Tariffs got you down? How to substitute European wines for American alternatives

Imported wine and spirits encompass 35% of revenue of all US sales in the alcohol market, meaning that all aspects of cocktails and wines ordered at restaurants or purchased at retailers will “rise significantly” if the tariffs go into effect.

Scotch and Irish whiskey aren’t the only alcohols that will feel the pain of a 200% tariff on European-made products — so will your favorite bottles of Bordeaux and Chianti. Wine, which already dealt with an 8% drop in US sales last year, was hit with another blow this week when President Donald Trump threatened another round of tariffs set to go into effect in April. A “vast majority will struggle to manage these added expenses,” Francis Creighton, CEO of the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA), said in a statement. “At the end of the day, these tariffs if implemented won’t just hurt our industry — they will directly raise prices for American consumers.” Imported wine and spirits encompass 35% of revenue of all US sales in the alcohol market, meaning that all aspects of cocktails and wines ordered at restaurants or purchased at retailers will “rise significantly” if the tariffs go into effect, the trade organization warned. The “rising costs will cause some consumers to stay at home, hurting the bartenders, servers and other bar and restaurant workers who depend on customer traffic for tips and shift hours,” Creighton said. If tariffs are implemented, drinkers might have to shift their allegiance to American-made wines.