‘Tis the season for gathering and being festive. This week’s recipe is for an adults-only punch that features North Carolina wine.
North Carolina is home to more than 140 wineries. Most wineries focus on the native muscadine grapes or the European-style vinifera grapes.
Duplin Winery is the largest winery in the south, selling more than 450,000 cases of wine annually. It’s been family-owned and operated since the early 1970s. Three generations of family pitch in to help with the harvest and bottling. The Fussell family will tell you that it’s sunshine, water, soil, a little bit of luck and a whole lot of love in their recipe for success.
Duplin Winery’s original tasting room and vineyard is located in Rose Hill. Tours and tastings are offered every day but Sunday. Last year, the family opened it’s second tasting room at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach.
The recipe below uses a bottle of Duplin’s Christmas Red. This wine can usually be found at the grocery store, wine shop, online or on a visit to either Duplin Winery location. Check out their Christmas Morning Brunch Punch, which features a bottle of their Christmas-themed white wine, Naughty and Nice.
- 1/4 cup of superfine sugar (put sugar in blender for 30 seconds)
- 1 bottle of Duplin Winery’s Christmas Red
- 3 cups of cranberry juice
- 1 1/5 cups of pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons of almond extract
- 2 liters of ginger ale
In a large container, mix together sugar, Christmas Red Wine, cranberry juice, pineapple juice and almond extract. Refrigerate for 1 day. To serve, pour juice mixture into a punch bowl. Stir in ginger ale.
Find more recipes at www.duplinwinery.com/recipes.