At your next party, try a Kir Royale Chambord recipe with a mix of Chambord and champagne. Or stick with the classic Kir with crème de cassis and white wine.
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This Recipe includes
 | Crème de Cassis (Black current) Alternatives: Crème de frambroise (raspberry), crème de pêches (peach) |
 | White wine Alternatives: Champagne, Crémant sparkling wine, or Proscecco |
Why we love it
Walk into any restaurant or brasserie in France and you will see it on the menu: Kir. It is usually under apéritifs, and is a recipe mix ofcrème de cassis(blackcurrant liqueur) topped up with a whitewine from Burgundy, such as Chablis or Aligoté. And there is the luxuriously sounding Kir Royale, with champagne. Yum!
Served chilled, a kir is usually a bit sweet and wonderfully refreshing. In France, where the main meal is usually only accompanied by wine and water, a kir is the quintessential drink, meant to be indulged in along with an appetizer or starter. A typical French meal can be quite long so strap on a seatbelt, the kir is just the start.
It originally used to be calledblanc-cassis (meaning white-cassis) but it is now named aftera man named Félix Kir, who was the mayor ofDijonin Burgundy.
The story goes that after WWII and the German Army’s confiscation of all the local red wines, Mr. Kir decided to substitute white wines into another drink to make use of the excessive amounts of white wine available.
The Burgundy region is more famous for its red wines than its whites, so it is also possible that Mr. Kir decided to combine the local white wines with crème de cassis to disguise the harvest inferiority.
Whatever his motivation, kir has now become an apéro mainstay in France, along with the southern inspired Pastis de Marseille.
☞ READ MORE: Easy Guide to the French Wines
Kir Royale with Champagne
Now white wine may be for the peasants, and so we have a Kir Royale. With champagne instead of white wine. These days sparkling wine or proscecco are just as likely to be used, as no one wants to open a full bottle of expensive champagne just to make a kir.
(In case you were wondering, the bellini co*cktail combining orange juice and champagne is quite sacrilegious in France.)
Kir Royale Chambord
If you have ever heard of Chambord Royale and wondering what that is, it is a variation of the classic Kir Royale. Instead of crème de cassis and champagne, the Kir Royale Chambord uses Chambord black raspberry Liqueur in place of creme de cassis.
Chambord is a liqueur developed in theLoireValley during the late 17th century.It is said to have been introduced tothe Sun King Louis XIV(of Palais de Versailles fame) during one of his visits to one of his many country houses, the incredibleChâteau de Chambord near Blois in the Loire valley.
Because of its royal roots, the Kir Royale Chambord is sometimes called the Kir Impérial and mixed with champagne. The liquor itself is made with a cognac base, raspberries, blackberries, Madagascan vanilla, honey and citrus.
King Louis was, of course, never served a Kir Royale Chambord (as far as I can tell anyway) since that was invented later, but I presume he had some version of a French Martini or Raspberry Diaquiri which also uses Chambord.
These days Kir Royale Chambord is mixed with champagne or a type of crémant sparkling wine from the Loire Valley. You can read more about champagnes and crémants here.
Other Kir Apéritif and co*cktail Variations
There are a lot of other variations of kir as well, using different liquers. The most common flavors you will find across France are:
- Kir Framboise– made with crème de framboise (raspberries liqueur)
- Kir Pêche– made with crème de pêches (peach liqueur)
- Kir Pétillant– made with crémant de Loire sparkling wine
However, there are more “exotic” ones that are not widely available and are usually only served locally such as:
- Cidre Royal– made with cider instead of wine, with a measure ofcalvadosadded
- Communard (orCardinal)– made with red wine instead of white wine
- Hibiscus Royale– made with sparkling wine, peach liqueur, raspberry liqueur, and an edible hibiscus flower
- Kir Berrichon– Made with red wine and crème de mûres (blackberry liqueur)
- Kir Bianco– made with sweet whiteVermouthinstead of wine.
- Kir Breton– made withBreton (Brittany)cider instead of wine.
- Kir Normand– made withNormandyciderinstead of wine.
- Kir Pamplemousse– made with red grapefruit liqueur and sparkling white wine
- Pink Russian– made with milk instead of wine
- Tarantino– made with lager or light ale. Also sometimes called “kir-beer”.
So for example, if you are Brittany, you may find Kir Breton on the menu. But don’t expect to find it in Provence!
Other kirs like the tarantino will only be found in co*cktail bars and other high-end restaurants, rather than your local French brasserie.
How to serve it?
A kir is always prepared with chilled wine from the fridge. The crème liquor does not have to be chilled.
To prepare the kir, use a champagne flute glass, and mix the ingredients in it directly to serve. Note:Do not add ice.
What to serve with it?
Kirs go well with almost anything. Consider serving it with somesocca,panisse, a savorycake saléor abaked camembert. You can find moreFrench appetizerideas here.
Kir and Kir Royale Chambord (Recipe)
Nassie Angadi
A quintessential French co*cktail apéritif, you cannot go wrong with a Kir or a Kir Royale Chambord.
4.67 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 5 minutes mins
Course Drinks
Cuisine French
Servings 1
Calories 380 kcal
Equipment
Crème de Cassis
Champagne Glass Flute (Set of 6)
Ice Bucket Stand
Ingredients
Classic Kir
- 1/4 oz of Crème de Cassis. Alternatives: crème de frambroise, crème de pêches (7.5ml)
- 5 oz of chilled white wine such as Chablis or Aligoté
Kir Royale
- 1/4 oz of Crème de Cassis. Alternatives: crème de frambroise, crème de pêches (7.5ml)
- 5 oz of chilled Champagne. Alternatives: Crémant sparkling wine or Proscecco
Kir Royale Chambord
- 1/4 oz of Chambord (7.5ml)
- 5 oz of chilled Champagne. Alternatives: Crémant sparkling wine or Proscecco
Instructions
Place white wine or champagne in the fridge at least 1/2 a day before.
In a champagne flute, pour in crème de cassis.
Top up with chilled white wine or champagne.
Serve chilled and enjoy!
Notes
If you wish for the drink to be sweeter, adjust the amount of liqueur to match your taste. More liqueur will make a sweeter drink.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 380kcalCarbohydrates: 14gSodium: 22mgSugar: 7g
Please note: We are not certified nutritionists and these estimates are approximate. Each individual’s dietary needs and restrictions are unique to the individual.
You are ultimately responsible for all decisions pertaining to your health. This website is written and produced for entertainment purposes only.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
If you enjoyed that, check out our other classic French apéritifs that are easy to prepare. À bientôt!
