In Burgundy, France, vineyards are busy with spring work. Élodie Bonet, a seasonal worker, trims vine shoots by hand. Her job helps the vines grow better grapes by focusing energy on fewer buds.
Close by, in Morey-Saint-Denis, winemaker Cécile Tremblay guides visitors through her old wine cellar. Her wines, like Echezeaux and Clos-Vougeot, rest in oak barrels deep underground. More than half of her wines go abroad, with about 10% headed to the United States. That share matters to her.
“I care about that,” Tremblay says while pouring a glass for tasting.
But things are changing. A new U.S. tariff could hurt wine exports.
On April 5, former President Donald Trump announced a 20% duty on most goods from the European Union. Four days later, it dropped to 10%. Still, he warned that the rate could go back up to 20% or even 50%, depending on trade talks.
Tremblay is cautious. “Yes, of course,” she says when asked if she’s worried. She does not say more. Many winemakers in France now stay quiet, avoiding political debate.
François Labet, head of the Burgundy Wine Board, explains the bigger picture. His group represents more than 3,000 winemakers in the region. He says the United States is Burgundy’s top export market.
In 2024, while other parts of France saw wine sales fall, Burgundy’s exports to the U.S. rose by 16%. That meant 20.9 million bottles and €370 million in revenue—a 26% increase from the year before.
Labet adds: “The U.S. makes up about a quarter of our total exports.”
Burgundy is famous for red wines made from pinot noir. In English, the name even means a shade of red. But two-thirds of wines from Burgundy are actually white. Chardonnay is the most common grape. One popular example is Chablis, which sells well in the U.S.
The region also makes Crémant de Bourgogne, a sparkling wine that is becoming more popular. Rosé is produced too, but in smaller amounts.
Tastes are changing. Fewer people are buying strong, high-alcohol reds. Labet says lighter reds are now in demand.
“People are turning away from heavy, oak-filled wines,” he explains. “Burgundy’s cooler climate leads to grapes with less sugar and lower alcohol.”
Climate change plays a role too. Warmer temperatures have changed grape ripening, but Burgundy still makes lower-alcohol wines than hotter regions.
Labet remembers the past. During Trump’s first term, a 25% tariff hit wine imports during a fight over airplane subsidies. “Our U.S. sales fell by half over 18 months,” he recalls.
Now, with a 10% duty in place, he hopes producers and buyers will split the cost. But he fears worse may come.
“If the tariff rises to 20% in July,” Labet says, “we’ll face a sales freeze again—just like in 2019.”
Jerome Bauer, president of the French National Wines and Spirits Confederation, agrees. “The last 25% tariff cost us $600 million,” he says. That hit came even though Champagne and some strong wines were exempt. This time, all wines may be affected.
Bauer wants the tariffs gone. He argues that both Europe and the U.S. would benefit from free trade.
The issue also impacts winemakers in America. Rex Stoltz, vice president at Napa Valley Vintners, is against the new duties.
“This looks bad from our point of view,” he says. “Wine is a global product.”
He notes that U.S. winemakers buy cork from Portugal and barrels from France. Tariffs raise costs and hurt supply chains.
Stoltz also mentions problems in Canada. After a trade fight, Canada put tariffs on U.S. wine. “Our bottles disappeared from Canadian shelves,” he says. “Canada was our biggest export market.”
He adds: “We want fair trade. We want to compete on equal terms.”
As the trade fight continues, both French and American wine producers face hard choices. The wine business depends on global links. Tariffs break those links.
For now, winemakers on both sides of the Atlantic wait and watch, hoping talks will ease the pressure. One thing is clear: the future of wine depends not just on the grapes, but on global decisions made far from the vineyard.