American Restaurants Brace for Potentially Devastating Wine Tariffs
Though the politics have nothing to do with dining, the U.S. government’s ongoing battle with the European Union over aircraft-industry subsidies has the restaurant industry on edge. The Trump administration’s October introduction of a 25 percent tariff on French, Spanish and German wines, and its recent proposal to increase the tariffs to 100 percent and apply them to all European wines, are particularly threatening to restaurants, which often rely on carefully priced beverage programs as a crucial revenue stream.
“The idea of not being able to sell the product that we opened the business to sell, and the quality of the product we want to sell and the way we want to sell it and present it to people, is really scary,” said Justin Chearno, partner and wine director of the Four Horsemen wine bar and restaurant in Brooklyn, N.Y.
According to the wine directors interviewed for this story, the 25 percent tariff hasn’t triggered major price increases yet, as many importers and distributors opted to absorb the bulk of the tax during the holiday season or sell through existing inventory while awaiting a resolution. But with no reprieve in sight, most importers have told clients to expect prices to start rising this month.
Though slight annual price increases are a natural part of the business, this tax “was enough to send the entirety of the market into a sense of unknown,” said wine director Ryan Bailey of NoMad Los Angeles. The possibility of even higher tariffs has increased the uncertainty.
https://restaurants.winespectator.com/article/58743/american-restaurants-brace-for-potentially-devastating-wine-tariffs?utm_campaign=PG2D011620&utm_source=Private-Guide-to-Dining-Consumer-01-16-20&utm_medium=email&utm_content=06136da64d94599140b32229e92119a4
Put up all the tariffs you want Trump. People still aren't going to buy your shitty wine.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Im gonna go look. 
BRB
