Black Mesa Winery
Black Mesa Winery is a family-owned boutique winery and cidery in Velarde, New Mexico producing 30+ wines and five hard ciders from 100% New Mexico grapes and local apples, sold through a tasting room, e-commerce shipping to five states, wine club, and wholesale.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersVelarde, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Black Mesa Winery does
Black Mesa Winery is a privately held, family-owned boutique winery and cidery founded in 2000 and headquartered at 1502 Highway 68 in Velarde, New Mexico. The estate produces over 30 different wines and five hard cider flavors exclusively from 100% New Mexico-grown grapes and local Northern New Mexican apples, with deliberately small production runs of 30-60 cases per wine. Production relies on traditional viticulture and cidermaking techniques including hand-harvesting, hand-punching cap management for red wines (a method described as rare in modern winemaking), minimal-oxygen fermentation for whites, and brite-tank carbonation for hard ciders. The company operates two sub-brands — Wilderness Wines (canned wines for outdoor activities) and Bite Me Hard Cider (artisanal sparkling ciders) — and co-produces sparkling wines via a partnership with Gruet Winery.
Black Mesa generates revenue through a diversified direct-to-consumer model anchored by a daily-operating on-site tasting room (open 12pm-7pm), an e-commerce store shipping to five US states (CA, CO, NM, TX, NY), and a three-tier wine club subscription requiring multi-year commitment and 2 cases per calendar year. Wholesale and on-premise distribution extends the reach through retailers such as Total Wine & More (3 New Mexico locations), El Rey Liquors, and Kokoman Fine Wines, and through restaurants and breweries including Beer Creek Brewing, Nexus Brewery, Abiquiu Inn, and Santa Fe Bite. Ancillary revenue streams include private guided tours ($35 per person, groups of 8-25), gift sets ($99-$115), and branded apparel. The company invests in sustainability (solar panels reducing 55.1 tons of carbon since June 2023) and brand-building through 29+ wine competition awards, festival participation (Santa Fe Wine Festival), live music programming, and experiential tourism offerings (petroglyph trail, labyrinth, Harvest Hosts).
The company is owned and operated by founders Jerry and Lynda Burd, who acquired the winery in 2000 and remain actively involved in operations — Jerry in vineyard and production oversight, Lynda in label and visual design. Operational leadership is supported by winemaker Craig Dunn (joined from Taos Inn with 20+ years of sommelier experience), assistant winemaker Curt Chesney, wine club and shipping lead Valerie Sanchez, accounting lead Antonette Martinez, and tasting room staff. There is no institutional investment, parent company, or external capital backing, and revenue is not publicly disclosed.
Black Mesa Winery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Black Mesa Winery
- Legal name
- Black Mesa Winery LLC
- Website
- https://blackmesawinery.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Black Mesa Winery is a family-owned boutique winery and cidery in Velarde, New Mexico producing 30+ wines and five hard ciders from 100% New Mexico grapes and local apples, sold through a tasting room, e-commerce shipping to five states, wine club, and wholesale.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Black Mesa Winery industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Boutique Winery & Cidery
- NAICS
- Wineries (312130), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482), Grape Vineyards (111332)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Cider & Perry Producers & Brands (CRADAIAE), Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)
Keywords
Where Black Mesa Winery is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Velarde
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Black Mesa Winery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Wine and Hard Cider Sales: Direct retail sales of over 30 different wines and 5 hard cider flavors through on-site tasting room and online store. Two bottle minimum for online orders. Shipping available to CA, CO, NM, TX, and NY.
- Wine Club Memberships: Three-tier wine club program: Agate Club (6 bottles every 3 months), Gold Club (12 bottles every 6 months), and Turquoise Club (24 bottles annually). Members receive 20% discount, 4 complimentary tastings monthly, 2 complimentary glasses monthly, advance purchase on new releases.
