The Kir Royale is a popular French cocktail and a variation of the Kir (a cocktail I was not aware of the existence of until I started researching the Kir Royale). As mentioned in our review of Marie Brizard Creme de Dijon, this cocktail is one of the simplest and most well known ways to enjoy creme de cassis. The berry flavor, citrusy wine flavors mixed with tiny bubbles, and the ease of making a Kir Royale also explain the popularity of this cocktail for brunches, showers, and just chilling in your backyard.
Kir Royale
If you love Creme de Cassis or just brambly sparkling wines, than the Kir Royale is right up your alley. The acidity of the wine helps balance out the rich, syrupy nature of the Creme de Cassis, giving it a beautiful freshness not present in the liqueur. The citrus notes of the wine merge well with the berries, giving an impression of freshness. As it lingers, the blackcurrant flavor moves more toward jam, finishing with a balanced berry-citrus close.
Drink Notes and Recommendations:
The Kir Royale is one of the simplest cocktails featuring only two ingredients. Like other two ingredient cocktails, that means there’s no where to hide faults.
- Creme de Cassis – This is the active flavor modifier, so you should seek out one that has more complexity. You could use a bottom shelf dekupyer, but expect to have a more syrupy flavor. We recommend Marie Brizard Creme de Dijon.
- Sparkling Wine – There’s no reason to go overboard here, you can get away with a $10 – $15 bottle. Once you pass $20 you’re going to see diminishing returns. We recommend Segura Viudas, Korbel, or Kirkland’s Signature Prosecco. Make sure it’s chilled!