American importers have been stockpiling Italian Prosecco in anticipation of potential tariffs that former President Donald Trump had threatened, according to data from the wine industry.
In November, U.S. imports of Italian sparkling wines, predominantly Prosecco, surged by 41%, far outpacing consumer demand. This increase was driven by importers trying to stockpile wine for future sales, with the Union of Italian Wines trade association attributing it to the uncertainty surrounding possible tariffs.
Lamberto Frescobaldi, president of the trade association, explained that it was a common move to arrange extra shipments toward the end of the year, given the unpredictability of tariff impacts. He also noted that consumers might scale back on such luxury items if tariffs made them more expensive.
Frescobaldi emphasized that while wine is a luxury, it is something people can live without, though it remains a source of enjoyment.
Although Italian wines were not subjected to tariffs during Donald Trump’s first term as president, and no tariffs have been imposed on European goods so far, Prosecco importers and distributors are still taking steps to safeguard their market. They are being proactive and preparing for potential future challenges.
Italy exports almost a quarter of its wine to the United States, making the wine sector more vulnerable to potential tariffs than any other Italian export, according to the trade federation. In 2024, Italy’s wine exports to the U.S. amounted to 1.9 billion euros ($1.97 billion).
Prosecco became the best-selling Italian wine in the U.S. last year, accounting for nearly 40% of all Italian wine sales.
Concerns about the market began even before Trump’s election, as Prosecco shipments to the U.S. rose by 17% in the first ten months of 2024. This was much higher than the modest single-digit increases seen in the U.K. and Germany and far outpaced U.S. consumption, which grew only 0.6%.
Giancarlo Guidolin, president of the Prosecco DOC consortium (the largest of Italy’s three Prosecco-producing consortia), noted that the increase was unexpected, suggesting that much of the product had been stockpiled in warehouses.
Dina Opici, chairwoman of the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America, suggested that the increased deliveries could also be partly due to a potential port strike in January. She added that the possibility of upcoming tariffs likely gave importers more confidence to make such investments, knowing they might face challenges ahead.