Vertigo Wines will open at 410 N. Toole Ave. from 4 p.m.-midnight on Saturday, March 22. The urban winery delivers a barrel-to-glass experience, where guests taste and blend wines straight from the barrel.
Longtime Tucsonans may recognize owners Kristel and Dominic Johnson from their previous business, Isabella’s Ice Cream. Kristel also spent time as general manager for HUB Ice Cream Factory and business development manager for Sand-Reckoner Vineyard before working on opening Vertigo Wines. She landed on the name Vertigo Wines after a personal experience with vertigo.
“After seeing images of what vertigo looks like in your brain, the lines and circles, I thought it looked really cool,” she said. “You drink too much wine, you get a little dizzy. I just kind of liked it; it just kind of stuck.”
Urban Winemaking in Tucson
Urban wineries bring vineyard experiences into city settings, creating a deeper connection between winemakers and consumers. Johnson aims to make high-quality wine more accessible in Tucson.
“We’re Tucson’s first urban winery, which is really, really cool,” she said.
Barrel-to-Glass: A Hands-On Wine Experience
Vertigo Wines offers a rare opportunity to sample wines before bottling. Guests can taste different barrels and blend wines on-site.
“This kind of allows everyone to experience directly the flavors,” she said. “The flavor profiles are going to be different.”
Vertigo sources about 80% of its wine from Wilcox, Arizona, while also introducing varietals from regions like Napa Valley.
Wine Club Memberships and Sustainability
She designed two wine club memberships to keep customers engaged. The Monthly Barrel Club highlights two featured wines and encourages guests to return frequently. Johnson hopes to promote sustainability with a bottle recycling program, since Tucson no longer offers household glass recycling pickup.
The Quarterly Wine Club follows a more traditional model, releasing private reserve wines every four months.
Expanding Offerings and Community Engagement
Vertigo Wines plans to offer charcuterie and small bites to enhance the tasting experience. Johnson also envisions an outdoor space, which is currently in development.
Opening weekend hours are 4 p.m.-midnight Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Regular operating hours begin on March 26; 2-9 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, noon-midnight Friday-Saturday, and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Parking options include free spaces in front, valet service on weekends, and a nearby parking garage.
Vertigo Wines is located at 410 N. Toole Ave. For more information, visit vertigowines.com. Keep up with Vertigo Wines on Instagram.
Article written by:
Jackie Tran
More about JackieJackie Tran is a Tucson-based food writer, photographer, culinary educator, and owner-chef of the now-closed food truck Tran’s Fats. Although he is best known locally for his work for Tucson Foodie, his work has also appeared in publications such as Bon Appétit, National Geographic, and the New York Times.
An adventurous foodie, he enjoys culinary experiences ranging from seasonal omakase to sloppily devouring green chili patty melts in his car afterhours. His favorite foods include aguachile, garlic noodles, and leftover fried chicken illuminated by the fridge light. His favorite drinks include morning micheladas, fireside imperial stouts, candle-lit negroni, and grassy mezcales.
Outside of food, he also loves playing musical instruments, karaoke, Tetris, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and petting Addie’s dog Spaghetti.
If you’d like to stalk him, visit his Instagram @jackie_tran_ or jackietran.com.
