Black Mesa Winery

Black Mesa Winery is an American winery located in Velarde, New Mexico, in the northern part of the state’s wine-growing region. Founded in 1992 by Dr. Gerhard Anderson and Connie Anderson, the winery developed as a producer of New Mexican wines with a broad portfolio rather than a narrowly focused single-varietal estate. The winery is associated with the agricultural landscape around Velarde, a community historically known as La Joya, a Spanish name meaning “jewel” and reflecting the area’s reputation for fertile farmland. In 2000, ownership passed to Jerry and Lynda Burd. Under the Burds, Black Mesa continued to operate as a local winery and visitor destination. Its tasting room is located at 1502 Highway 68 in Velarde, near Mile Marker 15, positioning the business within the scenic route connecting communities and agricultural sites in northern New Mexico. The tasting-room model is central to the brand’s identity: visitors can sample the winery’s wines, view Lynda Burd’s artwork, and participate in an art class for patrons known as “Art by the Glass.” Black Mesa produces more than twenty-five varieties of New Mexican wine. Its portfolio includes conventional red and white wine styles as well as more distinctive regional or fruit-influenced offerings. The best-known product associated with the winery is Black Beauty, a chocolate-infused red wine that gives the brand a memorable point of differentiation in the New Mexico wine market. Other wines identified in competition records include Cosecha Ultima, Coyote, New Mexico Cabernet Sauvignon, and Burd Vineyard Montepulciano. The winery gained notable recognition at the 15th Jefferson Cup Invitational Wine Competition in 2014. Three of its 2011 vintages received high honors: Cosecha Ultima won a Jefferson Cup, Coyote received an Award of Merit, and New Mexico Cabernet Sauvignon also won a Jefferson Cup. The 2012 Burd Vineyard Montepulciano was additionally reported among the top wines in its category. These results helped associate Black Mesa with award-winning New Mexico production and demonstrated the range of its portfolio. The brand combines wine production, regional identity, hospitality, and visual art. Lynda Burd’s role extends beyond ownership: she designs the winery’s labels, and her work is displayed in the tasting room. This gives Black Mesa a distinctive creative and destination-oriented character, linking the presentation of its wines with the cultural and agricultural setting of northern New Mexico. Publicly documented information emphasizes the winery’s local presence, tasting-room experience, diverse New Mexican wine selection, and award recognition rather than a large-scale national distribution network.

Black Mesa Winery was established in 1992 in Velarde, New Mexico, by Dr. Gerhard Anderson and Connie Anderson. Velarde lies in an agricultural area historically associated with the name La Joya, meaning “jewel” in Spanish, a reference to the quality of the surrounding farmland. The winery emerged within New Mexico’s developing wine industry and built its identity around producing wines from the state rather than presenting itself primarily as an out-of-state or multinational label. The business changed hands in 2000, when Jerry and Lynda Burd became its owners. The Burds continued the winery’s local production and hospitality orientation. Lynda Burd also brought an artistic dimension to the operation: she designs the winery’s labels, and her artwork is displayed in the tasting room. The tasting-room setting at 1502 Highway 68 in Velarde, near Mile Marker 15, became an important part of the customer experience. In addition to wine tasting, the property hosts “Art by the Glass,” an art class for patrons associated with Lynda Burd. Black Mesa developed a portfolio of more than twenty-five New Mexican wine varieties. Its range includes red and white wines, named vineyard or varietal bottlings, and specialty products. Black Beauty, a chocolate-infused red wine, became the winery’s most recognizable distinctive offering. The portfolio has also included Cosecha Ultima, Coyote, New Mexico Cabernet Sauvignon, and Burd Vineyard Montepulciano. The winery’s strongest documented competitive milestone came in 2014, when results from the 15th Jefferson Cup Invitational Wine Competition recognized several Black Mesa vintages. The 2011 Cosecha Ultima and 2011 New Mexico Cabernet Sauvignon won Jefferson Cups, while the 2011 Coyote received an Award of Merit. The 2012 Burd Vineyard Montepulciano was also listed among the leading wines in its category. The results provided external recognition for both the winery’s specialty offerings and its more traditional varietal wines. Public descriptions of Black Mesa focus on its role as a small, locally rooted winery and visitor destination. Its brand combines New Mexico agricultural provenance, a diverse range of wines, an accessible tasting-room format, and visual art. Available reference material does not establish a detailed national distribution strategy, corporate parent, public listing, or later ownership change. The winery is therefore best understood as an independently identified New Mexico wine producer whose public profile rests on its Velarde location, Burd family ownership, award history, and distinctive tasting-room experience.

