Overview

• The United States has set a 15% levy on European wines, ending months of uncertainty but raising costs for German exporters and risking the loss of Rheingau listings in US restaurants.
• State ministers responsible for viticulture will hold their first dedicated cross-state meeting on November 20–21 at Kloster Eberbach to coordinate responses beyond the regular agriculture conference.
• Hesse’s Ingmar Jung urges wineries to pursue new markets, develop innovative products, and engage consumers with regional quality while calling for planning certainty in trade policy.
• Only about 42% of wine consumed in Germany is domestically produced as overall consumption declines, with younger people drinking less and older consumers cutting back for health reasons.
• Officials point to ongoing EU–US talks this autumn and a planned EU wine support package as potential relief while the sector confronts what industry bodies describe as a deep structural crisis.