Wine is often referred to as a “living thing,” making it more than a commodity, but something that evokes emotion for its producers and consumers. Throughout the years, as we’ve seen the significant growth of wine-focused small businesses around town—including importers, distributors, retailers, and restaurants—Baltimore has found itself among the elite in the wine scene.
But in the last few months, the wine world—like many other industries—has been on edge since the talk of tariffs began to ramp up during the election cycle. The Google search trend for the word tariff is up almost 4,000 percent since November. In March, the announcement of a potential 200 percent fee on European wines shocked the scene, causing importers to delay orders or simply cancel their shipments.
“The uncertainty and the unpredictability of the tariffs is the inability to plan,” laments Russ Lorber, founder of Wide Roots, a Baltimore-based wine importer/distributor with a focus on Italian and French wines, who canceled his March shipment after hearing the announcement. “I had product sitting over in Italy, and it was too risky to bring it over because a 200 percent tariff would’ve bankrupted me.”
Earlier this month, the Trump Administration revised the wine tariffs to reflect a 20 percent tax on all products imported from Europe, and 10 percent to New World sources of wine from Argentina, Chile, Australia, and New Zealand. Thirty percent has been added to South African wines, a rising region for oenophiles.
As of April 9, President Trump enacted a 90-day pause on enforcing most of the new tariffs, with a universal 10 percent being added for all countries except China in the interim. Still, for the industry, the writing is on the wall.
A quick history lesson: after Prohibition, the American alcohol business became a three-tier system. It first passes through an importer, then a distributor (sometimes the importer is also the distributor) before reaching restaurants and retailers.
Anytime there’s an extra layer of cost, it increases downwind, explains Richard Harris, GM for Lighthouse Liquors in Canton, a family owned business since 2011. Meaning that restaurants, retailers, and, ultimately, consumers, get the short end of the stick.
As a boutique wine seller, Harris says his team already works on extremely thin margins, preferring to collaborate with small producers to bring in “cool stuff.” While many importers and distributors have been working to build up their stock to insulate the cushion and the rising costs of the new taxes as best they can, there’s only so much warehouse space.
La Cuchara, the Basque-influenced, family-owned restaurant in Hampden’s Clipper Mill—celebrating a decade in business this year—carries a massive wine list mostly from Spain, France, and Portugal. The dining destination is known for offering half-off bottles on Sundays, allowing patrons to buy wines closer to the purchase price for the restaurant.
“We have about 500 bottles on our list, only one is domestic out of all of them,” says chef and co-owner Eric Lefenfeld. “We’re certainly concerned about being able to provide the value and quality that we strive to achieve here at the restaurant long term.”
The Maryland wine scene has gained additional notoriety with lower intervention wineries like Old Westminster in Carroll County and Rockland Farms in Montgomery County. But even though they’re able to stock their shelves with their own product, tariffs also impact the production of American wines.
“Bottle and corks are made exclusively in Europe,” Harris explains. “Corks come from Portugal, and you might switch to screw caps, but those are also from Europe. If your vinification machine breaks, that’s from Europe.”
Not to mention, American wines are usually produced at a higher cost due to land. (Think: expensive regions like Napa Valley.)
While there’s still inventory that was purchased before the tariffs, Harris says pricing is sure to take a hit at some point.
“An $18 dollar wine will now be around $23-25,” he predicts. “It’s going to hurt everyone.”
But don’t take this as a sign to hoard bottles. Ninety-nine percent of the wines that are sold are meant to be consumed within 3-5 years, Harris says. Corks can dry out, and average wine drinkers, even hobbyists, don’t have the proper wine storage capacity at home.
While things certainly feel doom and gloom, Lorber of Wide Roots is getting creative. He’s currently toying with expanding his portfolio to include kegs (he debuted a Lambrusco keg with Di Pasquale’s last year), offering restaurants and bars the flexibility to pour by the glass or make a spritz.
“The cost of the keg on a per bottle basis is on the lower side,” explains Lorber, “but the quality will far exceed it.”
Yes, you read that correctly. While drinking wine from a tap, out of a box, or from a can might seem to alter the experience for some, the quality is great. Lorber says boxes are a superior form of packaging for younger wines, plus they have a lower carbon footprint than bottles.
“I wouldn’t be surprised to see more boxed or canned wines coming back into the market,” he says.
Despite the rising costs on the horizon, Harris says Lighthouse will do everything it can to keep the financial impact on customers as minimal as possible, and to maintain the shop’s regular offerings, including its weekly free Friday wine tastings and its rewards program.
“These are dark times, but nothing is ever going to be perfect,” Harris says, taking the high road. “The first thing to do is to be grateful for what you have. The small stuff is important—the sunset. Let those moments fortify you.”
In the spirit of community, if you can swing it, buy a bottle from one of these local small businesses to support the industry as it navigates the tariff rollercoaster:
Angels Ate Lemons (limited hours Friday through Sunday + by appointment)
2223 Maryland Ave. 443-955-4817. Free wine tastings during open hours
Lighthouse Canton
2701 Lighthouse Point E. 410-558-0390. Free wine tastings every Friday
Mt Washington Wine & Spirits
1340 Smith Ave. Ste. E. 443-869-3099. Free wine tastings every Friday
Spirits of Mt Vernon
900 N Charles St. 410-727-7270. Free wine tastings vary, check for announcements on social media
The Wine Source
3601 Elm Ave. 410-467-7777. Free wine tastings vary, check for announcements on social media