This is based on the shittah of the Ta”z.
The Mishnah Berurah, when discussing hilchos kiddush, does not even mention this shittah.
It should also be noted that the M”B defines chamar medinah as the drink used when there is no wine in the city, so according to him, even with a reviis it would not be okay. R’ Moshe has a more liberal definition, according to which a reviis of whiskey would be okay for Shabbos day and havdalah (although all else being equal, wine is still better).