That bottle of wine you grab for Friday night dinner or the juice box you pack in your kid’s lunch might be about to get a lot more expensive. President Trump’s tariff policies are creating some serious price changes at grocery stores and liquor stores across the country. Some of these tariffs are already in effect, while others are being threatened against major trading partners like the European Union. The drinks sitting in your fridge or on your bar cart right now could end up costing double or even triple what you’re used to paying, depending on where they come from and what happens next.
Champagne prices are about to pop in the wrong way
If you’ve been planning to buy champagne for a special occasion, you might want to stock up now. The President has threatened a 200% tariff on wines and spirits from the European Union, which means your favorite bubbly could cost two or three times what it does now. Real champagne can only come from the Champagne region of France, so there’s no way around this one. Every single bottle bearing that famous name is an import that would be hit by these tariffs if they go through.
The French wine industry is already nervous because the United States buys nearly 20% of all French wine exports. French wines carry special labels like Appellation d’origine protégée or Appellation d’origine contrôlée that mark them as authentic products from specific regions with strict quality controls. These aren’t labels that can be copied elsewhere, which means if you want the real thing, you’re paying whatever the new price is. That $53 bottle of Moët Chandon you grab for celebrations could jump to $159 overnight. Even cheaper prosecco from Italy faces the same problem since it also must come from specific regions in northeastern Italy to legally use that name.
Italian wines like Chianti aren’t safe either
Prosecco isn’t the only Italian drink in trouble. Chianti and other Italian wines could see the same massive price increases under these proposed European Union tariffs. Chianti must legally be made and bottled in specific regions around Tuscany in central Italy, and it has the highest classification status for Italian wines called Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita. That fancy name basically means the government guarantees where it comes from and how it was made. Everything from growing the grapes to putting the cork in the bottle has to happen right there at the vineyard.
Even the affordable Italian wines at stores like Aldi could see big price jumps. The award-winning Belletti prosecco that’s a grocery store favorite is still an Italian import that would be affected. Wine importers might even decide that some bottles aren’t worth bringing over anymore if the tariffs make them too expensive for Americans to buy. That means your favorite Italian red or sparkling wine might not just get more expensive, it might disappear from shelves completely. Bars and restaurants are already worried they’ll have to remove Italian and French wines from their menus or charge prices that most customers won’t want to pay.
Apple juice boxes could empty your wallet faster
This one affects way more people than just wine drinkers. The tariffs on Chinese goods that Trump already put in place aren’t just threats anymore, they’re real and they’re affecting apple juice prices right now. The President added a 20% tariff on top of the 25% he imposed during his first term, which means anything coming from China is getting hit twice. Apple juice is huge on that list because the United States is the world’s top importer of apple juice, and China is one of the world’s top exporters.
This isn’t a new relationship either. Going back to 2011, imports of Chinese apple juice concentrate accounted for two-thirds of U.S. apple juice consumption. That concentrate is made by removing water from fresh juice so it lasts longer during shipping and can be mixed into all those juice blends you see at the store. So even if you’re buying a fruit juice blend that doesn’t taste much like apples, there’s a good chance it has Chinese apple juice concentrate in it. Parents packing lunch boxes and anyone who likes a glass of apple juice with breakfast are going to notice their grocery bills going up because of this.
Tea prices are brewing up trouble too
Sweet tea fans and hot tea drinkers are both looking at higher prices thanks to the same Chinese tariffs affecting apple juice. China is the fourth largest tea exporter to the United States, sending over both black tea and green tea in almost equal amounts. About half of what comes from China is black tea, which is what most Americans drink as iced tea or the base for sweet tea. The other half is green tea, which has gotten more popular over the years. Either way you take your tea, those Chinese tariffs are going to make it cost more.
The problem gets even worse when you look at where else America gets its tea. Japan, India, and Argentina are the top three tea exporters to the United States, and all three countries are already facing tariffs or tariff threats on other products they sell to America. If the trade war keeps escalating, those tariffs could expand to include their tea exports too. That would mean pretty much all the tea coming into the United States would be more expensive, no matter where it comes from. So whether you’re buying fancy loose-leaf tea or just regular tea bags for your morning cup, expect to pay more in the coming months.
Your favorite cocktails might vanish from bar menus
Going out for drinks could become way more expensive or your favorite cocktail might not even be available anymore. Those threatened European Union tariffs would hit a ton of spirits that bartenders use to make the most popular drinks. Big brands like Hennessy, Rémy Martin, Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Limoncello, Campari, Aperol, Jägermeister, and Jameson would all see huge price increases. An Aperol Spritz is basically doomed because the only ingredient in that orange cocktail that comes from the United States is the soda water. Everything else, which makes up 94% of the drink, comes from overseas.
