Rose Hill, North Carolina - Duplin Winery has been awarded the Beverage Information Group's Fast Track Brand Award for the second year.  This award is highly coveted in the wine and spirits worldwide industries and is given based on percentage of sales growth year-to-year, with a minimum of 10% growth each year. This year, the Beverage Information Group, praised Duplin Winery's wine portfolio and features a mere 27 total wineries worldwide who made the cut this year for the awards. The Beverage Information Group is a premier source for the wine and spirits industries and publishes Cheers, Beverage Dynamics and StateWays magazines.  The award ceremony will take place at the Annual Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) Conference held in Las Vegas in April.

Duplin Winery is the oldest operating winery in North Carolina and the largest winery in the south.  Last year, they set a precedent as the first winery outside the traditional winemaking regions of the West Coast and Europe to appear on the short list of named wine brands.  "It was a tremendous honor to be recognized last year and stake our place in the winemaking industry, not only for North Carolina as a wine region, but for wines made from our state fruit, the Muscadine,"  Dave Fussell, Jr. President Duplin Winery.  "To be identified for a second year in a row as a major player in the world of wine is an incredible honor and accomplishment and we owe this to our wine family, committed distributors, and, of course, the fans of Duplin wines."

Duplin Winery jump-started the burgeoning wine industry in North Carolina in the early 1970's and has remained family-owned and run.  Built on the core principles of hard work, faith and integrity, they remain steadfast in producing the best Muscadine wine.  Over 100,000 visitors experience the Duplin Winery Rose Hill facility and take part in their free daily tours and tastings. Prior to prohibition, North Carolina was the largest wine state and Muscadine wine was the best wine sold in America.  Duplin Winery is continuing its efforts in reintroducing America to Muscadine wine and currently has over 30 varieties of wines in their portfolio. With sales exceeding 300,000 cases in 2009, Duplin Winery is certainly on the fast track and quickly gaining fans across the United States.

In addition to being recognized by Beverage Information Group as a leading contender in the world of wine alongside powerhouse brand conglomerates like Gallo, Duplin Winery holds the distinction of having the largest Facebook following of any winery worldwide.  This is a clear testament, not only to their increasing visibility and popularity among wine lovers, but also to their strategies in the 'business of wine.'  "Our commitment is to quite simply produce the best Muscadine wine and to create and maintain a relationship with each and every customer who enjoys a glass of Duplin.  Our fans are an extension of our family and we have all pulled together to produce, create, and enjoy a sweet experience.  We like to say that Duplin wine is cool, sweet, and easy.  Being recognized in this way, makes our heritage that much sweeter," Jonathan Fussell, President Retail Sales.

About Duplin Winery
Duplin Winery is the oldest and largest winery in the South and jump-started North Carolina’s burgeoning wine industry in the early 70’s. In 2009, Duplin Winery received two industry recognition awards, Impact Hot Brand and Beverage Information Group’s Fast Track Brand Award, an accomplishment repeated in 2010. Duplin Winery is the first winery to receive these awards outside of the traditional west coast and European winemaking regions. Duplin Winery offers free daily tours and tastings of their award-winning Muscadine wines. Muscadine wines, both red and white contain ten times the resveratrol found in ordinary red wines. Duplin Winery currently sees 100,000 visitors annually and has a state-of-the-art production facility with a 1,000,000 gallon tank capacity. For more information about Duplin Winery, events, news, and wine releases, please visit www.duplinwinery.com.