Recommendations for wine shops in Central Jersey?

I find myself escaping downtown manhattan’s looting for a few days with the in-laws in central jersey.

I suppose access to a car and a need to have a reason to step out for a few hours means I should see if there’s any good wine shops in the area.

Can anyone recommend some wine shops near freehold/asbury park/marlboro/new brunswick/middletown?

ideally looking for the best selection of french and italian daily drinkers but also would be interested in any recommendations for fine wine selections as well.

thanks in advance.

I don’t live there but I order from Central Wine Merchants every now and then, their prices and selection are pretty good.

Marlboro & Hazlet(Middletown area) - The Wine Academy
Good selection and well kept store.

Bottle King - Middletown

Bottle shop of Spring Lake - Asbury Park area.

The Wine Academy and Bottle Shop have a good fine wine selection.

All have inventory online. Google it.

Wegman’s liquors in Ocean, NJ is pretty decent. They have a large selection of mostly daily drinkers at reasonable prices - it’s one of the larger wine stores I’ve been in.

The Pluckemin Inn in Pluckemin, NJ (near the intersection of Interstates 78 and 287) is about a 30 minute drive from New Brunswick. They don’t have a physical store, but you can order online and pick-up at the restaurant. They have one of the best high-end inventories you will find, and also a nice selection of everyday drinkers. Chris Cree is a Master Som and he runs the retail shop, and he personally tastes and recommends many of the wines they offer. Well worth a review of their inventory. Good luck…

Chris is MW. I used to taste with him, he has a very good palate.

Central Wine Merchants is great, but Flemington is a little far from the area OP is looking unfortunately.

I don’t venture to your specific area often but a few recommendations are Canals in Egg Harbor, Bottle Shop near Belmar, and Stage Left in New Brunswick. The caveat is that I have not been to any of these places in at least a few years so check them out online to see if they fit what you are looking for.

what you mean you do not shop in our home town?

I was gonna ask if Pinos was still around in Highland Park. Remember going there in college decades ago and it was a great shop

There’s a Bottle King in Middletown. I am not familiar with that particular store, but at their other locations, I often found a nice selection of Italian (and Spanish) daily drinkers that you mentioned being interested in.

Pinos was great, head down into the basement and mill around. The owner Artie was a friend of a friend.

Yes, Chris is a MW, my mistake, thanks for the correction…

A bit of an unknown, but I hear great things about this guy. More of an eclectic mix from what I understand.

Love Brian and Chris and Pluckey. Great selection, just no store to walk in to.

I think these are your best two bets.

I think Joe Bembry is still at 56 Degree Wine in Bernardsville. The aforementioned Chris Cree started this shop, as I recall.

Pluckemin Inn is great! Their full restaurant wine list is also on offer at retail pricing (has worked out at just less than half the wine list price). They have a deep list, lots of older wines. just email Brian.

https://www.cellartracker.com/winelist.asp?Style=Hybrid&Price=30&fBin=1&fBinAtRight=&Font=sans&fShowInventory=1&Location=Plucky&fDelivered=1&iUserOverride=1041&FF=1

Is there a direct email for him?

I think the best part about picking up wines at the Pluckemin Inn was going around lunchtime and stopping in for a delicious Plucky Burger first. I hope that comes back soon.

I’m a big fan of Spring Lake Bottle Shop. Thomas is great and I find their Burgundy selections to be outstanding.