In the Hamptons, at the end of May, the problem isn’t getting an ocean-view table. It’s finding a bottle of rosé. Wine shops along New York State’s most exclusive coastline have been besieged by alarmed customers. The reason? The new tariffs on European wines announced by Donald Trump — currently suspended by a U.S. federal court for being deemed unlawful.
The luxury of wine in the age of tariffs
French — and Italian — rosé risks becoming an even more elitist luxury. And while restaurants update their wine lists and hunt for alternative suppliers, many enthusiasts are panic-buying as though a hurricane were on the way. “It’s the new pink gold,” commented an importer in Vanity Fair on 24 May.
The U.S. customs tariffs, currently blocked by the Federal Court, are part of a broader package of trade retaliations against Brussels. The effect, however, is felt entirely at the American dinner table: a bottle that once cost €9 could soon retail for €14–15. Nothing, of course, for the U.S. mega-rich… but as we know, it’s the wealthiest who often have the tightest grip on their wallets. Which is why it’s precisely the most affluent who are rushing to snap up fashionable rosés while prices are still reasonable.
U.S. winemakers are nervous too
The panic is real, also because distributors fear a domino effect across the whole sector: glass, corks, barrels... all accessories and materials that largely come from Europe. American producers — especially in Oregon and Long Island — had hoped for a chance to gain market share. But the rising cost of logistics hits them too.
The perfect storm is brewing just on the eve of summer, right when rosé consumption peaks. And the Hamptons clientele has no interest in toasting with domestic alternatives: they want Provence, they want Bolgheri, they want labels worth posting online.
The result: emptied shelves, immediate price hikes, and a market on edge. This isn’t just about wine — it’s a war of status and symbols. And, for once, it might be brunch that loses.
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