California winemakers' concern over new Chinese tariffs is all about the future

China imports quite a bit of wine, however, very little comes from the United States. At the same time, per capita consumption of wine in China remains very low. So why are California winemakers anxious about tariffs newly imposed by China on U.S. wine? Because China's wine consumption habits are expected to change, reported UC ANR experts in an article posted on The Conversation and NPR websites.

"China is the world's fastest-growing wine market and is expected to soon become the second largest (wine market), after the U.S.," wrote UC Davis wine economist Julian M. Alsten, director of UC ANR's Agricultural Issues Center Daniel Sumner, and post-doctoral scholar Olena Sambucci.

Economists who have studied these markets project further significant growth in China's demand for wine, including premium wine imports, the article said.

"This would make getting pushed out of China especially troubling at a time when global per capita wine consumption has been declining, especially in Europe," the authors wrote.

California winemakers are concerned about new Chinese tariffs on wine imports, even though per capita consumption of wine in the country remains low. 'It's all about the future,' say UC ANR experts. (Photo: UCCE Mendocino County)

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