Not a bubbly mood: 4 ways Prosecco lovers can cope with tariffs

It has not been a festive year for the wine industry. Climate-related worries, buzz-killing medical research, and an overall decline in drinking among young consumers are just a few of the worries keeping wine people up at night.

Now, the wine business is bracing for the possibility of Trumpian tariffs on European imports. Winemakers of Italy and France–who have the most exposure to the U.S. wine market–are sounding the alarm. The harvest was months ago, the warehouses are glutted, and they have little leverage. They stand to lose hundreds of millions of euros if exports slump.

American wine importers and retailers, regardless of their political affiliation, also tend to oppose tariffs on wine. The consensus is that tariffs are a lose-lose strategy that ends up cutting demand and hurting American businesses as much as foreign ones.

Wine is not an essential item–so when prices rise, consumption slows. In addition, tariffs may have a greater impact on mass-market wines than luxury wines. Luxury buyers can afford to pay up. Everyone else may drink less, or switch to beer and seltzer. Thus, tariffs hit the wine industry where it’s already struggling–that is, attracting new customers from the ranks of cost-conscious under-30s.

It’s an especially fraught moment for Prosecco. The light-bodied sparkling wine, loved for its affordability as much as its refreshing green fruit and citrus flavors, is currently the top-selling Italian wine in the United States. Prosecco has enjoyed a successful two decades as the bubbly of choice for cost-conscious (and sugar-conscious) millennials. It was poised to enjoy an epic summer as spritz cocktails continue their benevolent reign over cocktail menus around the country.

Last week, The Associated Press reported that some U.S. companies have been hoarding Prosecco as a hedge against possible future tariffs. So far, no new tariffs on EU wines have been announced. But clearly, importers are taking the threat seriously enough to build up a strategic Prosecco reserve.

For those of us who aren’t lucky enough to have a refrigerated warehouse full of bubbles, what are our options? In the time of tariffs, what’s a Prosecco lover to do? Here are four suggestions, from least to most practical.

1. Hit the Road for a Taste of PasoSecco

Prosecco is a protected appellation in Italy. That means that, much like Champagne, you can’t call your sparkler “Prosecco” if it’s made outside of the designated historic region. The main Prosecco grape, Glera, also does best in the cool nights and well-draining soils of north-east Italy’s foothills. With the exception of one or two small vineyards, it isn’t grown commercially in North America.

However, that hasn’t stopped U.S. producers from mimicking Prosecco’s crisp style and effervescent appeal. One Paso Robles producer is taking a stab at bottling their own “PasoSecco.” Made from 100% Grenache Blanc, it’s “the first and only Prosecco-style sparkling wine produced in Paso Robles made exclusively from Paso Robles grapes.”

I have not personally tried PasoSecco–but I have perused their (almost) too-cute winery website. (Fans of the brand are called “SeccoPaths” and the wine club is a “SecCommunity.”)

There were just 520 cases of PasoSecco made from the 2023 vintage, and most of it is earmarked for local consumption. (It retails for $24.99.) To try PasoSecco, you need to be in Cali–they ship within the state, or you can go to their Paso tasting room or one of several other local wine shops. As if you needed another reason to take a winter trip to the Central Coast.

2. Stock Up and Save

Importers are stockpiling Prosecco–now that’s an idea! Would it be possible to just buy four years’ worth of Prosecco and sip on it while you wait for better times?

Well, yes and no. You can hoard Prosecco–subject to your available cash and storage space, of course–but remember, these are young-drinking wines. Experts say that most Prosecco is at its best just one to two years from bottling. Refrigeration helps slow the oxidative process, but even in the cooler, it won’t last forever. Two or three years is about the longest you can keep a bottle before it begins to decline in quality.

Still hell-bent on filling the garage fridge with cheap imported bubbly? I like to wait for a sale and stock up on Prosecco and grocery rewards points at the same time. My favorite under $15-ish Proseccos are Total’s Wine’s La Vostra and Borrasco brands, while my good friend (and hostess-with-the-mostest) Heather buys Costco’s Kirkland Prosecco by the case.

3. Splurge on Schramsberg

It’s easy to escape wine tariffs by just buying American, right? Eh, probably not. Economists believe that blanket tariffs are likely to raise prices on domestic wines as well. This is partly because many necessary components (including packaging and equipment) are made overseas.

But let’s ignore that data point for the moment and celebrate the diverse styles of quality sparkling wine that are made in the U.S.! From rich and sweet to dry and puckery, you can find bubbles here to tickle your palate.

For a Prosecco analogue that’s purely red, white, and blue, wine critics swear by Schramsberg‘s Blanc de Blancs. It might just be America’s most storied sparkling wine. President Nixon chose it to bring to Beijing for the 1972 “Toast to Peace.” Now on its 57th bottling, it’s also America’s first commercially produced Chardonnay-based bubbly. The grapes come from premium sites in Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, and Marin Counties.

Drinkers note a flavor profile that’s very similar to high-quality Brut Prosecco: Green apple, pear, and citrus notes with a subtle perfume of white blossoms. It finishes crisp and fresh. It’s an ideal traditional-method wine for drinkers who, accustomed to Prosecco, don’t particularly crave the toasty, yeasty notes of many Cavas and Champagnes. At around $35, Schramsberg is pricier than many domestic options–but still less than imported premium bubbly, especially if tariffs take effect.

4. Slum It in the Supermarket Aisle

Let’s face it…part of the appeal of Prosecco has always been its value. Prosecco offers a touch of European sophistication for a bottom-shelf price. It’s a budget wine that punches above its weight as a brunch treat or party favor. If you have the choice between a $7 bottle of Cook’s and a $12 bottle of Mionetto…well, you gotta live a little, right?

However, that was 2024-style thinking. Tack on a 25 percent tariff (passed along through several middlemen) and the math starts to look a little different: Eh, maybe it’s time to go ahead and invite André to the party. At least this way I’ll have some money left over for eggs.

Grocery-store brands of sparkling wine usually have less complexity, coarser bubbles, more “off” flavors, and more residual sugar than middle- and high-quality dry Prosecco. But there’s no point in being a wine snob if you’re going mix it with orange juice anyway.

It’s probably too early to say how proposed tariffs will affect our wine-drinking habits, but here at The Wine Fairy we’re trying to be prepared for anything. We’ll be watching–and drinking–right along with you.