TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Southern Arizona’s wine country is coming to the city this weekend, as the 12th annual Off the Vine Wine Festival returns to Medella Vina Ranch on Tucson’s southeast side, 4450 S. Houghton Road.
More than 20 local wineries and vendors will gather Saturday to celebrate Arizona’s growing wine scene under the desert sun.
Organizers say the event will showcase the best of what the region has to offer — from sips to snacks and everything in between.
“It’s an all-star cast of wineries,” said Tom Messier, owner of Omphalos Winery. “These are excellent wine makers.”
The event, hosted for the second year in a row at Medella Vina Ranch, highlights southern Arizona's vineyards, many of which are based in the Wilcox and Sonoita regions — areas known for their high desert terroir and award-winning vintages.
“We have a place down in Willcox as well where we raise most of our grapes,” said Roger Pelton, owner of Old Pueblo Cellars.
The festival isn’t just about wine. Attendees can expect a wide variety of food options, local art and live entertainment.
“They can expect the sexy grilled cheese menu,” said Kenneth Foy, owner of the Culinary Graduate food truck. “Which goes great with the local wines.”
Other vendors are bringing a taste of the Sonoran lifestyle, from handmade candles to screen-printed T-shirts.
“I make basically desert decor,” said Tina Bosey, owner of Mama Bear AZ. “So cactus candles and reusable containers — desert art that I hand draw.”
One of the festival’s more popular vendors, Taryn DeVeney of Taryn It Up Designs, has already seen demand for her humorous shirts.
“One of our shirts says ‘Warning, the girls are drinking again,’” DeVeney said. “Groups of girls were flooding and fighting over them. I was like, I can do custom orders, it’s OK.”
“Primarily the wineries will be here inside our main ramada,” said Grae Verlin, owner of Medella Vina Ranch. “And then under this second ramada right here… And then the band will be here in what I call our little forest.”
General admission tickets are $45, with VIP access available for $70.
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Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
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