Total Wine-Winery and Spirits Direct Coupon

[Neal.Mollen]

Nope, winery direct wines are, just like they sound, wines they procure directly from the winery and are mostly well known brands… Which I assume allows them better pricing and the ability to throw us common-folk a 20% off bone here/there

I wouldn’t take “winery direct” too literally. Most of the bdx are labeled WD and are almost certainly bought through negociants. I suspect it is just a designation of wines on which they have pretty fat margins and can offer the discount

My guess is that Winery Direct means they direct import, skipping the importer markup. Like Macarthurs.

But they call a bunch of domestic wines WD too. I just think it is a label they stick on stuff they are willing to discount

[David_Glasser]

I wouldn’t take “winery direct” too literally. Most of the bdx are labeled WD and are almost certainly bought through negociants. I suspect it is just a designation of wines on which they have pretty fat margins and can offer the discount

My guess is that Winery Direct means they direct import, skipping the importer markup. Like Macarthurs.

But they call a bunch of domestic wines WD too. I just think it is a label they stick on stuff they are willing to discount

Obviously no importing going on with the domestics. Still wouldn’t be surprised if they direct imported in states that allow it.

[Mike_Kuller]

I really love the 2014 Austin Hope GSM (from Paso). It’s fruit forward and bold, but also had nice complimentary spice flavors.

Their 2017 cabernet is highly rated and seems to have a similar fruit-forward profile for around $45.

Chuck Wagner is a part owner.

[Mike_Kuller]

I thought TW direct are private brands (maybe wrong term) of which I have never heard ?? Am I mistaken/wrong ??

Nope, winery direct wines are, just like they sound, wines they procure directly from the winery and are mostly well known brands… Which I assume allows them better pricing and the ability to throw us common-folk a 20% off bone here/there

I wouldn’t take “winery direct” too literally. Most of the bdx are labeled WD and are almost certainly bought through negociants. I suspect it is just a designation of wines on which they have pretty fat margins and can offer the discount

I think “Winery Direct” just means it has a yellow price tag.

[Rich_Brown]

Ha! Nice

[Markus_S]

I always thought of Total for retail in the same vein as Southern for wholesalers: a beast you do not want to feed.

[Albert_R]

I always thought of Total for retail in the same vein as Southern for wholesalers: a beast you do not want to feed.

Yeap, I feed the beast on a very limited bases now! They keep sending me “We’ve missed you coupons”…

[Albert_R]

Winery direct means more of a direct profit…

[John_Glas]

[quoteWinery direct means more of a direct profit…][/quote] Well said!

[TomHill]

Winery direct means more of a direct profit…

Well…it’s a well-know fact that the TW sales associates are instructed to push the wnry-direct wines because
they have the largest profit margins.
Tom

[John_Glas]

Some of the winery direct wines we all have heard of however their biggest profit margins are the no name wineries they really push. This Pinot Noir is as good if not better than the one you are selecting sir and it is $4 cheaper.

[TomHill]

Some of the winery direct wines we all have heard of however their biggest profit margins are the no name wineries they really push. This Pinot Noir is as good if not better than the one you are selecting sir and it is $4 cheaper.

Yup, John…no-name wineries. Some of those unknown names, if you Google them, only show up on the TW websites. Stuff that has been bttld
just for TW. No way of knowing who made it or where. In theory, stamped on the case is supposed to be the bonded wnry # that you can supposedly look up.
For the imported stuff, that mostly all comes thru Saranty Imports in CT, the label often identifies, in fine print, the actual producer. Which are actual wineries,
though mostly unknowns. But the name on the label, Chateau Da-De-Da, is a made up name. My experience w/ these imported no-names thru Saranty,
has not been very good. Usually poor values.
They have a distributor here in NM (forget the name) that handles only the wines for the two TW’s here in NM. By law, they must sell to other retailers
her in NM other than TW…at the same price. In theory, anyway. In practice…forget about it. The big 18-wheelers roll into NM, make a “stop” at the distributor
to “warehouse” the wines, and then immediately, after the paperwork exchange to make it legal, roll on out to the TW stores.
On the Wnry Direct wines, TW appears to mostly control the distribution all the way from the producer to the actual retail TW outlet.
Tom

[Scott_Brunson]

I am three bottles in from a Winery Direct purchase. All three have been horrendous.
The spirits are a bit better.

[Neal.Mollen]

Total Wine is the Circuit City of wines. If you know what you want and look carefully, you can do yourself some good shopping there, but it is also a place where the unwary can get righteously fleeced.

[Jeff_Vaughan]

My TW purchases are limited to Bordeaux and Nada Fiorenzo (Barbaresco).

[Jim_Stewart]

Total Wine is the Circuit City of wines. If you know what you want and look carefully, you can do yourself some good shopping there, but it is also a place where the unwary can get righteously fleeced.

Good advice.
I have been led to some very mediocre bottles when I have asked a Total Wine associate an open ended question about wine? On the other hand, I have also picked up some good wine at good prices when I go there knowing exactly what I want. The stock of your local store is online, so just do your homework before going in.

[lleichtman]

Total Wine is the Circuit City of wines. If you know what you want and look carefully, you can do yourself some good shopping there, but it is also a place where the unwary can get righteously fleeced.

Good advice.
I have been led to some very mediocre bottles when I have asked a Total Wine associate an open ended question about wine? On the other hand, I have also picked up some good wine at good prices when I go there knowing exactly what I want. The stock of your local store is online, so just do your homework before going in.

The sales people at my local TW are totally useless. The only thing they seem to know about wines are that they mostly come in bottles. I have received wrong information about several bottles including not knowing what country they came from. I shop there own without engaging with the sales clerks. Few good deals now and then.

[Jim_F]

Some of the winery direct wines we all have heard of however their biggest profit margins are the no name wineries they really push. This Pinot Noir is as good if not better than the one you are selecting sir and it is $4 cheaper.

Yup, John…no-name wineries. Some of those unknown names, if you Google them, only show up on the TW websites. Stuff that has been bttld
just for TW. No way of knowing who made it or where. In theory, stamped on the case is supposed to be the bonded wnry # that you can supposedly look up.
For the imported stuff, that mostly all comes thru Saranty Imports in CT, the label often identifies, in fine print, the actual producer. Which are actual wineries,
though mostly unknowns. But the name on the label, Chateau Da-De-Da, is a made up name. My experience w/ these imported no-names thru Saranty,
has not been very good. Usually poor values.
They have a distributor here in NM (forget the name) that handles only the wines for the two TW’s here in NM. By law, they must sell to other retailers
her in NM other than TW…at the same price. In theory, anyway. In practice…forget about it. The big 18-wheelers roll into NM, make a “stop” at the distributor
to “warehouse” the wines, and then immediately, after the paperwork exchange to make it legal, roll on out to the TW stores.
On the Wnry Direct wines, TW appears to mostly control the distribution all the way from the producer to the actual retail TW outlet.
Tom

Well, for these Winery Direct wines, there bascially is not a lot of competition, as well as little to no knowledge as to what is in the bottle. Let the buyer beware- they can charge whatever they want. BTW, it is not just Total Wine. Here in NJ, Bottle King, a big chain, has a ton of such stuff. And Gary’s “GF” wines series is the same thing.

[John_Glas]

I usually buy very little from them but did have a nice $5 discount today. Not sure how the points equal up on money off but for the every day sparkler Mumm Brut Prestige it worked out.

[Scott_G_r_u_n_e_r]

I’m 90% convinced that a fair number of “winery direct” wines are essentially private label wines that have no business existing- think two buck chuck. Stick with known producers.