11 Total Wine Shopping Tips You’ll Wish You Knew Sooner – Tasting Table

When you want to purchase a legitimately good bottle of wine or a particularly special bottle of liquor, your best bet is to check out a local wine or liquor shop to find the most interesting and unique offerings. But if you don’t happen to live near one of these kinds of shops, Total Wine — the country’s largest wine retailer (surpassing Costco by the end of 2024) – may just be your next best option. Of course, unless you shop at Total Wine on the regular, you may not realize the best ways to find the bottles you want, or get the kind of deals you’re looking for, when buying alcohol.

Sure: It might be overwhelming walking into a store as massive as Total Wine. But if you go in with a proper plan, you’ll be sure to leave the chain with a bottle (or several) of something truly delicious. Since Total Wine boasts a wide selection of wines, spirits, and other alcoholic options — often at competitive prices — we’ve compiled a list of some of the best shopping tips to ensure you have the best possible experience when shopping there. Here are some Total Wine shopping tips you’ll wish you knew sooner.

Have no clue what you’re looking for at Total Wine, but want to ensure what you buy is nice enough to serve your family and friends? No worries. After all, you can simply check out the company’s expert picks for further assistance. Total Wine’s expert picks are a great way to gain some guidance regarding what to buy — particularly if you’re just quickly popping in and you don’t want to spend a lot of time chatting with an employee.

In short, the expert picks provide you with a starting place for shopping. They can be particularly helpful if you have an idea of the type of alcohol you’re looking for but aren’t sure specifically what to buy. Experts range from sommeliers (some with decades of service experience in restaurants) to wine buyers with WSET certifications. You’ll also find expert picks in a variety of categories, including French sparkling wine, California reds, rum, whiskey, and even liqueurs.

Given the wide range, it’s worth checking online ahead of time to ensure you know exactly what to grab when you get to the store. And while there’s no guarantee that you’ll love a bottle you select from these lists, it’s still a great place to start if you feel lost and overwhelmed before you set foot in a Total Wine. With a bit of extra guidance, you may be able to narrow down your picks more easily.

Some people can be intimidated by wine and may assume that the experts (like oenologists or sommeliers) have all the answers. In reality, though, that’s not always the case. Total Wine’s expert picks may reflect the styles and tastes of those individual wine experts, but they won’t necessarily reflect yours. Therefore, don’t be afraid to venture outside of those top picks.

Now, having a sense of which type of wine or spirit you already like is a good starting point. But don’t be afraid to ask a Total Wine employee for more guidance when looking for a style you’re likely to enjoy. This option offers a way to find more personalized picks, too, since you can tell them exactly what you like and dislike, and most Total Wine employees are likely to have enough knowledge to guide you in the right direction.

You can also use other online sources or specialty wine and spirit apps to assist you with picking a bottle if you really feel like you’re at a loss. You could search for any interesting bottles you see on the shelf, as well, as you can usually find more information about how they’re made and what to expect taste-wise from the bottle. And if all else fails, don’t be afraid to select a random bottle and give it a try. Who knows? You may just find your new favorite wine or spirit that way.

We’ve already mentioned that shopping at a local wine or bottle shop is generally your best bet when you’re looking for wine or spirits. But if you prefer purchasing alcohol from Total Wine for whatever reason — such as a preference for obtaining bottles in bulk — you may want to take advantage of the store’s price matching policy. According to this policy, if you bring and show an ad from a different store with a lower price than Total Wine into a location, you can get that item for the lower price advertised by the other store.

Now, while this may be your best bet if you’re buying several products at the same time — and only one or two of them happen to be less expensive elsewhere — be sure to read the fine print. This Total Wine guarantee doesn’t work for online purchases, so you actually have to go into your nearest Total Wine location to take advantage of the price match. Additionally, not every state allows certain products to be sold below certain price points, so keep that in mind if you’re planning on taking advantage of this tip.

When you’re buying a cheap bottle of value white wine to pair with your perfect spring picnic spread, you may not care too much about getting the best possible price. After all, if you’re not spending too much money in the first place, a dollar or two in either direction may not matter. But when you’re trying to purchase wines that are on the more expensive end of the spectrum, it makes sense to try to find good bargains. You may be able to do just that when you look for bottles at Total Wine with prices that end in “.97” — as in ending in 97 cents.

According to some shoppers, these wines tend to be priced quite competitively, which can help save you money on well-known producers or otherwise rather expensive bottles of wine. That being said, if you’re looking to get the absolute best bargain possible, you’ll probably want to search out those same bottles at other wine outlets to check the price. But if you’re just browsing through Total Wine and want to ensure you’re getting a good deal, looking for wines with prices that end in 97 cents offers a shorthand to savings.

Have you ever gotten stuck behind one of those people trying to redeem countless coupons at the grocery store? Many of you may agree that excessive couponing isn’t ideal, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take advantage of any coupons at all. When it comes to alcohol (which can be pricey, of course), clipping coupons can make sense. And you won’t have to search around extensively for worthwhile coupons with Total Wine. After all, the company has numerous offers and coupons right on its website, so it’s easy to seek out those savings for your next wine haul.

You’ll find a variety of different coupons from Total Wine. Some are location-specific, meaning that they only apply to shoppers in certain areas. Others are only available for a limited time, which likely encourages you to take a trip to Total Wine when the prices are at the lowest point. Still, other offers provide discounts for shoppers who are buying multiple bottles at once. Additionally, there are “Buy 2 and Save” coupons for those who enjoy tasting the same bottles twice, and opportunities for savings up to $15 when you select special collections of bottles from the store.

