Francesco Davico, international business manager of Dosio Vigneti winery, shows wine inventory meant for the U.S. market, in La Morra, Italy, Aug. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Xinwen)
Some winemakers have made painful compromises to maintain cooperation with their U.S. business partners, while others are looking beyond America.
LA MORRA, Italy, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) — In the rolling vineyards of the renowned Barolo wine region in northern Italy, the harvest season of “Nebbiolo” grapes is just weeks away. The bountiful clusters now display a deep, purplish hue, signaling a promising vintage.
The name “Nebbiolo” derives from the Italian word “Nebbia,” which means fog. The region’s foggy climate contributes to the grapes’ unique flavor and the distinguished character of Barolo wine.
However, this summer, another kind of “fog” has descended — a newly imposed 15 percent tariff by the United States on Italian wines, casting uncertainty over winemakers’ future business.
Inside the cellar of Dosio Vigneti winery in La Morra, a small town in the Barolo wine region, thousands of bottles stand stacked over two meters high. Ordered by U.S. clients months ago, the wines remain undelivered.
Francesco Davico, the winery’s international business manager, told Xinhua that these approximately 3,000 bottles should have been sent months ago but were held back by erratic tariff policies.
“Importers are reluctant to pay too high tax, so they can only delay picking up their goods and wait to see if the situation could be better,” he said, adding that this year, only one order from America was completed.
“Inventory is stagnant, filling up the storage space. No one pays for the storage,” he said with a bitter smile.
Winemaker Fabio Mascarello is pictured at a winery’s cellar in La Morra, Italy, Aug. 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Xinwen)
According to the Italian wine industry organization Federvini, the United States is the largest export market for Italian wine, spirits, and vinegar producers. Last year, sales to America totaled around 2 billion euros (approximately 2.3 billion U.S. dollars).
Some wineries have made painful compromises to maintain cooperation with their U.S. business partners.
“About 40 to 45 percent of our wine goes to the United States. For now, we have to offer about a 5 percent discount to our importers, and our profits may shrink if this continues,” said Fabio Porro, third-generation heir of the Guido Porro winery in Serralunga d’Alba.
Long hours of fieldwork and hands-on winemaking have tanned Porro. With hands stained with soil, Porro is not an accountant, but he feels the impact. He said producers, importers and consumers are all paying the price.
Industry leaders warn of widespread damage. Cristiano Fini, president of the Italian Farmers’ Confederation Cia-Agricoltori, said the U.S. tariff policies will directly impact small and medium-sized enterprises, undermining or even devastating years of hard work. The Italian Wine Producers Union estimates that the 15 percent tariff could cost the industry approximately 317 million euros over the next 12 months.
This photo taken on Aug. 17, 2025 shows vineyards in Serralunga d’Alba, Italy. (Xinhua/Gao Jingyan)
La Morra is the highest point of the Barolo wine region. From its famous panoramic viewing platform, visitors from around the world marvel at the endless green vineyards stretching across the hills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But even here, visitors notice the effects.
Ashley Williams, a tourist visiting La Morra from Florida, said Italian wine already costs about 20 percent more in the United States than in Italy. She said the tariff may make Italian wine more expensive, which is bad for consumers.
“If the tariff continues to increase, consumers in the U.S. may buy less, and I don’t want this to happen,” Porro said with concern.
Sergio Benedetto, who runs a tourism business in the Barolo region, shared his view with Xinhua: “The U.S. market is risky now. Italian businesses that depend heavily on the U.S. market are in a dangerous position. Tariffs are pushing winemakers to explore alternative markets.”
Some winemakers are already looking beyond America. In La Morra, winemaker Fabio Mascarello, who has focused mainly on the domestic market, told Xinhua he is considering expanding internationally.
“I personally won’t consider the U.S. market,” Mascarello said. “Trump’s tariffs have created uncertainties and risks.”
This photo taken on Aug. 17, 2025 shows vineyards in La Morra, Italy. (Xinhua/Zhang Xinwen) ■
Dining and Cooking