In a typical suburban shopping plaza near the shore, you wouldn’t think to look for a fine wine hotspot. The “nightlife” here tends to die down after the 9:30 closing time, and daytime hours find the parking lot jammed with shoppers running their mundane errands.

But Passion Vines in Somers Point is a bit different. For the most part, itis a liquor store: you can stop in, still wearing your flip-flops, and grab a few bottles and a lottery ticket before heading out to your weekend at “dry” Ocean City, if you so choose. But I urge you to stop here a spell, sit at the wine bar, and strike up a conversation with one of the crew. You might end up chatting with the owner, Michael Bray- a man so passionate about wine, he can tell you about his wine experiences based not on his distributor’s marketing info, but from his many trips to the wineries themselves- from Argentina, to Chile to Spain. He’s also got other knowledgeable wine enthusiasts behind the bar, so you’ll never lack for wine conversation. Even if you know nothing about wine, however, this is still the place to be. The first time I stopped in, I have to admit my interests were more rooted in the craft brewing tradition; but no one here is a snob. They genuinely believe wine is for everyone, and want to share their enthusiasm and knowledge without talking down to you. After hanging out for a bit, and sampling some wines (yes, they do tastings!) they got my wine "taste profile"-and I found myself pursuing wines that I had never even  knew existed or have ever considered before.

As a craft beer fan, I also got a kick out of the fact that I was able to talk to these wine experts about beer and brewing. They had a small, but hand-picked selection of microbrews that I found to be impressive.

The best part is, if you’re looking for something different to do, they regularly host fun weekend and evening events. This month, you can “Skype with Oddero” (do a “live” tasting with a well-respected Italian wine-maker), get a tasting and education on the summer’s microbrew offerings, or hang out with the BFF at Ladies Night (not your typical wimpy, ”girly” tasting-the wines featured this month are from the Napa Valley, and the cheeses are from DiBruno Brothers).

Passion Vines is a far cry from the typical shore bar scene- but if you’re looking for a great place to take a break from the summer boardwalk crowds or make up for a disappointing rainy afternoon, this is your place. And you can still wear your flip-flops.

About the author:

Lisa Howard-Fusco is a freelance writer and co-Grand PooBah of the website Eating In South Jersey, a resource of all things food and drink in the Southern portion of the Garden State. She now finds it safer to use her 10 years of publishing and film experience to yammer on about local restaurants, food-related events, wineries, recipes, and craft beers on the website, instead of accosting people on New York’s street corners. Although she has mellowed with age, Lisa has been known to commit acts of violence when everyone assumes the homebrew was made by her husband and Eating In South Jersey partner, John. Lisa's great hope is to someday master the art of enjoying grappa and cooking the slime out of okra.