Consider these coupons before shopping at Total Wine and decide which apply best to your situation. It’s a small extra step that barely takes any time at all, and it can save you a decent amount of money, particularly if you’re buying a lot of alcohol at one time.

Do you ever feel lost when you walk into a wine and spirits store? You’re not alone. The process of producing any bottle of wine or liquor tends to be quite complicated, after all, with various techniques often yielding wildly different flavors between types. This can make it difficult to pick out a bottle you’ll actually enjoy when you’re faced with as many options as you’ll find at Total Wine. Luckily, the chain provides customers with an easy place to start right on its website. Total Wine’s guides and advice page gives you the foundational knowledge you need to pick the right wine or spirit for whatever you’re eating or drinking.

When you click on one of these guides, you’ll see a variety of different categories to consider. Say you want an Italian wine specifically; this page can literally guide you in the right direction, helping you narrow down to certain regions or styles (like a super Tuscan or prosecco). It’s the same deal for price points and trends. The chain’s guides and advice page simply makes the wine and spirit-shopping process so much easier, allowing you to know what you’re looking for when you step foot into the store.

If you’re only a casual Total Wine shopper, then you may not need to check out the store’s reward program. However, if you find yourself at Total Wine on the regular, then you should definitely take advantage of it. This program will help you spend less when you buy from Total Wine, and may even encourage you to shop at the liquor chain more.

These rewards programs vary by state, so make sure you select your specific state when you check it out on the brand’s website. Either way, the varying perks are likely to incentivize you to shop at Total Wine — and more often. After all, you can collect points with every purchase when you’re a part of this program, with those points eventually adding up to a discount of some sort.

Depending on where you’re located, you may also be able to use the Total Wine app’s available rebates. Additionally, anyone who patronizes Total Wine frequently should consider signing up to be a Grand Rewards member, which can offer customers access to rare bottles they wouldn’t be able to find otherwise.

These days, it seems like there’s an app for everything, and Total Wine is no exception. If you’re looking for a way to streamline your purchasing process at the store and already spend a ton of time on your phone anyway, then you may want to download and check out the Total Wine app.

Quite frankly, there’s so much this app offers to Total Wine shoppers, like the fact that it allows you to make shopping lists to use at the store. This makes it easy to find what you’re looking for before you enter, which isn’t always an option in reality given the large and sprawling Total Wine locations. You can also decide how you want your order (shipped to you or picked up?), as well as when you want to grab it or have it arrive. You can track your purchases with the app, too, which is a perfect tool for someone who’s trying to keep track of the different wines they’ve bought and tasted.

While some store’s apps are downright confusing and offer very limited benefits to customers, we can’t say the same for Total Wine’s app. Download it before your next trip to the store, and you may just see how easy shopping for wine and liquor can be.

When you’re just buying a bottle or two at Total Wine, it’s not a big deal to show up to the store and carry your purchases out yourself. But when you’re dealing with a particularly large order — for a party, or even perhaps just for yourself — getting your car all loaded up with those bottles, then getting them home safely, can be tough. Given this, you may want to take advantage of the shipping and delivery options for any larger Total Wine orders.

If you choose a shipping option, the bottles will arrive via FedEx, and the precise cost of shipping will depend on the weight of your order. On the other hand, if you opt for delivery, your bottles will be delivered to you at a specified time. You simply need be home when your order is delivered, as you may be asked to sign for the purchase (it is alcohol, after all). If you want to treat someone to their favorite bottle of wine or liquor, you can also ship a gift through Total Wine, which allows you to include a personalized note.

Learning about wine, liquor, beer, or any other type of alcohol can be challenging. With that in mind, some Total Wine locations offer classes to interested consumers who want to jumpstart their alcohol education. Whether you have dreams of someday entering the beverage industry or are just looking for a fun activity to do while learning something interesting, the store’s classes are a great way to grow your knowledge of wine. You can leave the class with a new bottle of wine to try, as well.

Although these classes can be enjoyed all on your own, they’re also an exciting way to spend a date night or a friend outing. You may be able to take a class specifically on California wines, or perhaps you’re interested in learning about how to pair your favorite foods with wines sold at the store. There are classes on chocolate and wine pairing, for instance, sessions on Napa Valley, as well as opportunities to take private classes with a select group. Check your nearest Total Wine’s class offerings online for more info, as the classes vary by date and location.

When it comes to alcohol, it can be difficult to shop for yourself. After all, unless you know a lot about wine, liquor, or beer, figuring out what you’re going to like before it’s actually in the glass is a tricky process. But it’s often even more difficult to shop for others — because how do you know what they’re going to like if you’re unsure about your own preferences? If you don’t know how to decide what kind of bottle to gift your friend, coworker, or relative, Total Wine has its own gift guide to help you narrow down your options.

You can shop by price or recipient, which can make it easier to find something that fits both your budget and your giftee’s preferences. And if you want to get really fancy? You can even give a bottle with a custom engraved label to your loved one. There’s a whole section just for simple gift ideas, too, for acquaintances or people you may not know well enough to pick out a more customized gift. With the store’s gift guide, you’ll no longer be forced to wander aimlessly around a Total Wine just looking for a special bottle to give someone.