Savor It While You Can: Affordable Italian Wines & the Rising Tide of Tariffs 🍾

Why now is the time to enjoy four fantastic Italian bottles under $20—before tariffs reshape your wine shelf

How Wine Tariffs Are Reshaping the Italian Wine You Love — and What It Means for You

If you’ve ever marveled at how you could pick up a bottle of beautifully made Italian wine for under $20, you’re not alone. It’s one of the joys of loving Italian wine: expressive, characterful bottles made by small producers from indigenous grapes, each one tied to a specific region and culture, often available at prices that make it easy to bring them home on a whim. But now, that sweet spot is shrinking—and fast.

As of April 2025, new tariffs imposed by President Trump’s administration are making it significantly harder to keep imported wines, especially those from the European Union, within that accessible price range. Although there’s a temporary 90-day pause on enforcing a second round of steep retaliatory tariffs (20–30%), a universal 10% tariff has already been implemented. And it’s going to affect every step of the wine journey—from the winemaker in Italy, to the importer, distributor, retailer, and, ultimately, the person popping the cork: you.