Anasazi Fields Winery owner Jim Fish and Black’s Smuggler Winery owner Tony Black cut the ribbon at today’s grand opening of Unquarked The Wine Room in Central Park Square with help from servers and family members including Operations Manager Veronica Black-Stepp, Christelle Sanchez, Louie Holcomb, Brianna Wagner, Scott Beguin, Kyle Elliott and Mary Ann Black. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Although competitors, Unquarked The Wine Room co-owners from left, Chris Padberg of Vivác, Jim Fish of Anasazi Fields and Tony Black of Black’s Smuggler Winery clearly enjoy each others company and wines. Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com

“We will begin hosting a new series starting Sunday, Feb. 22 called Poetry on the Hill and we will host these poetry readings from noon to 5 p.m., the third Sunday of each month thereafter,” Fish said. “We’ll have poetry readers from 1-3 p.m. and open mic from 4-5 p.m. and we’re kicking it off with myself and famous Placitas poet Larry Goodell.”

Today’s grand opening event continues until 8 p.m. with live music by Fletcher and John from 5-8 p.m. and a short poetry reading by Fish during intermission.

The owners of UnQuarked The Wine Room first announced their intention in the Los Alamos Daily Post last April to open their establishment. Their journey began when they answered an interest seeking letter sent to wineries across the state from the Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation (LACDC).

LACDC and Central Park Square owner Philip Kunsberg are credited with being important catalysts in making it possible for the owners to have a space for the wine room in downtown Los Alamos.

 

UnQuarked The Wine Room is open 2-9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and for special events Sundays.

 

About the Wineries:

 

Anasazi Fields Winery sits on the western edge of the old village of Placitas, between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Orchards and vineyards surrounding the winery are watered by a spring-fed irrigation system that dates back over 1,000 years to a time when the Anasazi people farmed the Placitas Valley. Nearby are petroglyphs, which have been reproduced on Anasazi Fields’ wine labels. Visit http://www.anasazifieldswinery.com.

 

The Black’s Smuggler Winery is a small boutique winery 18 miles to the northeast of the Ladron (Thief) Mountains in Bosque. Notorious for being a “smuggler’s refuge,” these mountains have served as a hideout for bandits and thieves since the 18th century. Local folklore is full of tales of these desolate, rugged mountains, of dangerous men, outlaw adventures, and of treasures stashed in mysterious caves. It is these “Thief Mountains” that have inspired the Black’s Smuggler Winery name. Visit http://www.blackssmugglerwinery.com.

 

Vivác Winery in Dixon is the creation of brothers Jesse and Chris Padberg, along with their wives, Michele and Liliana Padberg, respectively. In November of 1998 the brothers embarked on a new mission ‘to make the best wine possible and have a good time doing it!’ This meant professionally crafted, world-ranked, dry red wines-a first for New Mexico. They found inspiration in France and Italy, and were especially drawn in by the Old World wine culture, where winemaking is a dance between art and science. Though extensive travel around the world and mentorships with other local winemakers, they learned about the wine business in general and more specifically about the wine business in Northern New Mexico. Visit http://vivacwinery.com .

 

Read more about Los Alamos Business here.

 

In support of his fellow winemakers, longtime White Rock winemaker John Balagna attended today’s grand opening event. Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com 

 

Local small business owner LeAnne Parsons congratulates Unquarked co-owner Jim Fish and Operations Manager Veronica Black-Stepp. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

 

Community members begin to arrive for today’s grand opening event. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com