Lt. Gov. Howie Morales honors Black Mesa Winery as a Small Business of the Year at a reception in Santa Fe. Courtesy photo
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, center, honors Black Mesa Winery as a Small Business of the Year at a reception in Santa Fe. Courtesy photo
SBDC News:
VELARDE — Black Mesa Winery was recently honored by Lt. Gov. Howie Morales at an awards reception at the La Fonda Hotel in Santa Fe and also recognized on the House Floor by Rep. Joseph Sanchez and by Gov. Lujan-Grisham at the state capitol.
The New Mexico Small Business Development Center Network recognized outstanding businesses in the state. Black Mesa Winery also is celebrating its 20th year anniversary this month.
“The Española SBDC has been with Black Mesa Winery over most of the 20 years we’ve owned it,” owner Jerry Burd said. “Julianna Barbee provided marketing opportunities, training regarding business practices, and training of myself and staff. Being so small, we would not be able to afford even a part of what they offer on a regular basis. SBDC is a valuable service for businesses in northern New Mexico as we all have limited financial resources, with most of us having limited experience in owning and operating a business. SBDC continues to reach out to us with new possibilities and a growing number of resource experts.”
Northern New Mexico … The Rio Grande, the Rio Chama, Taos, Santa Fe, mountains, pinon trees … and grape vines! For more than 400 years grape vines have been grown along the Rio Grande from Velarde to Socorro and Belen. Black Mesa Winery in Velarde, half way between Taos and Santa Fe on the El Camino Real, grows Pinot Grigio, Syrah, Montepulciano, and Albarino grapes. The Velarde Valley produces Riesling, Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah with more acres and varietals being planted every year.
Black Mesa Winery began producing wines in the year 2000, when Jerry and Lynda Burd purchased the winery. They now produce more than 30 wines from grapes grown in Northern, Central and Southern New Mexico, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Syrah, Montepulciano, Riesling, Pinot Noir, and Malbec.
When asked about the large choice of wines produced and sold by Black Mesa Winery, Burd said, “I can’t make up my mind. I have a palate that enjoys many different wines and styles of wines and so do our customers.”
Many of the wines are blends, including the dry reds, Coyote and Antelope. Conejito White is a sweet blend of Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. Mesa Rosa and Santa Fest are sweet rosé blends. The most popular blends are Black Beauty, a deep red, chocolate flavored dessert wine, and it’s cousin, Chocolate Caliente—Black Beauty with a bit of chile on the finish.
Lynda is the artist for all the labels and marketing materials. She uses watercolor and mixed media to enhance the wines and winery at the Tasting Room and online.
The daily activities in the winery, vineyard, and Tasting Room reflect a growing movement toward sustainability including recycling of materials, minimal intervention with natural insects and animals on the property, controlled watering of the vines, and capture and use of rainwater. These agriculture sustainability traditions have been inherent to the northern Rio Grande Valley for thousands of years.
In 2017 Black Mesa Winery began producing hard apple cider under the brand name Bite Me. The apples used are only from northern NM orchards located from Taos to Espanola to Abiquiu and Dixon. They are brought to the winery where they are chopped, pressed, fermented and then, after adding CO2, are packaged in kegs, growlers and bottles.
Black Mesa Winery produces approximately 30 different varietal wines and four different flavored hard apple ciders using 100 percent New Mexico grapes and apples. Black Mesa Winery focuses on New Mexico grown and produced products from its wines and ciders, and specialty items and produces 5000 cases of wine per year.
Black Mesa Winery has customers visiting the Tasting Room from across the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. The biggest share comes from New Mexico, with Colo., Texas and Arizona coming next. They ship wine to more than 20 states. Black Mesa Winery Wine Club consists of 400 members one of the largest in the state, with more than half of the members living outside of New Mexico.