Think Florida’s lush coastal plain, and oranges come to mind. Think North Carolina’s or Virginia’s vast rural terrain, and it’s tobacco. Think again. In addition to everything else it has to offer, this region is becoming increasingly well-known as one of the nation’s premier winemaking centers.

In fact, the American South’s longstanding history with grapes and viniculture, or winemaking, dates to some of the region’s first European settlers. Upon arriving on North Carolina’s Roanoke Island, they observed the vines to be so plentiful that “…in all the world the like abundance is not to be found.”

Today, with more than 70 wineries in North Carolina alone, nine distinct wine regions in Virginia and an official Florida wine trail, the southern United States produces thousands of tons of grapes annually. Most are muscadines and bunch-grape varieties that are funneled directly into the production of regional wines.

Many Southern wineries boast extensive winemaking expertise and technology, as well as high-end eating, lodging and banquet facilities for visitors seeking more knowledge about the region’s wine culture.

Muscadines at Duplin

With close to 270,000 cases of wine produced annually in a 75,000-square-foot state-of -the-art facility, Duplin Winery in Rose Hill, NC, is the largest winery in the South, the oldest winery in North Carolina, and the largest muscadine winery in the world.

“When people think of winemaking, they usually think of California,” says David Fussell, owner of Duplin Winery. “In truth, North Carolina has a great tradition of winemaking and is currently the 10th-largest producer of both grapes and wine in the U.S.”

Home to a muscadine grape variety called the scuppernong, North Carolina has an ideal grape-growing climate with its year-round temperate climate and rich soil.

“We have two grape stomp events a year,” says Fussell. The sweet-tasting juices produced from these stomps have resulted in several award-winning wines.

The Bistro Restaurant, which serves lunch and dinner, and a retail shop round out the Duplin Winery. Daily tours of the winery are available.