The White House has threatened to apply up to 100% tariffs on all wines from Europe (along with many other products including cheese, olive oil, jams and yogurt) in connection with unrelated trade disputes regarding the aerospace and tech industries. This could result in doubling all European wine prices on retail shelves and restaurants, which would be devastating for thousands and thousands of trade workers, not to mention countless small and medium -sized businesses. For consumers, it would literally mean, for example, that their $9 Montepulciano becomes $18 and their $22 Sancerre becomes $44.
This is a video short depicting the post-tariff sticker shock every consumer may experience at their neighborhood wine shop.
Wine may not be life-or-death but is the centerpiece of so many simple…and special…moments in life: weddings, baby showers, Thanksgiving dinner, girls night out, boys night out, catching up with friends, relaxation after putting the kids to sleep, promotions, birthdays, anniversaries, retirements, family pizza night, rose by the pool and an infinite number of other precious, personal moments.
Wine is more than mere fermented grape juice. It connects folks across the table. It connects people across the ocean. It connects eras across history. It connects an entire religion of 1 billion people. It connects vineyard workers in Italy to families in middle America via a ship’s captain, longshoremen, long-haul truckers, warehouse workers, clerical staff, local truckers, stock people and sales personnel.
There is a way to register disapproval, though, via the 2 links below. Please take a few minutes to complete the 2 forms connected to those links. Please also share this video with friends and family.
LINKS TO REGISTER DISAPPROVAL OF WINE TARIFFS
(1) Notify all of your Senators, Congressional Representatives and the US Trade Representative…..
www.nawr.org/nowinetariffs/
(2) Add your comment to the Proposed Taxes on Still Wine from the E.U. (RE WTO Large Civil Aircraft Dispute) – Docket # USTR-2019-0003-2518…..
www.regulations.gov/comment?D=USTR-2019-0003-2518