As American wineries struggle, is ‘Buy American’ the solution?

Earlier this year, winemaker Patrick Cappiello of Monte Rio Cellars, a small producer of wines from Lodi and Mendocino in California, made a in an Instagram post to his 37,000 followers. “American wineries are struggling right now,” he said. “We have a huge amount of inventory and a huge decrease in sales.

.. Drink our wines, buy our wines,” Cappiello implored, challenging his followers to “buy only American wine for two months.

” Because otherwise, many American wineries you love will go out of business, he warned. Cappiello’s appeal sparked widespread discussion in an industry facing coupled with sharp downward trends in consumption. Globally, wine consumption has in 2023 from peak figures in 2007.

And in the U.S., where the , wine sales have faltered as increasingly health-conscious consumers are drinking less alcohol, or seeking alternatives to wine like spirits, cannabis or premade canned cocktails.

Cappiello’s message struck an alarm for the dire situation of many small American wineries, but it also sparked concern about whether “Buy American” as an ethos makes sense when it comes to wine. Wine, unlike most consumer goods, is uniquely celebrated for its diversity — the vast, kaleidoscopic landscape of regions, grapes and styles associated with it. “The magic of wine is the ability to expand people’s horizons with stories of all the different places and people that produce it,” explains Isabella Tenorio, the head sommelier for RPM Restaurants, .