Sampling Wines at the Wine Academy in Hazlet

I dropped into the Wine Academy Superstore in Hazlet today. When I registered earlier in the week, they issued me a special card that allows me to sample up to four different wines each day. So when I returned today, I walked right to the back of the store to their dedicated sampling area, picked up a glass and approached their nifty wine dispensers.

To sample wines, I inserted my card into a slot in the corner of each of several state of the art machines, then pushed a button over the wines I wanted to try. The machine then dispensed a small sample directly from the bottles, which were behind small window panes in temperature-controlled boxes, and into my glass.

I ended up trying two whites and then two reds. Their sales approach worked: I picked up two bottles - a Ferrando Erbaluce, a Piedmont white, and a Chateau la Rame, a Bordeaux red.

As you may recall, this new store at the corner of Route 35 and Bethany Road went into the vacant spot left when Hollywood Video moved out. I believe there might have been a small bank between Hollywood Video and Verizon -- that bank is gone, too; absorbed into the Wine Academy.

They told me they plan to hold weekly wine and beer classes, as well as the occasional event for the harder stuff - scotch and one other, I can't recall. They have a sizable floor stock of wines and hard liquor and a refrigerated section full of fancy brews. I think you'll want to pay them a visit and get one of their customer cards. So many wines, so little time!