re: Will these tariffs be a death blow for some small businesses?

quote:

---

yeah, California wine industry finna eat. (did I say that correctly?)

---

One thing I know... Is that there is no way I could tell a 'good' California wine form a 'good' french wine.

quote:

---

One thing I know... Is that there is no way I could tell a 'good' California wine form a 'good' french wine.

---

Yes and no. Anyone who says X wine is better than Y wine is likely a silly person. However, the styles of production tend to be quite different. California grows a ton of Cab Sav because it grows well in California. The US market drinks a lot of straight Cab Sav. On the other hand, Europe usually blends Cab Sav with Merlot to round out the structure. That’s why a California Cab tastes very different from a French Bordeaux. One isn’t better or worse; they are different.

But that example is the one that most splits hairs. To go back to Chardonnay, outside of a few California producers like Chappellet, California Chards are giant oak/butter bombs. If you like that, more power to you. But I guarantee that literally any adult in the country can immediately taste the difference between a “normal” California Chard and a “normal” French Chard. They don’t even taste like the same varietal.

And then a step beyond that is that there are tons of varietals that simply aren’t grown here in any appreciable amount. If you don’t drink one of these varietals, you likely need to look outside of the borders of the US:

quote:

---

Plenty of Pinot Noir from Oregon

---

I’m aware. This was my last post, and Pinot was primarily what I had in mind re: Oregon and Washington:

quote:

---

No reason not to drink California, Washington, and Oregon sometimes. But all the time? There are tons of varietals that don’t grow well, or aren’t produced well, in the US. The red portfolio is better, but unless you like your Chardonnay ruined with new oak and heavy malolactic fermentation, the US portfolio of white wine is a disaster.

---

If you drink Cab and Pinot, you’ll be ok. French pinot drinks a bit differently than Oregon pinot, but they are mostly close enough. Merlot is probably fine as well.

Once you get outside of that, things get different quickly. And again, if you drink any white wine, the US is a train wreck. The fact that Zin is our highest production white grape is case in point.

quote:

---

Didn’t expect this to turn into a wine discussion, but you’re 100% right. American white wine is awful.

---

We’ve talked tariffs to death; at least this is different

quote:

---

The fact is; wine consumption in terms of gallons per person is way, way down and has been reported by numerous outlets

---

If it makes you feel any better my wife and her friends are doing everything they can to prop up the industry.

You are not well informed. There are 1000s of small businesses selling products that they buy from China. Their costs have doubled. Many of these businesses are in towns all across the nation. Some are likely running their business out of their house in your neighborhood. Is that local enough?

I have a small business that sell men’s formal clothing in the New Orleans area. Luckily I’ve established a good reputation with wholesalers to get net 90 - 120 day terms to stock up on my every day items before the tariffs kicked in. All future orders vendors have told us between a 10-20% increase in price so fall winter items I’m definitely gonna feel the hit of the tariffs unless something with China changes.

quote:

---

Cold hard truth. Alcohol consumption has plummeted in the US.

---

I'm not seeing it. The late 70s/early 80s look to be the peak per capita alcohol consumption and we are lower than that but I'm not seeing the historic lows in overall alcohol or wine consumption?

Figure 1. Total per capita ethanol consumption, United States, 1935–2022.

quote:

---

Wine consumption (in terms of gallons) is at a historic low. We’re talking about numbers not seen since the 60’s-70’s…

---

Figure 2. Per capita ethanol consumption by beverage type, United States, 1977–2022.


Figure 3. Percentage change in per capita ethanol consumption, United States, 1977–2022.


LINK

quote:

---

The fact is; wine consumption in terms of gallons per person is way, way down and has been reported by numerous outlets.

---

Do you have that data? I'm not saying you're lying or even wrong, I'm just saying the data I'm seeing is saying the exact opposite. I'm not in the industry, maybe you have some insight that I don't, but this study says the exact opposite.

I do see that younger people (Gen Z) are drinking less though. LINK

quote:

---

I sell things that americans don't want to make
gym shorts-Tshirts and baseball hats

ALL to small businesses

---

No businesses like that around me. Sounds like maybe something you'd find in larger metros.