Kir
Definition - What does Kir mean?
Kir is a type of cocktail originating from France made with a base of blackcurrant liqueur (creme de cassis) and topped with white wine. An alternative to the original recipe is blackcurrant liqueur topped with a sparkling wine. Traditionally, the Kir cocktail was made with Burgundy Aligote added to the creme de cassis.
WineFrog explains Kir
The Kir cocktail, traditionally made with creme de cassis liqueur and white wine was created by the mayor of Dijon, Felix Kir. He made it popular offering it at his receptions with visiting delegations. It was his idea to promote two locally-made products of the region. Many critics believed it was a way to disguise sub-par white wine made that year. Today, it is a popular cocktail ordered in cafés and is often served as an aperitif.
The official recipe calls for 1/10 creme de cassis according to the International Bartenders Association, but 19th century recipes call for 1/3 blackcurrant liqueur with more modern versions 1/5.
