That has also rung true to me in the Mediterranean. But it does make you wonder if the wine is actually so good, or it just tastes better on vacation.

The US also has very high taxes on wine compared to the wine-producing countries of Europe (which AFAIK subsidize it).

Similar to how a pack of cigarettes costs $15 in NYC and $6 in Raleigh, NC.

Interesting that it’s $6 there, when it can apparently be sold profitably for $1 elsewhere:

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_price_rankings...

Yep, the economic cost of tobacco has no reason to be higher than any other plant.

Even in Raleigh, there are taxes on tobacco.

There are also 3.5€ spanish wines that are suprisingly really good. I am french btw.

Eventually, more often than not the temperature control and matching wine with what you eat matters more than anything.

I couldn't say, I don't buy German stuff. Everything I have is local or picked on the road when travelling in the country. There's no point importing wine.

You could get some really nice local red table wines in Baden-Württemberg for 3-4 Euro for a 750 ml bottle last time I was there.

German wine in the USA is just mass market Rieslings and maybe an ice wine and nothing else. We’d always joke that they save the good stuff for themselves.

According to Google Shopping, the typical price range is from 19€ to 50€.

Wagner Vineyards in upstate NY has ice wine for $30/375ml, $27 (12+) and $24 if you join their club (cult?). Depending on the exchange rate, that can be about 20 Euros.

This needs to account for bottle size. In US and Canada, at least, icewine is typically sold in smaller containers.