From Prosecco to Barolo, the price of your wine could soon be skyrocketing.
A potential 100% tariff on nearly all European wine has Massachusetts retailers scrambling to try and stop what they say would kill their business.
In response to two unrelated trade fights, President Donald Trump's administration is threatening to slap the tariff on European wine and other products. There is no timeline for when the tariffs might take effect, but business owners are bracing for the worst.
At Rebel Rebel wine bar in Somerville, European wine makes up about 75% of what they pour.
The owner said if the tariffs take effect, customers will have to pay more.
"A $12 glass of wine would become a $24 glass of wine, which, I'm not trying to charge that for a glass of wine," owner Lauren Friel said. "I don’t think it’s reasonable or sustainable."
Friel organized a "Mobilize Monday" event where she showed customers how to submit public comments on the proposed tariffs through the U.S. Trade Representative's website. Monday was the last day comments could be submitted.
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"It's a zero-hour thing for our industry," Friel said. "This is going to completely destroy us."
At Streetcar Wine and Beer in Jamaica Plain, owner Michael Dupuy started an online petition to fight the tariffs. As of Monday, it had close to 8,000 signatures.
"This is the single biggest event to affect the wine industry since prohibition," Dupuy said.
Dupuy said not only would the tariffs devastate his business, which specializes in European wines, but they would also have a catastrophic impact on importers and distributors.
"It's not just about, 'Oh no, I can't afford my Champagne anymore,'" Dupuy said. "We're talking about thousands of U.S jobs lost."
