Le Kir Royal

Kir (French: Kir) is a popular cocktail in France, which was invented in the last century in Burgundy. The drink was named in honor of Felix Kir, a priest of the city of Dijon, who after the war also took the post of mayor. The classic Kir cocktail consists of white wine and blackcurrant liqueur. According to one version, the reason for the birth of the cocktail was the fact that during the war the entire stock of red wine in the city was confiscated by the German army, so the inhabitants and found such an original way to replace red wines. Kir was even served to foreign delegations that came to Dijon to strengthen friendly relations after the war. Later on, this unusual aperitif was developed in several variations, in each of which the quiet white wine was replaced by another component.

Kir Royal is the most popular of the cocktail varieties, where blackcurrant liqueur complements champagne. Other variants of the drink are Kir Petillant - with sparkling white wine, and Korn Kir - with vodka or brandy.