American wine lovers have been dealt a blow by President Donald Trump and his far-reaching tariff experiment. Five retailers, wholesalers, and restaurateurs told Reuters that they have been ditching go-to menu options because importing them from Europe is no longer financially viable. The continent has historically been a close ally of the U.S., but that didn’t stop Trump from imposing a 15 percent tariff on many of its goods last year, which was later reduced to 10 percent after the Supreme Court got involved. Kristen Goceljak, wine director of the New York-based Kent Hospitality Group, said that prices of champagne and crémant—sparkling wines which can only ever be made in France—had risen enough to make them unattractive import options because “It’s just too expensive.” It’s bad news for wine drinkers, because “The pressure to pass through costs is mounting,” said Republic National Distributing Company SVP Lance Emerson. He said the hike is likely to be felt more in wine than in spirits, noting that retailers were trimming their product offerings, while restaurants were swapping out old favorites for lower-cost options.
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