TN: More Bottom Feeding @ Total Wines....(short/boring)

WINE TALK
1

Did some bottom feeding at Total Wines Saturday:

  1. Poderi di Carlo RibollaGialla IGT: Venezia Giulia (12.50%; Saranty Imports/Stamford/CT) Lea Wnry/Tagliamento 2023: Pale yellow near colorless; very light scant fruit slight stony little RG character quite vapid nose; soft very slight stony no RG fruit totally vapid/insipid/watery flavor; very short vapid finish; one of the dullest most vapid/insipid wines I’ve ever had; a classic Saranty import. $16.00 (TW)
  1. Pardon & Fils Beaujolais Noveau Ad’OP: Beaujolais Noveau (12.5%; Saranty Imports/Stamford/CT) Pardon et Fils/Beaujeu 2025: Med.dark color; strong CM/bubble gum/grapey/Gamay/candied classic CM/simple nose; very soft light grapey/Gamay some CM/bubble gum/candied rather vapid/watery dull simple CM flavor w/ no tannins; soft very short CM/bubble gum soda pop finish; a very dull rather vapid CM/Gamay wine that gives Noveau such a bad name. $14.00 (TW)
  1. LaSecrestia Dd’OC: Langhe Nebbiolo (14%; VottoWines/Hamden/CT) Castiglione Falletto 2020: Med.light colo; very light floral/Nebb/violets/lilacs light earthy near vapid nose; lightly tart rather gritty/tannic light Nebb/violets/lilacs/floral pretty vapid/lightweight rather coarse/gritty flavor w/ very light gritty tannins; short lightly floral/violets/Nebb finish that mocks flavor; speaks of Nebb w/ a whisper; a pretty vapid expression of Nebb w/ zero character or interest. $20.00 (TW)
  1. Ch.Cantegril AC: Barsac (13.5%; MeBaC) Dom.Denis DuBourdieu/Barsac 2018: Med.light gold character fairly strong orangey botrytis/honeyed slight figgy/Semillon light earthy lightish classic Sauternes light butterscotchy complex nose; fairly tart very strong botrytis/honeyed/Semillon/figgy/ripe fairly sweet caramelized/butterscotchy/Fr.oak some complex flavor; very long/lingering classic Sauternes finish; a bit lightweight for a Sauterrnes but about right for a Barsac; a lovely Barsac at a great price. $30.00 (TW)

More vebilspurt from TheBloodyPulpit:

  1. I seldom shop at Total Wines. A raft of fairly ordinary wines. I just go in every several months to check if WineryDirect/Saranty Imports are delivering their standard high level of mediocrity for which they a legendary. They certainly did in this case. I will most often find somethung of value in their dessert wine section.This Barsac is a very good value.
    Tom
3 Likes
2

Haven’t had a vapid wine wine in a long time… maybe need to drop in to Total sometime.

3

Visited my folks for Thanksgiving and a TW opened by them recently and is the best option for quite some distance. Got a ‘23 Ridge Lytton Springs for dinner and that same Sauternes for dessert. Paired beautifully with flan.

4

Ha! That was exactly what happened to me, shopping at TW in Virginia at Thanksgiving two years ago. I combed the store for anything of interest. It was all their own imports. Just producers you’ve never heard of – likely for a reason.

The only exception was a Ridge zin. I don’t remember which one.

5

You never heard of the names of the Estates in the French/Italian section because most of them are made-up names of bulk wine made up for Saranty Imports.

1 Like