If you’ve been stocking your bar cart or wine rack lately, you might want to grab a few extra bottles of your favorites. Recent trade policy changes mean some of the most popular drinks in America could see serious price increases in the coming months. We’re talking about everyday drinks that many people enjoy regularly, from weekend brunch mimosas to after-work cocktails. The price hikes aren’t just affecting fancy imported wines either – even that bottle of apple juice in your fridge could cost more next time you’re at the grocery store.
Champagne prices are jumping higher than the bubbles
That bottle of bubbly you’ve been saving for special occasions just became even more special, at least price-wise. Real Champagne can only come from the Champagne region of France, and with potential tariffs on European Union imports looming at 25%, your favorite bottle could cost significantly more. The U.S. buys nearly 20% of all French wine exports, which means Americans really love their French wine. Any Champagne bottle you buy had to travel across the Atlantic Ocean to get to your local store, and those new import taxes will almost certainly show up on the price tag.
French wines aren’t just randomly labeled either – they have strict classification systems that guarantee quality and authenticity. The best French wines carry labels like Appellation d’origine protégée or Appellation d’origine contrôlée, which basically means the wine followed specific rules about where grapes were grown and how the wine was made. Bordeaux wine, which has been made for over 2,000 years in southwestern France, falls under these protections too. The Bordeaux region alone has at least 60 distinct protected zones. Since these wines can’t legally be duplicated anywhere else in the world, there’s no workaround for getting the real thing without paying those import fees.
Apple juice prices are already affected by tariffs
This one might surprise you since apples seem pretty American. However, the U.S. is actually the world’s top importer of apple juice, and China is one of the biggest exporters. The 20% tariffs on Chinese imports that are already in place will likely make Americans pay more for apple juice and products made with it. Apple juice isn’t just something kids drink with lunch – it’s a common ingredient in many fruit juice drinks and blends where you might not even taste the apple. Going back to 2011, imports of Chinese apple juice concentrate made up about two-thirds of U.S. apple juice consumption.
Juice concentrate is what manufacturers use because removing the water from fresh juice makes it last much longer during shipping overseas. This concentrated form also gets used in shelf-stable juice blends you find at every grocery store. When you grab that bottle of mixed fruit juice or juice box for your kids, there’s a good chance Chinese apple juice concentrate is one of the main ingredients. The price increases might not seem huge on a single bottle, but if you’re buying juice regularly for your family, those extra dollars add up quickly over time.
Your morning tea just got more expensive
Tea drinkers aren’t escaping these price hikes either. China ranks as the fourth largest tea exporter to the U.S., and those same 20% tariffs on Chinese imports affect tea shipments too. About half of the tea imported from China is black tea, while slightly less than half is green tea. If you’re someone who drinks tea every day, whether it’s hot tea in the morning or iced tea in the afternoon, you’ll probably notice when your favorite brand costs more at the store. Sweet tea, which many people consider a Southern classic, actually has less-than-Southern origins, but wherever it came from, the tea leaves still need to be imported.
The situation for tea lovers might actually get worse because other major tea suppliers to the U.S. are also facing tariff threats. Japan, India, and Argentina are the top three tea exporters to America, and they’re all already dealing with tariffs or tariff threats on various products. If trade tensions continue to increase, those countries’ teas could also face additional import fees. That means switching brands to avoid higher prices might not even help since tea from alternative sources could cost more too. Coffee drinkers might be feeling pretty smug right about now.
Mexican beer and tequila prices could rise significantly
Love a cold Modelo after work? That six-pack might cost you a lot more if 25% tariffs on Mexican imports go through. Modelo Especial Lager is currently the top-selling beer in the entire United States, and a six-pack that normally costs about $11 could jump to $13.75. That might not sound like much, but if you buy beer every week, you’re looking at an extra $143 per year just for the same amount of beer. Tequila drinkers have even more reason to worry since Americans imported $4.66 billion worth of tequila and mezcal from Mexico in 2023, up 160% since 2019.
A typical 750-milliliter bottle of tequila that usually costs between $25 and $50 could increase to somewhere between $31.25 and $62.50 with full tariff impact. Brands like Casa Noble Tequila, Casamigos, and Don Julio all come from Mexico since that’s where tequila legally has to be made. There’s no American tequila alternative that tastes the same because real tequila must be produced in specific regions of Mexico. Stock market investors already see the potential problems – shares of Constellation Brands, which sells Modelo, Corona, and Pacifico, dropped 3% when tariff announcements were made. Margarita lovers everywhere are hoping these tariffs don’t actually happen.
