What Happened to Cisco Fortified Wine?

Cisco was a fortified wine produced by Canandaigua Wine Company (now Constellation Brands) that became one of the most notorious alcoholic beverages of the late 1980s and early 1990s. With 20% alcohol by volume—nearly triple the strength of regular wine—Cisco was sold in small bottles that resembled juice containers, complete with fruity flavors and colorful labels.

The product's notoriety stemmed from several factors. First, its high alcohol content and low price point (typically under $2) made it extremely popular among low-income drinkers, homeless populations, and young people seeking cheap intoxication. Second, the juice-like packaging and sweet flavors masked the high alcohol content, leading inexperienced drinkers to consume it like a soft drink with devastating results.

Cisco earned the street nickname "liquid crack" in urban communities, where it was associated with public intoxication, violence, and medical emergencies. Emergency room doctors reported numerous alcohol poisoning cases linked specifically to Cisco, with patients often unaware they had consumed such high-proof alcohol due to the deceptive packaging.

The crisis reached a tipping point in 1991 when public health officials, community activists, and media outlets began highlighting Cisco's role in alcohol-related harm, particularly in African American and low-income communities. Critics accused Canandaigua of targeting vulnerable populations with predatory marketing—selling dangerous levels of alcohol in packaging designed to look innocuous.

Facing intense public pressure, potential lawsuits, and regulatory scrutiny, Canandaigua reformulated Cisco in 1991. The alcohol content was reduced from 20% to 13.9% ABV (still high for wine, but below the 14% threshold that would classify it as "fortified wine" requiring special warning labels). The packaging was also changed to look less like juice and more like a standard wine product.

While Cisco technically still exists in its reformulated version, the original 20% ABV "liquid crack" formula disappeared by 1992. The brand never regained significant market presence and remains obscure today. However, the Cisco controversy became a landmark case in discussions about alcohol marketing ethics, particularly regarding products that target low-income communities.

The incident also foreshadowed later battles over other problematic alcohol products: Four Loko in 2010 (caffeinated malt liquor) and various super-strength malt liquors that faced similar criticism for high alcohol content and youth-oriented marketing. Cisco remains a cautionary tale about how product design, alcohol content, and marketing can combine to create public health disasters.