DAMMERON VALLEY, Utah — They're about to start pruning the vines at the Boyd and Delaney Winery in Dammeron Valley, where local wineries in southern Utah are talking about big changes that might be happening to the beer and wine industry.
Six local wineries in the area have formed the Utah Wine Trail and have applied to be a federally-recognized grape growing region.
"Napa Valley, 100 years ago when everybody was just starting to sit down and put ideas together and commit to growing grapes, developing their style of wine production, and all of those things are happening now in southern Utah," said John Delaney, a winemaker at Boyd and Delaney Winery.
However, a major price hike on imported beer and wine, by as much as 200%, could be on the horizon as President Trump says he may add a tariff on European spirits if Europe follows through on tariffs on American whiskey.
Most of Bold and Delaney's customers are local and loyal, but the winery admits there is uncertainty for the industry as a whole. Delaney believes the issue isn’t so much the tariff taxes on the wine as much as the materials he uses to make it, such as barrels imported from France to get the right flavor.
"Could it be bottles are more expensive that are produced in China and places like that? Yes, absolutely," Delaney said. "And it's small for us, but we've planned ahead to maybe ride this wave out a little bit, ordered our wine bottles early before the big tariffs are set."
Delaney added that the winery is a small fish in the big barrel, but a small fish who hopes their vineyard can make a big splash while navigating shifting tides.
