How a Former Escondido Avocado Grove Blossomed Into a Black- and Female-Owned Winery

Since only about 10 percent of California wineries are owned by women, and an even smaller percentage are owned by people of color (POC), it may be surprising to hear that Escondido has its very own unicorn: a Black- and female-owned winery. Denise Clarke is humble and talented (and has an impeccable palate—but we’ll get to that), and she’s the woman behind one of San Diego’s best kept wine secrets, Altipiano Vineyard and Winery. It sits on a former avocado grove, one of many in Escondido—and its origins literally rose from the ashes.