- Gift Sets and Merchandise: Pre-packaged gift sets including Taste of Black Mesa gifts, Wilderness Wine 4-packs, Outdoor Survivor Kit ($99), Sweet and Spicy ($99), The Chef ($115), and Build Your Own 2-bottle sets. Clothing merchandise including t-shirts, sweatshirts, and beanies.
- Private Tours and Tastings: Private Tour & Tasting experience for groups of 8-25 people. 1.5 hour experience including 5 award-winning wines, small bites, and 10% discount on purchases. $35 per person including gratuity.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Private Tour & Tasting Experience |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Wine Bottles |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly Gift Membership |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Agate Club Wine Club |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Sets |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Black Mesa Winery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Black Mesa Winery is a boutique winery and cidery producing over 30 wines (reds, whites, rosé, sparkling, and dessert varieties) and five hard cider flavors from 100% New Mexico grapes and Northern New Mexican apples at its estate in Velarde, NM. The company sells through an on-site tasting room, a tiered wine club subscription, an e-commerce store shipping to CA, CO, NM, TX, and NY, gift sets, branded apparel, Wilderness Wines canned products for outdoor use, and guided private tour and tasting experiences for groups of 8-25.
Product overview
Black Mesa Winery is a boutique winery and cidery in Velarde, New Mexico producing over 30 different wines and five hard cider flavors. The core offerings include still wines (red, white, rosé), sparkling wines, and artisanal hard ciders under the Bite Me brand. The portfolio also includes Wilderness Wines (canned wines for outdoor activities), wine club memberships with tiered benefits, gift sets featuring local products, and experiential offerings including private tours and self-guided petroglyph tours. All products are made from 100% New Mexico grapes and local apples, with small production runs of 30-60 cases per wine.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Wilderness Wines: Canned wines designed for outdoor activities like hiking, camping, golfing, and skiing. Each can contains two glasses of wine.
- Bite Me Hard Cider
Products and services
- Wines (Reds, Whites, Rosé, Sparkling, Dessert) Award-winning still wines produced from 100% New Mexico grapes, including red wines, white wines, rosé, sparkling, and dessert wines across over 30 varieties. Available through the on-site tasting room, online store, wine club, and regional retailers and restaurants.
- Bite Me Hard Ciders Artisanal sparkling hard ciders made with Northern New Mexican apples, pressed and produced on-site, offered in multiple refreshing flavors such as Black Flamingo, Raspberry, Wild Cherry, Blood Orange, Prickly Pear, Hops, and Blackberry Basil.
- Wilderness Wines (Canned Wines) Canned wines packaged for outdoor and on-the-go consumption, with each 12oz can containing two glasses of wine. Available varieties include Rio Grande Red, Whitewater White, Roaming Rose Sparkling, and Chile Sangria.
- Wine Club Memberships Three-tier subscription membership program offering 20% discount on wines and ciders, 4 complimentary tastings monthly, 2 complimentary glasses monthly, advance purchase on new releases, member-only event pricing, and scheduled private winery tours. Tiers are Agate Club (6 bottles every 3 months), Gold Club (12 bottles every 6 months), and Turquoise Club (24 bottles annually).
- Taste of Black Mesa Gift Sets Curated gift sets featuring Black Mesa wines and ciders paired with local New Mexico products, including Taste of Black Mesa Gift Set, Wilderness Wine 4-Pack, Outdoor Survivor Kit ($99), Sweet and Spicy ($99), The Chef ($115), and Build Your Own 2-Bottle Gift Set. Proceeds benefit the Espanola Animal Shelter.
- Private Tour & Tasting Experience Guided winery tour and estate tasting experience for groups of 8-25 people, including 5 award-winning wines, small bites, barrel room access, and a 10% discount on purchases. Priced at $35 per person for a 1.5-hour experience.
