| Really more of a "wine" for novice drinkers, i.e. teenagers, because it is very sweet and fruity. The alcohol content is higher than beer, but low enough that the novice drinker is not put off by the overwhelming spirit taste. The classic wino prefers a cheap fortified wine such as Thunderbird, because it has much more alcohol for a similar price.
While it may seem synthesized, Boone's Farm is basically a natural wine product, so its alcohol content is limited by the concentration at which the yeast responsible for the fermentation can survive, about 12-13%. I seem to recall Boone's being in the 8-10% alcohol range. The genuine rot-gut stuff like T-bird, Night Train, and Mad Dog 20/20 have grain alcohol added to bring their alcohol content up to around 20%. A cheaper buzz, but you pay the price in other ways. | 
