Hit South Jersey's Wine Trail for Valentine’s Weekend

Love chocolate? Big on wine? Then a ride down through vineyard country in Gloucester, Salem and Cumberland counties might be just the thing for you and your sweetie this weekend.

The annual Wine & Chocolate Trail adds Swansea Vineyards in Cumberland County this year to give you five wineries within a 45-minute drive. Unless otherwise noted, wine tastings run between noon and 5 p.m. today and Sunday.

And one thing to keep in mind:

“The rule of thumb is the food has to be drier than the wine,” said Richard Heritage of the Mullica Hill-based Heritage Winery.

Here's what's going on at each of the wineries:

Swansea Vineyards, 860 Main St., Shiloh

Find out what chocolates go best with which wines during their open tasting hours this weekend.

Or, make a reservation for the vineyard’s Valentine’s Private Pairing, which includes tastings of six wines for two, a souvenir glass, chocolate pairings, a cheese platter and two glasses of wine, all for $25.

Reservations can be made at (856) 453-5778.

Heritage Vineyards, 480 Mullica Hill Rd., Mullica Hill

Heritage will feature wine tastings with chocolate and cheese pairings to the sounds of acoustic artist Gregg Parker at the winery in Mullica Hill.

Tickets are $10 per person for the tasting, available at the gate, and guided tours of the winery are available for an additional $5.

Auburn Road Vineyard & Winery, 117 Sharptown-Auburn Road, Pilesgrove

The winery’s annual tasting runs $10 this year, which gets you a souvenir etched wineglass, homemade truffles from Sweet Mary’s Chocolates of Woodstown, wine tasting, a chocolate fountain with fruit and more, and tours of the winery. There will also be a live performance by The Rubber Souls, a Beatles tribute band, Saturday night from 7 to 9 p.m.; admission for the music is $5.

Cedarvale Winery, 205 Repaupo Station Rd., Logan Township

Their wine and chocolate pairings this year will feature brownies made with cherry wine—it’s the best of both worlds in one bite.

Wagonhouse Winery, 1405 Rt. 45, Swedesboro

Wagonhouse is offering extended hours at their Saturday tasting, keeping the doors open until 7 p.m. to give you a better shot of getting a chance to sample some of their award-winning wines.