• 2014

  Multiple wines receive Jefferson Cup recognition

  [1]Black Mesa Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  Several Black Mesa vintages earn honors at the 15th Jefferson Cup Invitational Wine Competition.

• 2000

  Jerry and Lynda Burd acquire the winery

  [1]Black Mesa Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  Ownership passes to Jerry and Lynda Burd, who continue the winery’s local production and tasting-room activities.

• 1992

  Black Mesa Winery is founded

  [1]Black Mesa Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  Dr. Gerhard Anderson and Connie Anderson establish Black Mesa Winery in Velarde, New Mexico.

A regional New Mexico winery combining a broad wine portfolio with a tasting-room destination, local agricultural identity, distinctive specialty wines, and an art-centered visitor experience.

• Specialty red wine

  Black Beauty

  Black Beauty is Black Mesa Winery’s best-known specialty wine. It is a chocolate-infused red wine, giving the product a dessert-oriented and highly distinctive flavor profile compared with conventional varietal bottlings. Its unusual formulation serves as a recognizable signature for the winery and illustrates the brand’s willingness to include experimental or fruit- and flavor-influenced wines alongside more traditional New Mexico selections.

• Red wine

  Cosecha Ultima

  Cosecha Ultima is one of the Black Mesa wines documented in the winery’s competition record. The 2011 vintage received a Jefferson Cup at the 15th Jefferson Cup Invitational Wine Competition in 2014, making it one of the winery’s most strongly recognized entries in the available historical record.

• Wine

  Coyote

  Coyote is a Black Mesa wine identified in the winery’s award history. Its 2011 vintage received an Award of Merit at the 2014 Jefferson Cup Invitational Wine Competition. The available sources do not provide a complete specification of its blend, grape composition, or current availability.

• Cabernet Sauvignon

  New Mexico Cabernet Sauvignon

  The New Mexico Cabernet Sauvignon is a varietal wine associated with Black Mesa’s regional portfolio. The 2011 vintage won a Jefferson Cup at the 2014 Jefferson Cup Invitational Wine Competition. Its name emphasizes both the grape variety and the wine’s New Mexico provenance.

• Vineyard-designated red wine

  Burd Vineyard Montepulciano

  Burd Vineyard Montepulciano is a vineyard-designated wine named for the Burd Vineyard and based on the Montepulciano grape. The 2012 vintage was reported among the top wines in its category at the 2014 Jefferson Cup competition, adding a site-specific expression to Black Mesa’s broader New Mexico range.

• Art by the Glass

  United States · Velarde, New Mexico

  Art by the Glass is a patron art class hosted at the winery. The activity extends Black Mesa’s tasting-room proposition beyond wine sampling and connects the visitor experience with Lynda Burd’s artistic practice and label design.

  Outcome. The program reinforces Black Mesa’s identity as an art-oriented wine destination, although a separate performance measure is not documented.

  Source

• 2000

  Ownership transition to the Burd familyStrategy

  Background

  The winery had operated since its 1992 founding under Dr. Gerhard Anderson and Connie Anderson.

  Action taken

  Jerry and Lynda Burd purchased the winery and continued its local wine-production and hospitality model.

  Aftermath

  The winery retained its Velarde identity and developed an art-linked tasting-room experience under the Burds.

  Source

1. 1Black Mesa Wineryen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Black Mesa Winery official websiteblackmesawinery.com