Get to Know Us

Welcome to Esquina — a wine shop at the corner of sustainability and community.

 

“Esquina” is the Spanish word for “corner.” Think of us as your local bodega — where you know the shop owner by name and the feeling of community is center-stage. The only difference? Our corner store happens to be online. We chose the name “Esquina” to respect the multicultural vibes of San Diego, where we’re based, and to celebrate our love of shopping local. 

 

At Esquina, we are here to support your love for delicious juice — with a conscience. Our mission is to be champions of sustainability, diversity, and local communities via wine. That means we focus on environmentally-aware packaging and low-intervention winemaking from people who give a damn about the planet. It also means transparency and responsibility prevail on our wine list. 

 

As a female POC-founded business, we know representation is important. We seek out diverse wine producers of all genders, races, and backgrounds. We also care about our community. Expect to see hyper-local wines from San Diego County and our neighbors to the south in Baja California, Mexico. We consider our shop to be “sin fronteras” — without borders. 

 

Shopping for wine should be chill. Unpretentious. And mindful of the Earth. We hope you find all of those things at Esquina. Grab a few bottles, a few friends, and enjoy these wines in the sunshine. Thank you for visiting your local (online) bottle shop — wherever you might be! 

 

About the founder

 

Hi! I’m Heidi — founder of Esquina and San Diego local for nearly 20 years. I love the diverse neighborhoods, surfer beaches, proximity to Mexico — and of course, all the amazing wine to be found here. You can usually find me, my partner Derek, and our beloved rescue dog Cooper enjoying a glass of wine (probably orange) on the patio or in the park in one of the central neighborhoods. 

 

I have been in the wine industry in different capacities for many years. I decided to start Esquina while I was working in wine imports. At the time, I learned about the environmental effects and bonkers-level carbon footprint of producing and shipping wine. That’s when I realized that if we don’t start making changes, everything I love about the wine world — the history, agriculture, and environment — will disappear. 

 

I knew I had to do my part to preserve it. So, my local, online, sustainable wine shop was born. 

 

Moving to San Diego many years ago was pivotal for my independence and forming my own beliefs. Esquina is the manifestation of that. It is a space for everything I am passionate about — wine, sustainability, diversity, and community. It is also an opportunity for me to share everything I know from my experience in the wine industry with a community I love. 

 

When you shop at Esquina, I hope you try something new — maybe even a little off-the-wall — that you haven’t tried from your regular wine store. Thanks for being here.

 

Much love,

-HG