The first wine coolers were sold in 1981. At their peak popularity, in 1987, wine cooler sales topped a billion dollars annually, and accounted for 20 percent of all wine consumed in the US.

What was the first wine cooler ever made?

California Cooler is a brand of alcoholic beverage. Although sangria has existed since wine has been made, this formula and packaging was the first to be known as a wine cooler.

When did they stop making wine coolers?

Wine Cooler's Untimely End

On New Year's Day, 1991, Congress more than quintupled the excise tax on wine from $. 17/gallon to $1.07/gallon. This made wine blending bad business and effectively ushered in the era of the malternative beverage.