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All cocktails Kir Apéritif

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Kir Apéritif

Aperitivo/aperitif · Classic/vintage · Fruity (e.g. Pornstar Martini)

4.1 16 ratings

Ingredients

2 1/2 oz Bourgogne Aligoté
5/6 oz Crème de cassis
4 drop Orange flower water
2 1/2 oz Bourgogne Aligoté

How to make

Serve in a goblet glass

Prepare

  1. 1 Select a GOBLET GLASS.
  2. 2 No garnish to prepare.

Method

  1. 3 POUR half the chilled wine into chilled glass.
  2. 4 POUR chilled cassis into glass.
  3. 5 ADD (optional) orange blossom water.
  4. 6 TOP with rest of the chilled wine.

Garnish

  1. 7 Serve naked, without garnish.

Flavour profile

2.6% alc./vol. · 0.3 standard drinks · 183 calories

History

A 1:5-7 ratio of crème de cassis to Bourgogne Aligoté is recommended over the traditional sweet 1:2 build, for a clean, crisp blackcurrant and wine mix.

The Kir Apéritif is believed to have originated in 1904, created by a waiter named Faivre at the Café George, 42 Rue de Montchapet, Dijon, France. This establishment is now a bar and tobacco shop known as Café Le Montchapet. Faivre's creation was initially called 'Cassis Blanc.' However, it gained broader recognition as the 'Kir' due to the advocacy of Canon Félix Kir, a prominent politician and WWII resistance hero. As the Mayor of Dijon, he actively promoted local products at civic events. He popularized the blend of local crème de cassis and white Bourgogne Aligoté wine, which subsequently became known as Canon Kir's aperitif, then Father Kir's, and finally, simply Kir. Félix Kir experienced a remarkable life. He served as a Catholic priest at the start of World War II and became a significant figure in the resistance against the German occupation, earning the French Honour Cross. In 1945, he was elected to the French Parliament as a 'député' and also became the mayor of Dijon. He held the mayoral position until his death in 1968, at the age of 92, after being re-elected four times. Bourgogne Aligoté is a white wine produced in France's Burgundy region from the Aligoté grape, designated by an Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC). This wine is typically light and acidic, usually without oak aging. The appellation permits the inclusion of up to 15% Chardonnay in the blend. Therefore, a suggestion is made to use an unoaked Chardonnay if Bourgogne Aligoté is unavailable. Nevertheless, Chardonnay often lacks the pronounced acidity found in Bourgogne Aligoté, which is crucial for effectively balancing the sweet, robust flavor of crème de cassis. In 1951, as the Kir's popularity grew, Roger Damidot, the owner at that time of the