HELP: Total Wine picks for $20 (for a party)

Robert.A.Jr · February 20, 2014, 8:54pm

So partly for business: my CFO just called, she’s up in Richmond VA for a bachelorette party. One night theme is all wine, blind tasting with some winner prizes. So she calls me as if I’m some sub-$20 Total Wine expert. Evidently she is near a Total Wine store. For those of you that shop Total Wine, any recos on crowd pleasing reds and whites for this price range, say 2-3 of each? If she wines, I may get an invite to the party!

Scott_Butler · February 20, 2014, 9:06pm

2 locations in Richmond, so I chose Westland…

This first one, the Macchia Mischievous Zin is really good. The rest are decent, but no really gems that I find.

Reds
http://www.totalwine.com/eng/product/macchia-zinfandel-mischievous-lodi/105056750
http://www.totalwine.com/eng/product/evodia-calatayud-garnacha/107267750
http://www.totalwine.com/eng/product/belle-glos-pinot-noir-meiomi/14738750
http://www.totalwine.com/eng/product/muirwood-pinot-noir/94392750

Whites
http://www.totalwine.com/eng/product/ferrari-carano-fume-blanc/1151750
http://www.totalwine.com/eng/product/pine-ridge-chenin-blanc-viognier/306750
http://www.totalwine.com/eng/product/sonoma-cutrer-chardonnay-sonoma-coast/17002750
http://www.totalwine.com/eng/product/mer-soleil-silver-chardonnay-ceramic/112583750
http://www.totalwine.com/eng/product/muirwood-chardonnay-arroyo-seco/94390750

Scott_Butler · February 20, 2014, 9:13pm

Of course my browser switched me back to my SC store. The Mischievous is $21.99 in VA. The other prices looked ok. The only one I strongly recommend is that Zin.

Chris_Seiber · February 20, 2014, 9:48pm

Mischevious sounds like a good label for a bachelorette party, I suppose.

ky1em1ttskus · February 20, 2014, 10:03pm

Cupcake SB (if it’s available) is a standard NZ grapefruit bomb, but it’s under $10 and pleasant to drink.

Alicia_C · February 20, 2014, 10:14pm

Sean Minor pinot noir and La Crema pinot noirs and chardonnays are always crowd pleasers when I want to pick up something cheap to take to a party.

Bill_Tex_Landreth · February 20, 2014, 10:19pm

2012 Educated Guess Cab should be $15 to $16 a bottle.

Jhart · February 20, 2014, 10:29pm

Marietta old vine red always seems to get a good reception from casual drinkers.
Chateau ste. Michelle Riesling eroica may be another viable option.

Gary_York · February 20, 2014, 10:50pm

I am in Richmond. Not knowing the crowd I would probably say go with a Pinot Noir, Zin and Valpo from Italy for red. And Chard, Pinot Grigio and Sav Blanc for white. Not sure what they have in stock, I haven’t been in the TB here in some time. Some options:

Robert.A.Jr · February 20, 2014, 11:15pm

Great recos, folks! Love the Mischievous name too!

Gary_York · February 20, 2014, 11:38pm

Maybe total will work. But if not this is probably the best shop in the city. They have wines at all price points.

Russ_Williams · February 21, 2014, 1:18am

Have to concur with this advice as sadly Richmond is a wine retail wasteland and J. Emerson definitely is way out in front.

Keith_Levenberg · February 21, 2014, 4:40am

2009 Lanessan is listed at what looks like several hundred Total Wine locations for $20.

Jay_Miller · February 21, 2014, 12:49pm

La Vielle Ferme blanc. Delicious wine at $7.

I served it at one of my blind dinners and guesses were at a much higher price point.

Jay_Winton · February 21, 2014, 3:11pm

agree on the 09 Lanessan but it does need aeration. Nobilo SB better than Cupcake in that price range. Doesn’t do a whole lot for me but non winos like it.

Stan_Y · February 21, 2014, 11:29pm

Booth at http://www.barrelthiefwine.com/ has some neat stuff e.g. KLWM and Rosenthal wines, small but nice shop with some good selections.

p.s. Love the ‘Mischievous’ theme…

Edward_H_Earles · February 22, 2014, 11:37am

The Tenuta del Portale Aglianico del Vulture Riserva 2007 has been priced at $19.99 in all three of the Total Wines that I’ve shopped at (Laurel, MD; Charleston, SC; and Fort Worth), and displays a killer QPR at that price, but I don’t know if it would appeal to casual wine drinkers. I purchased several bottles and have been extremely happy with my purchases.

Russ_Williams · February 22, 2014, 5:39pm

Agreed Stan, but the store is small with very limited selection and sadly they had to close their larger location in Short Pump. I remember they had such grandiose plans back in '07 and then the .

Jake_Bilbro · February 23, 2014, 5:22am

[quote=“Jhart”]Marietta old vine red always seems to get a good reception from casual drinkers.

Jhart,
Thanks for the shout out.