President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened a 200% tariff on European wine, Champagne and spirits if the European Union goes forward with a planned 50% tariff on American whiskey. Wine sellers and importers said a tariff of that size would essentially shut down the European wine business in the U.S.

The owner of one of France's top Bordeaux wine chateaux hopes U.S. President Donald Trump's threat of 200% tariffs on European wine is just posturing because the impact would be devastating if not.

This move by Trump was seen by French Foreign Trade Minister Laurent Saint-Martin as the start of a trade war.