DUPLIN COUNTY, N.C. – Many restaurants, bars, and breweries have taken a hit amid the pandemic, but the oldest operating winery in the state doesn’t seem to be doing too bad.

Even as early as April, online wine sales in the U.S. increased by a whopping 243 percent, and this means an increase in business for Duplin Winery.

Duplin Winery began in the 1970s after two brothers, Dan and David Fussell Sr., decided to take a chance on growing Muscadine grapes. Their first batch was only 20 cases of wine, and it was so small that a bottle company wouldn’t even sell to them. Instead, they put the wine in mason jars and 44 years later Duplin Winery, now run by the next generation of brothers, Dave Jr. and Jonathan Fussell, still put the same Muscadine wine in jars to remind them of how far they’ve come. Now, they are selling roughly 600,000 cases each year.

When the pandemic first began, the brothers were worried about what would happen to their company. The tasting rooms and bistro had to close, the tours had to stop, and 20 weddings planned on the property had to be canceled.

“It was so hard making those calls. My wedding day was the best day of my life, besides the birth of my children, and I know these brides have been dreaming of their special day since they were little…it really is so disappointing,” Jonathan Fussell said.

But regardless of these factors, America’s love for wine helped them out.

Typically, Duplin Winery would sell 50 cases of wine a day online, but since March it has been selling anywhere from 350 to 480 cases a day! Plus, its grocery store sales have increased significantly, resulting in an increase of overall profit up by 28 percent since last year.

“It truly is a blessing that none of us expected,” Fussell said.

Duplin Winery’s hours have adjusted because of the pandemic, and it is now open at 50 percent capacity. To find out more information about Duplin Winery visit its website.