Even simple drinks you might not think about would be affected. Those bottomless mimosas at brunch are made with sparkling wine that mostly comes from the European Union, accounting for 50% of what’s in your glass. A Negroni uses Campari and vermouth that both come from Europe. Long Island Iced Teas, Sidecars, and even classic martinis all have European ingredients that would cost a lot more. Bars are already talking about removing cocktails from their menus entirely because they won’t be able to charge what it would cost to make them. Some importers might stop bringing certain spirits into the country at all if they don’t think anyone will pay the new prices.
Mexico and Canada got temporary relief for now
There’s at least some good news in all this tariff chaos. President Trump announced a temporary exemption for goods traded under the U.S., Mexico, and Canada trade agreement until April 2. That agreement says member countries have to treat each other’s alcoholic drinks as if they were made domestically, which softens the blow a bit. So your tequila, Canadian whisky, and Mexican beer are safe for now. This exemption helps because Mexico and Canada are huge trading partners with the United States, and a lot of what Americans drink comes from those two countries.
The key word here is temporary though. That April 2 deadline could come and go, and then those drinks might get hit with tariffs too. Or the exemption could be extended if negotiations go well. Nobody really knows what’s going to happen, which makes it hard for stores, bars, and restaurants to plan their pricing. The uncertainty is almost as bad as the tariffs themselves because businesses don’t know whether to raise prices now or wait and see what happens. For consumers, it means the drinks that are safe today might not be safe next month, so there’s no way to really plan around these price increases.
Some tariffs got rolled back on other drinks
Not everything is getting more expensive. President Trump announced he was scrapping tariffs on coffee, tropical fruits, fruit juice, and some other things after pressure built up about high grocery prices. This came after Democrats won big in some off-year elections where voters said the economy and high prices were their top concerns. The administration signed an executive order removing tariffs on tea, cocoa, spices, bananas, oranges, tomatoes, and certain fertilizers too. Some of these products aren’t even made in the United States, so putting tariffs on them didn’t help American producers at all.
Food industry groups praised this move as providing swift relief and said tariffs were an important factor in the complex mix of supply chain issues driving up prices. Reducing these tariffs should mean lower prices at grocery stores for these products, though it might take a while for stores to adjust what they’re charging. The White House explained that some of the original tariffs weren’t necessary anymore given the trade agreements they’d worked out with key trading partners since then. So while some drinks are getting way more expensive, at least coffee and fruit juice are getting a break.
The back and forth between countries keeps changing prices
Part of what makes this whole situation so confusing is that tariffs keep changing based on what other countries do. The threatened 200% tariff on European Union wine and spirits came as a response to Europe imposing a 50% tariff on American whiskey. That European tariff was itself a response to Trump’s earlier tariffs on European steel and aluminum. It’s basically a trade war where countries keep one-upping each other, and regular people trying to buy groceries or go out for drinks are caught in the middle of it all.
Whether the final number ends up being 50% or 200% or something in between, the move will make a dent in your wallet either way. The President has built his second term around imposing steep charges on imported goods to encourage companies to make things in America instead. But you can’t exactly grow wine grapes in the Champagne region anywhere except France, and you can’t make authentic Italian Chianti anywhere except Tuscany. These aren’t products where American alternatives exist, so the tariffs just mean paying more for the same thing you’ve always bought. The hope is that countries work things out before too many of these threatened tariffs become real.
Stocking up now might save you money later
If you have the money and storage space, buying extra bottles of your favorite imported wines or spirits now could be smart. Once tariffs hit, prices will jump immediately and they probably won’t come back down even if the tariffs get removed later. Stores and distributors will charge whatever the market will bear, and if people are already used to paying higher prices, there’s no reason for them to lower them again. Non-perishable drinks like wine and spirits can last for years if stored properly, so stocking up isn’t as risky as it would be with fresh food.
That said, not everyone can afford to drop hundreds of dollars on wine and liquor right now just to avoid price increases later. For people on tight budgets, these tariff-driven price hikes are just one more thing making it harder to afford everyday items. The apple juice and tea price increases are probably going to hurt regular families more than the wine and spirits tariffs will. Parents buying juice boxes for school lunches and people who drink tea every day don’t have the option to just switch to California wines and Kentucky bourbons like wine drinkers might. These tariffs are creating real financial pressure on people who are already struggling with inflation and high prices on everything from rent to gas to groceries.
The uncertainty around tariffs makes it hard to know what to buy and when. Prices on imported drinks are either going up now because of tariffs already in place, or they might go up later if threatened tariffs become real. Some drinks got relief and their prices might come down, while others face potential price increases that could make them unaffordable or unavailable. The best approach is to stay informed about which tariffs are actually happening versus which ones are just threats, and adjust your shopping accordingly without panicking or overspending on things you might not need.
