Latest news with #Sevillano
Int'l Business Times
08-08-2025
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
'Optimistic': Champagne Growers Hope For US Tariff Shift
Champagne growers say President Donald Trump's tariffs on European goods will hurt sales to the United States, their biggest export market, but hope that the sector may yet escape the new duties. Trump's steeper global tariffs, including a maximum 15 percent on EU goods, came into effect on Thursday, upending global trade. "It's going to hurt," said Christine Sevillano, a champagne grower and head of the independent champagne makers association. The US market accounts for nearly 10 percent of her turnover, Sevillano told AFP at her family-owned organic vineyard. Like many growers here, she hopes that ongoing talks between the European Commission -- which negotiates trade deals on behalf of EU members -- and the US government may yet result in a better deal for her sector. "I want to be optimistic," she said. "We sell an optimistic product, an optimistic wine." The champagne industry sells about 10 percent of its production volume to the US market, and 14 percent of its total output value, representing 820 million euros ($955 million), according to 2024 figures provided by the Comite Champagne industry association. Sevillano's US importers are "in a kind of limbo", she said. "They clearly hope that the Trump administration will change course." But unless it does, "the situation will become difficult for my importers", she said. Orders have already started to dry up over recent months, with the tariff threat compounded by US inflationary pressures weighing on consumer spending and the dollar exchange rate. The French producers are not the only ones set to suffer from Trump's tariffs, said Maxime Toubart, Comite Champagne's co-president. "Of course these tariffs weigh on our operations, our vineyards and our businesses," he said. "The entire value chain will suffer," he told AFP, from small-time Champagne growers and to US end-consumers. The economic impact on the US itself "has not yet been properly studied", he said. Ongoing EU-US negotiations, meanwhile, were "good news", he said. France's wine and spirits association FEVS said there was a chance that the French drinks sector could yet become exempt from the blanket tariffs. "That's our target, and precisely our message to the governments of France and the other EU members," it said. Toubart said champagne makers want to remain "very present" in the US market that is "very important for us". But amid US uncertainty, they will also seek to make up for lost American sales by targeting countries in southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa, said Toubart. "There are other markets waiting to be opened up," he said. Champagne professionals expect American importers and consumers to suffer, too AFP
New York Post
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Modern Miami-area manse seeks $35M in gated community
A $35 million Golden Beach, Fla., waterfront home with gold-plated neighbors — like Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim and rapper French Montana — is making waves of its own. The new-construction modern manse, completed earlier this year, combines stone, wood and glass — and is centered around a 100-year-old Sevillano olive tree. It's part of the gated Golden Beach community in Miami-Dade County, which features its own police force, beach club, tennis courts, and a new gym and spa. Advertisement 14 French Montana. Getty Images 14 This modern beach house uplevels the gated Golden Beach community. Become Legendary / Dina Goldentayer 14 Entertaining by the Intracoastal is a mere $35 million. Become Legendary / Dina Goldentayer Advertisement 14 Natural wood and stone bring warmth to the residence's modern design. Become Legendary / Dina Goldentayer 14 There's plenty of room for outdoor entertainment. Become Legendary / Dina Goldentayer Past residents there include Bill Gates, Ricky Martin and Tommy Hilfiger. At 7,635 square feet, the home, at 194 S Island, features six bedrooms, six bathrooms and two powder rooms — on one-third of an acre. It was designed by architect Farid Chacón with interiors by Fanny Haim. Advertisement Design details include a double-height foyer with 24-foot-high ceilings, an eat-in chef's kitchen, a formal dining room and a grand salon with a built-in bookshelf and a fireplace. There's also a waterfront lounge and a travertine bar, along with oak-paneled walls, hardwood and marble floors, and custom millwork. 14 One of the bedrooms has a sitting area. Become Legendary / Dina Goldentayer 14 A statement room with a built-in bookcase. Become Legendary / Dina Goldentayer 14 The open chef's kitchen and breakfast bar is a great reason to be an early riser. Become Legendary / Dina Goldentayer Advertisement An 'architectural' staircase leads to a second-floor library lounge and four bedroom suites. The main suite features a dressing room, a spa-like bath and a terrace overlooking the Intracoastal. There's also a home theater, a wine cellar that holds up to 48 bottles, a gym with a sauna, an elevator and staff rooms. 