Makers of America’s favorite sweet wine invite visitors to the biggest party of the year
Rose Hill, N.C. (Sept. 6, 2023) – For nearly 50 years, Duplin Winery has invited people to experience making wine the old-fashioned way, by stomping grapes with their bare feet, and celebrate the harvest at one of North Carolina’s most famous fall events. The invitation is extended once again this year for everyone to join the vineyard festivities on Saturday, September 9.
Grape Stomp is a day-long party in the stunning Rose Hill vineyards where guests get to see the grape vines in all their glory, pick America’s native muscadine grapes, taste new wines and work their stomping muscles in a competition to see who can crush the most juice from fresh grapes.
Grape Stomp started in 1976, when Duplin co-founder Dave Fussell Sr. needed help crushing grapes for the then-tiny operation’s first batch of muscadine wine. He invited the local community to come lend not a hand but their feet! Hundreds of people showed up to support the winery. Grape Stomp went on to become one of North Carolina’s most beloved festivals as Duplin grew into the world’s largest muscadine winery.
“Our family has cherished the muscadine harvest season ever since my dad put on that first Grape Stomp, before we had the mechanical grape crushers we use today. But the harvest also means a lot across the South,” Duplin co-owner Jonathan Fussell said. “These are America’s native grapes, used to make the first American wines. We are honored to continue the tradition and share it with everyone at Grape Stomp.”
Grape stomping is the main attraction at this true harvest festival, but sampling the fruit of the winemakers’ labors is just as enticing. Bartenders pour many of Duplin’s 40-plus wines, including the first-in-the-world Muscadine Moscato white blend and an exceptional, citrus-infused Orange Blossom blush.
Attendees will be the first to try the winery’s yet-to-be-revealed 2023 holiday blush wine. “Every year, in addition to our traditional Christmas wines, we release a highly anticipated, seasonal blush, and this year’s is not only spectacularly refreshing, but it also has what may be our most collectible label ever — a tribute to our new location in Panama City Beach, Florida,” Fussell said.
Throughout Grape Stomp, one of the South’s most beloved party bands, North Tower, will play everything from funk and classic beach music to rock ‘n’ roll by Bruce Springsteen and The Black Crows. Festival food will also be available at Grape Stomp.
Back at Duplin Winery, 505 North Sycamore Street, just 5 minutes from the festival grounds, lunchtime diners at The Bistro restaurant may try muscadine grape hull pie, a traditional eastern North Carolina recipe passed down through generations of the Fussell family.
Visitors may also book wine tastings and Winemaker Adventure Tours in the Duplin retail room as well as take advantage of Grape Stomp sales on seasonal wines, including Pum’kin red. Duplin Gourmet goodies like dressings, jellies and barbecue sauces, all made with muscadine grapes, are also sold in the retail room.
Tickets to attend the Grape Stomp festival and concert cost $15. The additional grape stomping ticket – including a bottle of wine, special gift and the chance to stomp grapes — costs $30. Duplin slashes $5 off the stomping ticket price when it and the festival/concert ticket are purchased in advance at duplinwinery.com/grape-stomp.
About Duplin Winery
Founded and still headquartered in Rose Hill, N.C., Duplin Winery is the largest winery in the South and listed as the nation’s 39th Largest Winery by Wine Business Monthly magazine. Specializing in wines made from America’s native muscadine grapes, Duplin is the largest muscadine winery in the world with a tank capacity of more than 2.3 million gallons. Duplin Winery grows its own grapes in North Carolina and works with more than 60 farming families to source local grapes in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and the Carolinas. Duplin operates locations in Rose Hill, N.C., North Myrtle Beach, S.C. and Panama City Beach, Fla.
Founded by D.J. Fussell, Sr., and his sons in 1975, the winery is owned and managed by the third and fourth generation of Fussells. Duplin wines have won several awards over the years, including Impact’s Hot Brand Award and Beverage Information Group’s Fast Track Award, both normally given to West Coast wineries. Duplin wines have been featured in Martha Stewart Living and Elite magazines as well as numerous regional news media outlets.
Duplin wines are sold in 16 states in the South, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest. The winery also sells wines online, shipping to most of the 50 states year-round.
