A $90 Bottle of Wine Shows Slow-Motion Impact of Trump’s Tariffs

April 2, 2026, 3:00 PM UTC

To understand why President Donald Trump’s year-old trade war hasn’t caused inflation to soar, consider a bottle of European wine.

The US slapped a 10% tariff on wines imported from the EU in April last year before hiking it to 15% in August. Since then, prices have risen gradually, at different speeds for different origins, grapes and labels.

Rather than a sudden jolt – like gasoline jumping from the Iran war – tariffs are rippling through the wine aisle, a slow-motion force the industry tried and failed to contain.

Craving a crisp white from France’s Loire Valley? A bottle of Jean ...

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