Kir

By Rebekah Peppler

Updated June 10, 2024

Kir
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Rating
4(81)
Comments
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A classic kir is made with aligoté wine and crème de cassis (black currant liqueur), both of which come from the Burgundy region of France. Once you have the classic down (a glass of white wine with just a hint of cassis), variations abound. Substitute sparkling wine for the aligoté, and it becomes a kir royale. Add red wine, and it’s a Bourgogne. If you’re over wine entirely, dry hard cider (and a splash of Calvados, if you’re feeling extra) turns the drink into a kir Normand, its name nodding to Normandy. Whatever base you choose, kirs easily veer saccharine when weighed down with a hefty pour of crème de cassis. Exercise restraint with the potent liqueur — aim for a more dusty rose hue than magenta — but feel free to drink in rapid succession.

Featured in: Summer Drinking at Its Simplest

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Ingredients

Yield:1 drink
  • Scant ½ ounce crème de cassis
  • 5 to 6ounces dry white wine, chilled
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (1 servings)

175 calories; 0 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 0 grams protein; 9 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a wine glass, combine the cassis and wine. Serve immediately.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
81 user ratings
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Comments

Chris B

My Kirs are excellent, since I use my home-made crème de cassis, which turns out to be easy to make. But really easy. (Google a few recipes.) Better yet, it comes from my equally-easy black currant bushes. You can process the juice (after it macerates in vodka for a month or few) with a lot less sugar than you get in the commercial version. That in turn widens the range of wines you can use, without the drink getting too sweet.

DRC PGH

A twist from a wide swathe of lemon peel adds a fine perfumed note.

PHaley

Come on people—no one is making homemade creme de cassis. This is a good recipe because it told me just how little Liqueur I should add to a vermouth cassis (essentially just a dash!). With some frozen blueberries, my vermouth cassis was a perfect light cocktail for the end of summer. I’ll next try it with the variations listed here.

PHaley

Come on people—no one is making homemade creme de cassis. This is a good recipe because it told me just how little Liqueur I should add to a vermouth cassis (essentially just a dash!). With some frozen blueberries, my vermouth cassis was a perfect light cocktail for the end of summer. I’ll next try it with the variations listed here.

Grace

I love the idea of vermouth (dry?) and frozen blueberries with creme de cassis. Trying that this week. Thank you!

Chris B

My Kirs are excellent, since I use my home-made crème de cassis, which turns out to be easy to make. But really easy. (Google a few recipes.) Better yet, it comes from my equally-easy black currant bushes. You can process the juice (after it macerates in vodka for a month or few) with a lot less sugar than you get in the commercial version. That in turn widens the range of wines you can use, without the drink getting too sweet.

DRC PGH

A twist from a wide swathe of lemon peel adds a fine perfumed note.

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