Reclaiming Identity Through Wine with David Salazar of Reclamación Wines

This week, Jessica sits down with David Salazar — the son of immigrant farmworkers and the winemaker, owner, and visionary behind Reclamación Wines. From his upbringing in agricultural roots to earning a degree in Viticulture and Enology from Fresno State, David’s journey has taken him across wine regions from Paso Robles to Napa Valley and as far as New Zealand. In this episode, David opens up about why he launched Reclamación Wines — a bold, intentional brand that challenges the narrative that Latinos are only seen as labor in the wine industry. His mission is clear: to elevate Hispanic voices and showcase the leadership, innovation, and brilliance Latinos bring to winemaking. Jessica and David dive into cultural reclamation, the storytelling behind the wine, and, of course, Jessica shares her first sips and real-time reactions to his beautiful wine. In This Episode: The story and meaning behind Reclamación Wines David’s journey from immigrant roots to global wine regions His mission to shift narratives in the wine industry The role of culture, identity, and family in his work Jessica’s tasting notes and reactions to the 2021 vintage About David Salazar: David is the son of immigrant farmworkers and a proud graduate of Fresno State’s Viticulture and Enology program. His experience spans top wine regions from California to New Zealand. David’s passion lies in reclaiming space and respect for Latinos in the wine world — not just as laborers, but as leaders, innovators, and great winemakers. Connect with David Salazar: 📸 @reclamacionwines 🌐 reclamacionwines.com Connect with Jessica & The Wine & Chisme Podcast: 💻 wineandchisme.com 📲 @thewineandchismepodcast