The United States wine industry has been banned is the latest target of Russia’s retaliatory moves against countries that have placed sanctions on it for its invasion of Ukraine.
The Russian ‘consumer rights group’ Rospotrebnadzor today announced it is banning three types of wine from the U.S. , which join a growing list of food products from western countries that have been banned in recent months.
The American wines banned as from today are Gnarly Head Chardonnay, from Delicato Family Vineyards; Geyser Peak Merlot, produced at Geyser Peak Winery; and Crane Lake Moscato, from Crane Lake Cellars.
Rospotrebnadzor cited “excess levels of phthalic acid and pesticides” as the reason for the bans, a move aimed at influencing broader consumer perceptions of the American products.
A statement on Rospotrebnadzor’s website said “Phthalic acid … can cause functional and organic changes in the central and peripheral nerve system… also oncological illnesses and fertility problems in men and women,”
Last week Rospodtrebnadzor banned canned fish from Poland, while earlier this month it placed bans on imported food from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Albania and Montenegro.
These Russian counter-sanctions have previously included Norway, Canada, and Australia as well as the 28 European Union member states, and include fish, meat, fish, fruit and vegetables and dairy products.
Experts say that although there is no doubt some of the bans have had an adverse effect on the export earnings of several countries, especially those that have traditionally been Russia’s largest trading partners, they were also having a negative effect within Russia.
The bans have resulted in food shortages in many parts of Russia, causing discontent and fears of a return to cold war era queues for food.
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