14 The outdoor touches are both chic and useful in the hot Florida sun. Become Legendary / Dina Goldentayer 14 Dramatic statement stairs and lighting inside the dwelling. Become Legendary / Dina Goldentayer 14 A cozy reading nook. Become Legendary / Dina Goldentayer 14 Mexican magnate Carlos Slim is a neighbor. REUTERS 14 Entertain your friends with an Intracoastal view. Become Legendary / Dina Goldentayer Advertisement 14 The stairs are a highlight of the luxurious home. Become Legendary / Dina Goldentayer Outside features include a 53-foot, resort-style saltwater pool; a pool deck with a cabana; a kitchen; a sun-protected lounge; a new deepwater dock that can hold up to a 65-foot boat and a seawall. The sellers are Michelle and Michael G. Klinger, of Saber Real Estate, who bought the land for $6.25 million in 2021 and then built their dream house. 'There are many nice homes in the community, but this is next level,' said Douglas Elliman broker Dina Goldentayer, who shares the listing with Joel Lusky of the Brokerage South Florida.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'Everyone worried' by Trump tariffs in France's champagne region
With the United States the largest export market for champagne, producers of France's leading sparkling wine had little to celebrate on Thursday about facing an additional 20 percent tariff, although they held out hope for negotiations. "We're all worried about the decisions made by the American president," said David Chatillon, copresident of the Comite Champagne that is the trade association for the industry. Trump spared almost no nation on Wednesday, hitting friends and foes alike and reserving some of the harshest tariffs for major trade partners, including the European Union and China. EU products will face an additional 20 percent tariff from next week. Some chose to look at the decision as a glass half full as Trump had threatened last month to slap EU wine and alcohol with 200-percent tariffs, and singled out champagne. "So with that, we've gone from 200 percent to 20 percent, and no specific sectors," said Vitalie Taittinger, who heads up her family's namesake champagne house. Trump's use of the word of reciprocal in describing the measures "can lead one to think that there's hope and room for negotiation," she told AFP. The champagne house, which ages its wines in cellars adapted from chalk pits dating from the 4th century, exports some 600,000 bottles annually to the United States, its second-largest market. Taittinger said she hopes the EU and United States can avoid public posturing and a political overreaction and to engage in measured negotiations to find a resolution. - 'Additional burden' - Maxime Toubart, the other copresident of the Comite Champagne said "the entire industry is mobilised against this tax" which "puts in danger our presence on the American market" as well the economic viability of the sector and the Champagne region. The trade group said champagne is "a key element of the French economy" with nearly six billion euros ($6.7 billion) in annual sales. Nearly 30 million bottles of champagne worth 810 million euros were exported to the United States last year "With these 20-percent tariffs we'll have a drop in volumes, but that doesn't mean that the (US) market is finished for us, which could have been the case with 200-percent tariffs," said Christine Sevillano, head of the Champagne independent vintners trade association. But the additional US levies are "an additional burden to all of those that we already have," said Sevillano, pointing to climate change and regulatory directives. "The United States is after all a very important market which had been rising in terms of volume and value recently," she added. - 'Won't give up' - Sevillano, who exploits nearly eight hectares (20 acres) in the Marne river valley, said small independent vintners are at a disadvantage compared to large champagne houses, as developing export markets is costly and time consuming. "Were my investments just money for nothing? Will my new partners work with me? I don't know." But Sevillano said she "won't give up because it's a lot of money, after all". She expressed hope that politicians on both sides of the Atlantic would opt to deescalate the situation and find a solution. The wider wine and spirits sector also hopes negotiations could lead to the additional tariff being removed. In 2024, the EU shipped eight billion euros in alcoholic beverages to the United States, its top export market. Wine accounted for five billion of those exports. cor-vid-etb-kau/rl/rmb