- Branded Apparel Black Mesa Winery branded clothing sold through the online store, including Long-Sleeved 100% Cotton Slub Shirt, Women's Logo T-shirt, Unisex T-Shirts, Fleece Beanie, and Logo Sweatshirt.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced carbon emissions by 55.1 tons since June 2023
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Black Mesa Winery
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Black Mesa Winery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Black Mesa Winery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Gruet WineryminorBlack Mesa Sparkling wine is produced by Gruet Winery. This is a co-production partnership where Gruet's sparkling wine production capabilities are utilized for Black Mesa's sparkling wines.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Black Mesa Winery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Vivác Winery: New Mexico estate winery with tasting room, wine club, and event venue; comparable on small-batch estate production and DTC tourism focus.
- Gruet Winery: New Mexico sparkling wine producer also based in the Albuquerque area; already a co-production partner for Black Mesa's sparkling line, Gruet is the most direct peer in terms of geography, product category, and DTC tasting-room model.
- Casa Rondeña Winery: Boutique New Mexico estate winery in Albuquerque offering tastings, events, wine club memberships, and on-premise retail — directly comparable to Black Mesa on DTC, experiential, and small-batch positioning.
- St. Clair Winery: Family-owned New Mexico winery with multiple tasting rooms, wine clubs, and a broad varietal portfolio, making it the closest direct comparison to Black Mesa's DTC, wine-club, and experiential tourism model.
- Ponderosa Valley Vineyards: New Mexico winery with tasting room and wine club in a similar regional DTC format; comparable in scale, customer segments, and product breadth.
- La Chiripada Winery: Family-owned New Mexico winery in Dixon producing estate wines with tasting room and wine club — closely comparable as a small Northern New Mexico DTC competitor.
Regional players
- Wines of the San Juan: Northwest New Mexico estate winery and vineyard; comparable as a small-batch NM estate producer in a different sub-region of the state.
- Tularosa Vineyards: New Mexico vineyard and winery producing estate wines; overlaps with Black Mesa on agricultural production and DTC wine experiences within the same state.
Broad incumbents
- Total Wine & More: Large national multi-state alcohol retailer that already stocks Black Mesa wines across 3 NM locations; relevant as the dominant broad-incumbent wholesale channel the company depends on for off-premise reach.
Emerging players
- Austin Eastciders: Craft hard cidery with multi-flavor lineup and broad DTC distribution; comparable to Black Mesa's Bite Me Hard Cider line on flavor innovation, canned format, and award-driven marketing.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Black Mesa Winery social profiles
Digital presenceBlack Mesa Winery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Black Mesa Winery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Black Mesa Winery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Black Mesa Winery M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Black Mesa Winery
What does Black Mesa Winery do?
Black Mesa Winery is a boutique winery and cidery producing over 30 wines (reds, whites, rosé, sparkling, and dessert varieties) and five hard cider flavors from 100% New Mexico grapes and Northern New Mexican apples at its estate in Velarde, NM. The company sells through an on-site tasting room, a tiered wine club subscription, an e-commerce store shipping to CA, CO, NM, TX, and NY, gift sets, branded apparel, Wilderness Wines canned products for outdoor use, and guided private tour and tasting experiences for groups of 8-25.
Is Black Mesa Winery a public or private company?
Black Mesa Winery is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Black Mesa Winery founded?
Black Mesa Winery was founded in 2000. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Black Mesa Winery based?
Black Mesa Winery is headquartered in Velarde, United States, in the North America region.
How does Black Mesa Winery make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Wine and Hard Cider Sales are the primary driver. The others are wine Club Memberships, gift Sets and Merchandise and private Tours and Tastings.
Who are Black Mesa Winery's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Vivác Winery, Gruet Winery, Casa Rondeña Winery, St. Clair Winery, Ponderosa Valley Vineyards and La Chiripada Winery. Regional players are Wines of the San Juan and Tularosa Vineyards. Total Wine & More is listed as a broad incumbent. Austin Eastciders is listed as an emerging player.
Does Black Mesa Winery have an API?
No public API is recorded for Black Mesa Winery.
What industry is Black Mesa Winery in?
Black Mesa Winery's product category is Boutique Winery & Cidery. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAB, Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands, with a secondary code of THAFALAE, Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms). Its NAICS code is 312130 and its SIC code is 2080.