In response to steep levies imposed on European wines, a Brooklyn retailer has adopted an unconventional tactic: combing through American cellars for European bottles that have already landed on U.S. soil. The proprietor of Leon & Son, a fashionable wine shop in Brooklyn that relies on imports for roughly 90% of its revenue, is buying rare vintages from private collections and restaurant cellars and putting them up for sale via online auctions.
"Theres a lot of wine here already, a lot of really good wine," the shop owner said, describing the auction plan as a pragmatic workaround to tariffs. The idea grew out of concern about how new import levies would affect his business, which has historically depended on foreign wines.
Wines set to appear in the initial auction include Italian labels that are no longer produced and have been kept in a personal collection for years, alongside bottles taken from a New York restaurants cellar that were linked to past menu pairings the establishment no longer offers. By trading in bottles that are physically present in the United States, the retailer aims to avoid additional charges that would apply on fresh imports.
The retailers strategy is one among many adjustments businesses are making as recent trade measures increase costs for imported goods. Tariffs have been applied to a broad range of products, including French champagne, Italian barolo and Spanish rioja, as part of a larger U.S. policy to reshape trade relations with several partners. Under an EU-U.S. trade arrangement implemented last August, certain European wines faced a 15% levy on arrival in the United States. In February, a set of tariffs - including those targeting European goods - was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, but they were promptly replaced by new levies that still include at least a 10% charge on European items.
Proponents of the tariffs argue they respond to what they describe as deep U.S. deficits with many trading partners and seek to rebalance commerce. U.S. wine enterprises warned that the measures would hurt the industry, and Leon & Son is one of thousands of firms reassessing sourcing, pricing and sales channels as a result.
Some U.S. wine merchants are reacting by shifting to domestic substitutes or opting for lower-priced imported brands to limit the impact of rising costs. As tariff-related price increases accelerate into 2026, these substitutions are becoming more common among retailers and restaurateurs concerned about margins and consumer price sensitivity.
Newer auction platforms are emerging as an alternative distribution route for high-end bottles, and some industry participants see room for innovation. Vanessa Price, a wine director, restaurateur and author of Big Macs & Burgundy, noted that fresh auction models could challenge the traditional domain of long-established houses that have historically handled fine-wine sales. "There is still plenty of room... to come in and shake things up," she said, adding that the world of fine wine remains mysterious to many potential buyers and thus open to new approaches.
The Brooklyn retailers effort to tap into U.S.-held stocks of European wine illustrates how entrepreneurs are adapting operationally to shifting trade policy. By focusing on bottles already in the country and leveraging online auctions, the shop seeks to preserve access to sought-after labels without absorbing the full weight of new import levies.
Industry watchers say that the approach underscores how trade policy can ripple through retail, restaurants, distribution and specialty auction markets. For merchants that rely heavily on imported wine, the decisions they take now - whether to source domestically, switch to cheaper imports or pursue alternative sales channels - will shape margins and assortment choices as tariff schedules evolve.
Context limitations: This article reflects the facts and statements provided by the retailer and other participants regarding tariff actions, business responses and auction plans. It does not introduce additional data or events beyond those described.