We have access to 450 acres of grapes at the moment. We need 100 more acres. If we can get enough grapes to make the wine, I know we can sell it. The resurgence of wine drinking in America as a whole has helped, but David says that there is something else that is once again pushing Muscadine wines to the forefront of the nation. Wine as medicine.
Recent studies point to the antioxidants in wines as being good for the heart.
Ever the clever marketer, David Fussell seized on the idea and began selling wine making leftovers to pharmaceutical companies. After crushing, the seeds, stems, and skins are no longer needed for wines, but they contain a concentrated amount of an antioxidant called resveratrol. David says he not only sells the raw materials, but Duplin Wine Cellars has begun producing resveratrol as a medicinal tonic. Just 4 ounces per day will give you all the goodness of the grape you need. In addition, research at Campbell University has shown resveratrol in Duplin's Muscadine wines to be up to seven times higher than in European vintages.