Despite Headwinds, Imported Wine Players See Opportunity
DESPITE THE CHALLENGES FACING THE imported wine market—including tariffs and the outbreak of Covid-19—a number of brands that have built a strong following among U.S. consumers continue to post notable gains. Overall, bottled table wine imports in the U.S. declined slightly to 76.8 million nine-liter cases last year on a 630,000-case decrease, down from 2017’s high of just over 79 million cases, according to Impact Databank. The value of imported table wine to the U.S. slipped 1.7% to about $4.3 billion, roughly on par with 2017 values. The last quarter of 2019, however, saw significant upheaval for most European imports as the U.S. imposed a 25% tariff on wines at less than 14% abv from France, Spain, Germany, and the U.K. amid a long-running trade dispute. With a vast swath of the imported wine market managing continued fallout from the tariffs, the year ahead was already one primed for major shifts even before the outbreak of coronavirus across the globe.
Still, marketers are intent on seizing opportunities, including the broad upturn in the U.S. off-premise. Among the leading . . .
