Founded in 1976, this award winning Muscadine winery continues to hold fast to its Southern roots, strong religious beliefs and commitment to family.
Located in Rose Hill, North Carolina, Duplin Winery invites visitors to stroll through the Winemaking Museum and uncover the lessons, successes, and history of the oldest and largest winery in the South. The Duplin Winery Retail Room features award winning wines, practical wine accessories and serving pieces, gourmet foods, home decor and a variety of gift baskets. A visit to Duplin Winery presents an exciting opportunity to shop or browse the over 5,000 square feet of retail space. Discover Duplin's award winning wines at the 40-foot tasting bar, the friendliest tasting room in the South.
We welcome visitors from all over the world that enjoy our Southern hospitality and savor our sweet wines. Duplin Winery is also home to The Bistro Restaurant where bistro-style delights are paired perfectly with Duplin wines. Duplin Winery's Dinner Theater productions grow in popularity each year. Reservations are required for our popular 'evening out' events.
Duplin Winery's production facility is second-to-none and currently produces over 1,000,000 gallons of wine, selecting grapes from over 1,400 acres across four states.
Announced in March 2009 and repeated in 2010, Duplin Winery has been recognized by two top industry brand awards - Impact Hot Brand Award (M. Shanken) and the Fast Track Brand Award (Beverage Dynamics, formerly Adams Beverage Group).
We invite you to visit Duplin Winery, discover North Carolina wines, and learn what winemaking in the South is all about.
"For three generations, our winery has remained family-owned and family run, built on the core principles of hard work, integrity, and the uncompromising desire to make America's best and favorite Muscadine wines." - third generation North Carolina winemaker, Dave Fussell, Jr.
Duplin's roots trace back to the 1970's when Muscadine grapes were considered a "wonder crop" and a large winery out of New York was paying $350 per ton for North Carolina's native grapes. D.J. Fussell, Sr. and his two sons decided to grow grapes. Within three years, the price fell to $150 per ton and the Fussell's were looking for a way to salvage their livelihoods.
In the early 1970's, the family decided to create a market for their grapes and started making wine.
In-laws, grandchildren, Aunts, and Uncles all pitched in stomping grapes and bottling wine. While larger wineries flew their sales executives across the country in corporate jets, the Fussell's traveled with their wines in a converted hog trailer.
"We pulled up to this sophisticated wine distributor in Raleigh...It was the first time they had seen anyone bring them wine loaded in a hog trailer." - David G. Fussell, Sr.
Duplin Winery grew rapidly. By 1983, production levels reached 200,000 gallons per year. However, the rest of the decade would prove disasterous for the winery.
Changes in tax laws and new legislation resulted in plummeting sales and the banks took everything but the winery itself. In order to meet payrolls, equipment was sold off and David Sr. took a full-time job teaching. He lost his house and admits that during these years he often thought about quitting. His wife, Ann, kept saying, "We make the best Muscadine wines in America. Let's give it one more day and see what happens." The Fussell's resilience and commitment sustained Duplin Winery until its customers discovered its Muscadine wines and spread the word.
Today, this North Carolina winery has a tank capacity of over 1,000,000 gallons, is the largest winery in the South, and produces the best selling wine in North Carolina. Over 100,000 visitors experience our Rose Hill winery and production facility each year.
Duplin's award winning North Carolina wines include Magnolia, featured in Martha Stewart Living as a favorite summertime wine, Hatteras Red, a North Carolina favorite enjoyed with good-'ol southern barbecue, and Scuppernong, the oldest wine in America. In 2009, Duplin Winery proudly received honors normally reserved for the traditional west coast wine belt. Duplin Winery received Impact's Hot Brand Award and Beverage Information Group's Fast Track Award. Both awards are given to a short list of wines/wineries who have seen double-digit brand growth for the past 5 years. Amazingly, Duplin Winery's success returned in 2010 as they received both awards for a second year in a row. Discover NC wines at the winery that jump started the industry in North Carolina - Duplin Winery.
Duplin's roots trace back to the 1970's when Muscadine grapes were considered a "wonder crop" and a large winery out of New York was paying $350 per ton for North Carolina's native grapes. D.J. Fussell, Sr. and his two sons decided to grow grapes. Within three years, the price fell to $150 per ton and the Fussell's were looking for a way to salvage their livelihoods. 
In-laws, grandchildren, Aunts, and Uncles all pitched in stomping grapes and bottling wine. While larger wineries flew their sales executives across the country in corporate jets, the Fussell's traveled with their wines in a converted hog trailer.