2010 and we purchased camp four property and on camp four is a vineyard, a 256-acre vineyard, ” said Gomez.

The tasting room serves nine different kinds of wines…two outsourced from Santa Ynez and the rest from Camp Four Vineyard.

“It just made perfect sense to want to get into the wine industry, and we are happy to be here in Lompoc, ” said Gomez.