Canadian whisky fans should stock up now
Canadian whisky drinkers aren’t safe from price increases either. A 750-milliliter bottle that normally costs $40 could jump to $50 with 25% tariffs on Canadian imports. Popular brands like Jameson might see similar price hikes since they’re imported from countries potentially affected by various tariff plans. The proposed tariffs are supposedly meant to address border security and illegal immigration issues, but they’re catching legal products like whisky in the crossfire. Some industry experts think these tariff announcements are opening negotiating tactics rather than firm policies that will definitely happen.
The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which was negotiated and signed during the previous Trump administration, is technically supposed to prevent these kinds of tariffs between the three countries. That trade agreement is up for renegotiation in 2026, so current tariff threats might be leverage for those upcoming talks. Canadian whisky has been a staple in American bars and liquor cabinets for generations, and many people prefer it over American whiskey or bourbon. If tariffs do go into effect, switching to domestic alternatives means changing your drink preferences entirely since Canadian and American whiskeys taste noticeably different from each other.
Prosecco and Italian wines face the same problem
If you prefer Italian sparkles over French bubbles, you’re not off the hook. Prosecco can only be called prosecco if it comes from specific regions in northeastern Italy, and it’s under the same tariff threats as Champagne. Since 2009, prosecco has held the highest classification status for Italian wines – Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita. This fancy title means everything from growing the grapes to bottling the wine happens at the vineyard in Italy. Even the affordable prosecco you can grab at grocery stores, like the award-winning Aldi Belletti prosecco, is an Italian import that could see price increases.
Chianti, that classic red wine from Tuscany, is another Italian wine with the same protected status. It must legally be made and bottled in specific regions around central Italy. The Italian government takes these designations seriously because they protect the reputation and quality of Italian wines. Unfortunately for your wallet, this also means there’s no American-made version that can legally use these names. When those tariffs hit imported Italian wines, you’ll either pay more or have to switch to domestic alternatives that taste completely different from what you’re used to drinking.
Cocktails might disappear from bar menus entirely
Going out for drinks is about to hit your wallet harder than usual. If threatened 200% tariffs on wine and spirits from the European Union actually happen, some bars might just stop serving certain cocktails altogether. Think about an Aperol Spritz – that bright orange drink that’s everywhere during summer. The only ingredient in an Aperol Spritz made in the U.S. is soda water, which means 94% of your glass comes from overseas and will cost dramatically more. Your favorite $53 bottle of Moët could jump to $159. That’s not a typo – triple the current price for the same bottle.
Popular cocktails like Negronis rely heavily on European imports too. Both Campari and vermouth come from the E.U., making these classic drinks vulnerable to massive price increases. Even drinks that seem more American, like Long Island Iced Teas or martinis, contain imported ingredients that make up 24% and 17% of the drinks respectively. Bars operate on tight profit margins, so they might not be able to absorb these costs. Instead of charging $25 for a cocktail, many establishments might just remove European-heavy drinks from their menus completely. Your bottomless mimosa brunch could become a thing of the past since sparkling wine primarily comes from the E.U.
Import restrictions could affect drink availability everywhere
Beyond just higher prices, some imported drinks might become harder to find at stores and restaurants. Importers might decide certain wines and spirits aren’t worth bringing into the country if tariffs make them too expensive for most consumers to buy. This means your favorite imported drink could completely disappear from shelves rather than just costing more. Smaller importers and specialty beverage companies might struggle the most since they don’t have the same financial cushion as major corporations. When European countries imposed a 25% tariff on American whiskeys during the previous trade disputes, U.S. whiskey exports to the E.U. dropped 20%, falling from $552 million in 2018 to $440 million in 2021.
That example shows how tariffs don’t just raise prices – they actually reduce the overall amount of product being traded between countries. When the tariff was suspended in October 2022, American whiskey exports increased by 29% the following year, proving that removing trade barriers helps the beverage industry. The current situation works both ways too. When the U.S. puts tariffs on incoming products, other countries typically respond by putting tariffs on American exports going to their countries. This hurts American bourbon and whiskey makers who sell products overseas. The whole situation creates a ripple effect throughout the economy, affecting everyone from farmers growing grain for spirits to bartenders serving drinks at restaurants.
Nobody knows exactly what will happen with these proposed tariffs, but the threat alone is already affecting the beverage industry. Whether you’re a wine enthusiast, beer drinker, cocktail lover, or just someone who enjoys apple juice with breakfast, these potential price increases could affect your shopping habits. The best strategy right now is probably to stock up on your favorite imported drinks while prices are still relatively normal, though there’s no guarantee tariffs will actually be implemented as threatened. Some experts believe these announcements are negotiating tactics that might never become reality, while others think at least some tariffs will go into effect. Either way, it’s worth paying attention to drink prices over the next few months.
