Chile wine exports slump as US imposes new tariffs

The United States raised the tariff on Chilean wine to an additional 12.5% on July 24, ending the zero‑tariff status that had existed under the bilateral trade agreement. The increase, justified by concerns over forced‑labour safeguards, was applied to all bottled wine imports from Chile.

Chile’s wine sector reported a sharp decline in the first half of 2026, with exports to the United States falling 33% in value and 23% in volume compared with the same period a year earlier. Market share slipped from 6.1% to 5.4% of U.S. wine imports, a gap of about 25 percentage points in value versus other destinations. Vinos de Chile, represented by general manager Claudio Cilveti, attributes the drop directly to the new tariff, noting that other Chilean products such as copper by‑products, fruits and salmon remain subject to different duties.

The tariff dispute has sparked a broader debate in Chile about the future of the free‑trade system that has underpinned its economy for decades. Government officials are pursuing diplomatic and commercial measures to protect national interests while critics warn that unilateral tariffs could undermine the rules‑based international trading order.