California wineries, which produce about 80% of American wine, are being slammed by Trump’s tariffs.
Canada has issued retaliatory tariffs of 25% in response to U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, and a number of the country’s provinces have pulled U.S. liquor off the shelves.
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Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyards is one of the impacted California wineries. And although California’s wine industry hasn’t fully felt the impact of the tariffs yet, it’s already facing major struggles. When asked by ABC News, the owner of the winery shared that they don’t want to have to raise the prices to their consumers, even though their costs are increasing.
The decision from a number of Canadian provinces to pull American liquor from their shelves has hit the U.S. wine market acutely, one U.S. wine organization leader told NBC News. Mike Kaiser from Wine America, says his industry has been "caught in the crossfire" of a trade war. Even if the tariff disputes were ironed out tomorrow, he worries the "psychological damage with the consumer" will be hard for consumers to come back from.
Industry-wide concerns
When the tariffs were first announced in February, Robert P. Koch, the president and CEO of Wine Institute issued a press statement, highlighting the importance of the Canadian market for his industry.
“Canada is the single-most important export market for U.S. wines with retail sales in excess of $1.1 billion annually,” he said. He went on to describe wine as the “most highly value-added agricultural export” in the U.S.
“Any loss of access to the Canadian market will damage the entire U.S. wine sector,” he stated.
Kaiser agrees with Koch, and told NBC that losing that $1 billion in revenue from Canada “really disrupts the domestic wine market here from top to bottom.”
Before the tariff trouble, wine and alcohol sales were already down, partly because trends show younger generations like Gen Z are drinking less. With alcohol consumption being questioned, especially moderate drinking, demand has continued to drop.
On top of that, production costs are on the rise. Raw materials, labor and environmental regulations are pushing costs higher, and the tariffs on imports only make things worse.
Wildfires, droughts and other climate change effects are also taking a toll on grape yields and quality.
For wineries like Wilson Creek, these tariffs affect everything from production to distribution. Their Italian-made stainless steel bottling equipment and aluminum bottle toppers are all getting hit by the tariffs, putting extra strain on their bottom line.
On a bigger scale, these tariffs are adding to global economic uncertainty. Analysts are worried that rising trade tensions could spark a global recession, putting economies around the world at risk.
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A golden opportunity?
While there is uncertainty and concern about potential chaos in the industry, some see the looming tariffs as a golden opportunity for U.S. producers.
Natalie Collins, president of the California Association of Winegrape Growers, says it’s time to “reframe” the “narrative” that reciprocal tariffs would hurt the American wine industry.
Collins argues that tariffs could help level the playing field, giving domestic companies a fair chance to compete in their own markets.
Jeff Bitter, president of the Fresno-based Allied Grape Growers, echoed his cautious support in a conversation with reporters at the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium in Sacramento.
“You have to be careful with it, but you can at least explore the option,” Bitter said. “We are up against imports and we’re losing that battle.”
As tariffs continue to shake up the wine industry, California winemakers are getting creative to stay competitive. Some are looking to diversify beyond traditional markets, reportedly eyeing regions like Eastern Europe and Africa as potential growth areas.
Many wineries have also already been investing in new technologies and more efficient production methods in recent years. Some hope by cutting costs and boosting productivity, they’ll be able to maintain profitability without passing on hefty price hikes to consumers.
But in the meantime, businesses like Wilson Creek continue to be hit from all angles by the rising costs.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
