September 17, 2011
There are a number of reasons to stop in here on the reg, chief among which is the fact that TW carries brands that you can’t otherwise find in the Triangle, like Flying Fish, Pike, and Diamond Knot. But they’ve also got a pretty decent stock beyond this, and if you’re in the area it’s a good place to pop in and pick up a few singles or Stone bombers or the like. And yes: pre-aged Orval.

September 6, 2011 [ Updated January 29, 2012 ]
This is the best TW I have ever been into. I see that it was renovated not long before my visit. The setup is fantastic and the ambience isn’t bad. The people are friendly and will actually approach you, very helpful too. Most importantly, there is more emphasis on beer here than any chain liquor store I have been to. I hate to admit it, but the selection is top-notch. Lacking in some harder-to-find stuff and imports, sure, but if it is available in NC, they pretty much have it. They have growlers from LoneRider and Carolina Brewery and the local stuff is emphasized along with seasonals. The variety of US craft is just outstanding. And there is just so much stuff! Sam’s and Bestway will always be my go-to stores, but I hit a lot of stores and I don’t think I’ll be going to any other TW in the area again.

August 15, 2011
Total Wine is hit or miss. Lately I have been missing, but I have found some nice deals here. Sometimes they will put "old beer" that ages very well on sale and you can take advantage. Also, being a primarily wine destination, the beer stock sometimes sits for a while and you can find well aged gems on the shelf. As emacgee mentioned, they do often have beer from breweries we don’t see at the other stores in the area, perhaps by way of some special distributor contract. Service is almost non-existent.

July 10, 2011
I usually like going into Total Wine just to see what they have that is now old enough to consider aged. Sometimes you can run into old Orval and Lambic and such which is nice because they see it as past date and mark it down rather than up. Pretty big selection with lots of singles. They also have several breweries that no other stores in the state carry: Pike, Scuttlebutt, Diamond Knot, Laughing Dog, and Flying Fish. There are usually one or two things here that arent’ elsewhere in the triangle so its definitely worth a stop.

July 28, 2009
This store is really close to my house, so I’ve stopped in many times over the last few years. A few years back, beer was clearly an afterthought in this wine store...not so anymore. After a complete overhaul (in the last month or two) to the beer aisles, it now has a huge selection of 6-packs, as well as hundreds of singles arranged so you can actually find things. They put the locals out front and center, which is a nice touch. Previously there was never anyone around with any beer knowledge...now the last couple times I’ve been in I’ve been asked multiple times if I need help and the employees actually know quite a bit about beer. Well done recognizing the growing craft beer market! Sam’s still has a slightly larger selection and does better with seasonals, but this now has the 2nd best beer selection I’ve found in the Triangle.

June 6, 2008
Nice selection of singles. They seem to push the local North Carolina beers, I good thing I think. They have a good selection, probably 100+ US Micro, a decent selection of Belgians and some interesting Euro stuff. It is primarily a wine store, but they do care about their beer selection. As I was standing there trying to figure out a mixed six, a manager came over and told me if I didn’t see what I wanted in singles they could break any six pack for me. WOW. Hey BevMo you guys here that!

September 19, 2007
Great for kegs. A little section for cigars. Selection of beer is similar to A Southern Season - maybe not as exclusive. Service is about average. They are willing to look into beers for you. Caught a great sale at the end of last season. Sierra Nevada Celebration for $3.99 a 6!

January 23, 2007
Bigger and better selection of wine, but beer selection is somewhat impressive (in the singles isle). No Service was given and I rated it a 5/10 b/c sometimes I don’t want someone coming up and bothering me. If I need help I can ask.

July 31, 2006
Best place I have found in North Carolina to grab some good brews. Selection is not as extensive as I would like and much of it is stored at room temperature which can alter the qualities of the beer. Not bad for a wine store. Oh yeah, you can get some decent cigars there too. I like the place.

January 16, 2006 [ Updated February 22, 2006 ]
As stated by previous raters this place specializes in wine. However, they do have a fairly decent selection of beer, including a row of non-refrigerated beers and a freezer full of others. There is a good mix of domestics (including local NC brews) and imports. They also have an entire row full of singles, so it’s ideal for the beer lover who doesn’t mind spnding a bit more money in order to try different beers.