The Classic Kir is a very simple cocktail consisting of just two ingredients: Crème de Cassis blackcurrant liqueur and dry white wine. However, behind the simplicity, as often happens, lies not so much genius, but at least versatility, a lot of nuances and a curious story in which the hero of the Resistance and vile Nazis appear. You need to know how to cook!
Kir is a popular French cocktail made from blackcurrant liqueur (Crème de Cassis) and dry white wine. In France, it is usually served before meals as a traditional aperitif. It is one of the official cocktails of the International Bartenders Association (IBA), in the Modern Classics category.
If you like berry-flavored drinks, then this classic version is a great choice. This is the perfect wine cocktail for quiet gatherings with friends, a business meeting or a casual party, because it is very easy to prepare and, depending on the wine chosen, there is a chance to stay on your hard-earned money. In addition, Crème de Cassis can and should even be made by yourself – the homemade version of blackcurrant liqueur works in this aperitif and its main variety, the Kir Royale cocktail, just fine!
Cocktail Kir / Kir
A classic IBA recipe.
Cooking 1 minute
Total 1 minute
Portions 1
Ingredients
- 90 ml dry white wine
- 10 ml Crème de Cassis
Instructions
Pour Crème de Cassis into a flute glass or small white wine glass.
Add chilled wine and stir.
Field notes
Some cocktail variations…
- Cyrus Royal (Kir Royal) – use dry champagne instead of wine.
- Cider Royale (Cidre Royal) – instead of wine, use cider with the addition of Calvados (as much as Cassis).
- Cardinal (Communard / Cardinal) – use dry red instead of white wine.
- Hibiscus Royale (Hibiscus Royal) – Cook with sparkling wine, peach and raspberry liqueurs, garnish with a hibiscus flower.
- Keir Berrichon (Kir Berrichon) – named after Berrichon, a French dialect typical of the province of Berry; cook with red wine and blackberry liqueur (Crème de Mûres).
- Tarantino / Beer Royale (Kir Bière / Tarantino) – Use lager or pale ale instead of wine.
- Kir Blanco (Kir Bianco) – Instead of wine, use sweet white vermouth.
- Cyrus Breton (Kir Breton) – named after Breton, a Celtic language spoken in Brittany, France; use Breton cider instead of wine.
- Kir Imperial (Kir Impérial) – use raspberry liqueur (Crème de Framboise, Chambord) instead of Crème de Cassis, and champagne instead of wine.
- Cyrus Normand (Kir Normand) – Use Normandy cider instead of wine.
- Grapefruit Kir (Kir Pamplemousse) – made with grapefruit liqueur and white sparkling wine.
- Peach Kir (Kir Pêche) – Use peach liqueur (Crème de Pcheche) instead of Crème de Cassis.
- Sparkling Cyrus (Kir Pétillant) – use sparkling wine instead of wine.
- Pink Russian (Pink Russian) – Use milk instead of wine.
How to cook perfect kir
Contrary to popular belief, neither Kir nor Kir Royal should be overly sweet or overly colored cocktails. The ideal combination of liquor and wine should lead to a drink of a delicate “ruddy” color, which has an invigorating and refreshing effect, with a subtle taste of blackcurrant and a slight sweetness – there should be just enough sugar to level the acidity of the wine, but at the same time not make the drink liqueur. A large amount of Crème de Cassis destroys the necessary freshness, making the cocktail too sweet and alcoholic – the essence of the aperitif as such is lost.
The classic version of the cocktail involves only 1/10 of the liquor, which is largely dictated by the trend – the younger generation prefers drier cocktails. But in most French sources other proportions are indicated, more often 1/5 or even 1/3. In practice, it is 1/5 of Crème de Cassis and 4/5 of wine or champagne that make for the perfect pairing.
It is also important to pour the liquor first, and then the chilled wine – this way the cocktail mixes well and can be drunk immediately. Cassis is best used at room temperature, when it is most fluid and dissolves as evenly as possible in the wine.
Burgundy kirs are traditionally made from very dry, very acidic local wines, known to us as Aligoté, which easily offset the sweetness of the liquor. Today, however, different French wines are used to make a cocktail, depending on the region and the whim of the bartender.
Many prefer Chardonnay from Burgundy, in particular from the Chablis region. In fact, you can take any other wine, as long as it is dry, with a neutral taste and high acidity. As practice shows, just simple and relatively inexpensive wines work best, which are often the representatives of Chablis. Don’t like white wine? Use red, cider or even beer. Yes, the cocktail is completely different, but the meaning is the same – a light, refreshing aperitif for every day.
As for the more popular version of the cocktail, the legend Kir Royal, which has become the No. Traditionally, Kir Royal’s recipe includes champagne, not cheap sparkling wines, so it is prepared in France only for special occasions. But other sparkling wines, such as prosecco, lambrusco, and the like, work just as well. The main thing is that the drink is dry and sour, and this is a rarity.
Look for sparkling wines that are labeled Ultra Brut / Brut Nature / Extra Brut / Brut Zero (up to 6% residual sugar). Refuse dry and especially semi-sweet sparkling wines right away – you won’t get anything worthwhile from them, personally verified (goodbye Soviet)!
A lot has been said about wine, but nothing about the more significant Crème de Cassis. The liquor plays a very important role here and a high quality version is an absolute must. A good blackcurrant liqueur relies on ripe blackcurrants soaked in alcohol and sweetened with sugar or honey. Cheap Creme de Cassis, made from extracts and fruit flavors, cannot carry the balance and complexity that is inherent in a drink made from natural raw materials. It was not without reason that I mentioned the homemade version of the liquor, which is more honest and correct.
Freshness also matters: after opening a bottle of Crème de Cassis, it must be kept in the refrigerator and used within 4 months. Alternatives to Cassis: Crème de Mûres (blackberry), Crème de Pcheche (peach), Crème de Framboise / Chambord (raspberry).
Kir cocktail history
Cyrus’ story is said to begin in 1904, when a waiter at Cafe George (Dijon, France, today Bar Tabac Le Montchapet) named Faivre came up with the idea of mixing wine and Creme de Cassis. He called the new drink Cassis Blanc. Later, the prominent political figure Canon Felix Cyr, a former priest, a hero of the Resistance during the Second World War and mayor of Dijon from 1945 to 1968, took up the popularization of the local aperitif, which was quickly gaining popularity in Burgundy.
According to legend, all worthy red wines of Burgundy were plundered and exported by the Nazis, and the white wines of the region could not boast of outstanding taste. Then the newly minted mayor, an ardent champion of local products, decided to save Burgundy winemakers by treating all his high-ranking guests with a local Cassis Blanc aperitif based on Crème de Cassis and Burgundy Aligote.
After hundreds of such receptions, the cocktail first got the name “Canon Cyrus aperitif”, later – “Father Cyrus” and, finally, simply Cyrus. In 1951, when Cyrus became truly famous not only in France, but also far beyond its borders, Roger Damidot, a local manufacturer of Cassis (Lejay Lagoute SAS), asked the mayor to give him permission to use his name for commercial purposes. The mayor, apparently succumbing to flattery, granted such permission, and Roger patented the trade name “Kir” in 1952.
Later, other manufacturers tried to get the right to produce products with the name Kir, but Lejay Lagoute defended their rights to the last, citing a patent in numerous courts. So only this company was able to launch Cyrus and Cyrus Royale, already mixed in a bottle, on the market.