So you are planning a party and need to go to the store to pick up a few bottles. You decide you want to go somewhere different than your neighborhood grocery or liquor store. Your friend tells you about this super wine store. She describes it as the mecca of wine stores, filled with thousands of wines. You get so excited, you immediately jump in the car and head over. As you walk in, your eyes get big and your heart beats with excitement seeing all the wine selections. But then the anxiety kicks in when you walk around the store aimlessly not knowing what to purchase. You ask yourself, what do I choose? How do I decide what to buy? Then you end up getting the same bottle of wine you would have bought at your neighborhood store. Well 3 Ladies on A Vine are here to make sure this doesn't happen to you.
Recently, we took a mini field trip to Total Wine. This store has everything your wine heart could desire but it can be quite overwhelming as well. We immediately asked for the manager to give us some tips on how to make a trip to a super wine store even more enjoyable. Tip 1: Ask a manager or knowledgeable employee to tell you how the store is set up.
Most stores are separated into categories.
Local - Local wines made in your state. This would be a good selection if you have guests coming from out of town. They could try a wine they would possibly not get in their state.
Highly rated - Wines are given points, similar to grades by wine critics. The wines are graded on a 100 point scale. For example, 95-100 is a classic or great wine, while 70-79 means average; drinkable but not recommended. It doesn't mean the lower wines are nasty, everyone has a different palette.
Store specials - These are wines that are on sale for a limited time offer.
Wine buyers selections - Wines chosen by the people who buy wine for the store.
Specialty - A special type of wine, such as sake, sherry, or a port. It can also mean a wine like blueberry or a habanero spicy wine. There is something unique about it.
Tip 2: Tell the store employee what type of party you are having and your price point.
If you are shopping for a bridal shower and you have 30 ladies coming, but are on a limited budget, you may want to shop in the store specials section. Get some great wines on sale!
Tip 3: Call a head of time to see when the store has free in store tastings.
At Total Wines, they have tastings on the weekend. Wine representatives come to the store trying to sell their product. You get free samples and actually get to taste what you are buying. It also allows you to buy something you may have walked past.
Tip 4: Be creative and look for interesting bottles that catch the eye.
If you are feeling adventurous and don't care about the taste or even the price, look for fun bottles. For instance, this bottle we found has a cat on it. If you are shopping for a cat lover, I'm sure he or see would love to open this.
We hope these tips help you survive your next super wine store excursion. Happy wine shopping!
To find out what we chose during our wine excursion, please follow us on social media.
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