A Wine Born from 17 Weeks of Rain | The Story Behind a Niagara Bottle

A wine born in a year when it rained for 17 weeks.
Southbrook Framboise, born from 3 tons of leftover raspberries.
Introducing the secret story of its birth, international competition awards, and how to drink it for wine lovers.

The day the raspberry field became wine

The birth of wine is often talked about with romance, but Southbrook's Framboise starts with reality.

In the summer of 1992, it rained almost every weekend, and as a result, customers didn't come to the pick-your-own raspberry field, leaving over 3 tons (3.5 tons in other records) of fruit in the field—an amount that couldn't be processed into jam.

Normally, you'd cry. Or face a deficit? Bankruptcy? But Southbrook was different.
"Let's try making a fortified wine like port, but with raspberries instead of grapes"—with this idea, they tried a few times and completed the Framboise we have today.

In other words, this is
a miraculous dessert wine born because the weather was too bad.

As those who read my blog may already suspect, I often introduce wineries and shops that turn desperate situations into opportunities, rather than just success stories. This winery is one of them.

About the winery called Southbrook

Southbrook is a producer based in Niagara-on-the-Lake that is serious about organic, biodynamic, and regenerative practices. It is introduced as a winery that has accumulated certifications as a pioneer in Canada.
Moreover, their hospitality building is LEED Gold certified (2008), showing they are serious about environmental design as well.

What's interesting is that while Framboise might look like an irregular fruit wine, it actually reflects Southbrook's philosophy (land, agriculture, sustainability). It is officially stated that "fruit wines are made with Ontario fruit."

Framboise doesn't end with just being sweet

The charm of Framboise is that it is sweet but not sloppy.
Even on their official history page, it is said that the "intense fruit flavor like it was just-picked" was a hit both domestically and internationally, leading to major awards.

Wine lovers tend to be wary of sweetness, don't they?
When tasting, you might think sweet is a no-go. I understand.
You don't like that sticky sensation in your mouth, right?
But this isn't "sweet = dessert," but rather "sweetness = fruit density." When you drink it chilled, the red aroma of raspberries rises up, and the finish lands properly as a wine. It doesn't feel like juice.

The Framboise that won at competitions

The story suddenly gets big from here.
Framboise is told as a story from that time, being "the first Ontario wine to be sold at Harrods, one of the largest and oldest luxury department stores in the UK."
Furthermore, its competition track record is intense, with an incident at an international fruit wine competition in New Zealand where it took1st and 3rd place out of 750 entries. There are even descriptions of it receiving gold-class evaluations at other international wine competitions and being the only selection in the Canadian category in a Decanter magazine feature (late 90s).

They turned sweetness into a weapon rather than an escape, and won globally.
Having drunk it without knowing it won this competition, I felt a little sense of superiority for realizing, "I knew it! It's completely different from the others!"

Recommended Pairings & Serving Suggestions

Southbrook's Framboise is made exclusively from Royalty raspberries, resulting in a beautiful ruby color, a fresh raspberry aroma, and a pleasant medium body. The finish is sweet with a subtle acidity, leaving a long, fruity aftertaste.
Because of this, it is one of the few wines that pairs perfectly with chocolate desserts. It not only enhances the flavor of summer cocktails but is also recommended for making a classic 'Kir Royale' by mixing it with champagne.
In short, here is the conclusion.

・For a serious approach: Chill it well and serve with a chocolate dessert.
・For a party: Mix it with sparkling wine to bring out the aroma and enjoy a 'Kir Royale' while chatting with friends in the garden!

This is exactly what a wine lover needs for their day off: the 'right way to use sweetness.' I believe the moment you set a sweet wine as your final glass, it determines the quality of the entire meal.

Summary: The Framboise that traveled the world and collected medals

The rain kept falling, there were extra raspberries, so we tried making it port-style.
That coincidence led it to Harrods, won it competitions, andthe Framboise that traveled the world and collected medalsis still talked about today.

I think wine is ultimately an art of 'land x people x coincidence.'
Framboise has all of those in abundance. That's why it hits home. It hits home even more for wine lovers.

If you are going on a wine tour in Niagara, the right way to do it is to go and drink a bottle with a story like this, along with the local atmosphere. Wineries like Southbrook, which have an organic/biodynamic philosophy, will change the way you see wine before and after you visit.

On a TorontoKiKi tour, we don't just stop at tasting; we build a route that lets you enjoy the experience while understanding 'why this land produces this flavor.' Why not make a bottle with a story like Framboise the highlight of your trip?