Rise and shine.

• Author: Kinney, David
• Position: UP FRONT - Vintners

Growing up, my only exposure to wine was the empty "short dogs" we'd sometimes find behind the well house at my grandparents' place. Grandpa Kinney was known to imbibe a bit--which, since he'd been a cabinetmaker, probably explained why he had just one eye and only seven fingers--and the shed was where he'd retreat to avoid Grandma's vigilance.

Back then, at least in my milieu, there was nothing sophisticated about wine and those who drank it. Most of what you'd find on store shelves was the fortified kind, packing more punch per penny than beer and lots less expensive than the marked-up whiskey the bootleggers brought in from nearby counties that had liquor stores. The prejudice against wine was widespread, so it was no surprise to read about the flak the Fussell family faced when neighbors caught wind of plans to open a winery in Rose Hill more than 30 years ago.

What's surprising about this month's cover story is how frankly David Fussell and his kin talk about his bout with depression and its effect on Duplin Wine Cellars. After all, the prejudice against alcohol--or, for that matter, alcoholism--pales against the one many people have about anything that smacks of mental illness.

"It's hard for business owners, maybe more so than most people, to admit weakness or what can be perceived as a weakness," notes Senior Editor Frank Maley, who wrote the article. "They're supposed to be strong leaders who can hide their fear or at least turn it to their advantage by anticipating the pitfalls that can swallow a company. It's not often that one opens up about a part of their life so gloomy--even more so...