Kir Royale
Two French ingredients — Champagne and crème de cassis — combine in this jewel-toned aperitif named for a Burgundian priest-mayor.
About the Kir Royale
The Kir Royale is a two-ingredient French classic that tops a splash of crème de cassis with chilled Champagne, built directly in a flute. Its deep pink-red colour and rich blackcurrant character set it apart from lighter sparkling wine cocktails like the Bellini or Mimosa.
It’s a variation on the Kir, invented in Dijon and named after Canon Félix Kir — a priest, French Resistance hero, and mayor of Dijon from 1945 to 1968 — who popularised topping crème de cassis with the region’s white Bourgogne Aligoté wine to promote Burgundy’s local products. After World War II, bartenders began substituting Champagne for the still white wine, and the sparkling version became known as the Kir Royale.
Because it’s just two ingredients, the quality of both matters more than usual — a good crème de cassis and a genuinely dry Brut sparkling wine make a noticeably better drink than budget versions of either.
The Classic Recipe
Classic Kir Royale — Serves 1
- 1/2 oz (15ml) crème de cassis
- 5 oz (100ml) chilled Champagne, or other dry sparkling wine
Method
- Chill a Champagne flute.
- Pour the crème de cassis into the flute.
- Top slowly with the Champagne.
- Give a very light stir if needed, then serve immediately.
Tips for the Best Kir Royale
- Adjust to taste. The ratio is flexible — pour a light blush of cassis for a subtler drink, or a deeper pour for more blackcurrant intensity.
- Chill both components. A cold flute, cold cassis, and cold Champagne make for the crispest result.
- Go genuinely dry. A true Brut sparkling wine offsets the cassis’s sweetness better than an off-dry one.
- Quality counts. With only two ingredients, a good crème de cassis makes a bigger difference here than in most cocktails.
- Pour gently. Add the Champagne slowly down the side of the glass to keep the bubbles.
Popular Variations
Kir
The original version, made with still white wine — typically Bourgogne Aligoté — instead of Champagne.
Kir Breton
A Brittany regional variant that swaps in dry cider for the wine.
Kir Imperial
Substitutes a raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord, for the cassis, giving a brighter red colour and berry profile.
Fruit Liqueur Swaps
Peach or blackberry liqueur in place of cassis for house variations, though these move away from the strict Kir Royale name.
How to Serve
Glass: A chilled Champagne flute.
Ice: None — the Kir Royale is served straight, without ice.
Batching for a crowd: Pre-portion the cassis into flutes ahead of time and top with Champagne to order — the finished drink shouldn’t be batched, since it loses carbonation quickly.
Related Database Entries
Explore the key ingredients and spirits in this cocktail: