Barging in France – Champagne – French Barge Cruises
Kir Royale Cocktail
If you're a wine lover, you may already know the difference between a Kir and a Kir Royale cocktail. Intrigued? Let's tickle your taste buds with everything you need to know about the making of the elegant Kir Royale – a true taste of France.
It started with a Kir
Before the Kir Royale was invented, the classic Kir was an incredibly popular drink, and one with several variations to be created by (and named after) Felix Kir. He was a Catholic priest and also the mayor of Dijon between 1945-1968. The original Kir cocktail was produced in resistance against the Nazi invasion, who were confiscating all the red wine in the region. So, in an act of defiance, Kir created cocktails using whatever white wine he could find – including the classic Kir Cocktail. Its ingredients are simple. Combine a dry white wine made with the Aligoté grapes, with Créme de Cassis, a typically Burgundian black currant liqueur. Of course, you can easily buy a bottle, but if you’d like to make it for yourself, you’ll need to macerate ripe black currants with a colorless distilled fruit brandy (known in France as “eau de vie de vin”) and plenty of sugar for sweetness.
Kir Royale Cocktail Recipe
From the terroirs of Burgundy, to the vineyards of Champagne: to elevate a glass of Kir to “royal” status, simply substitute white wine with a fine dry champagne. Voilà, an elegant cocktail fit for a king.
How to Make a Kir Royale Cocktail
It is a very easy recipe. Simply:
- Find yourself a champagne flute
- Pour one ounce of Crème de Cassis
- Top up with a dry champagne
- Garnish with a blackberry.
Variations of the Kir Cocktail
As with many famous cocktails, several variations have been created over the years. Here are some favorites:
- Kir Imperial: Champagne with raspberry liqueur
- Kir Pêche: white wine with peach liqueur
- Kir Breton: Brittany cider with Crème de Cassis and Calvados
- Kir Normand: Normandy cider with Crème de Cassis and Calvados
- Cardinal: Red wine instead of white wine, and Crème de Cassis