To hedge against potential tariffs, American importers have been stockpiling Prosecco, so much in fact that Italian sparking wine imports jumped 41 percent in November.
Italian wines were not affected by tariffs during the first Trump presidency, and no tariffs have been announced to date against European partners. Still, Prosecco importers and distributors are taking measures to help sustain current market conditions, ABC News reports.
In 2024, Italy’s wine exports to the United States hit $2 billion, with Prosecco becoming the top-selling Italian wine in the U.S., representing nearly 40% of all sales.
One other factor in the higher deliveries may have been a threatened port strike in January, said Dina Opici, chairwoman of the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America.
“That said, obviously taking into consideration that there could be impending tariffs as well, I think it probably gave people a higher comfort level in making that investment,” Opici said, according to the AP.
Prosecco is produced using Glera grapes, which date back to Roman times, and which are grown in nine provinces in Northeast Italy, with the Conegliano Valdobbiadene region being the most prestigious of them all.
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