Thank ‘Emily in Paris’ for the Kir Royale Revival

Champagne cocktails have been having a moment recently, but they have a long, rich history. Take the Kir Royale, a classic French aperitif mixed with crème de cassis (a dark, sweet liqueur made from blackcurrants) and Champagne. It’s virtually a history lesson in a flute. 

A Contested Backstory

The bubbly, elegant cocktail is a variation on the classic Kir, which is made with dry white wine instead of Champagne. Both drinks are named after Catholic priest and resistance leader Felix Kir, who refused to flee when the Nazis stormed Dijon and helped an estimated 4,000 prisoners of war escape from a local camp. 

According to his New York Times obituary, Kir, who later became Dijon’s mayor, took “full credit” for inventing le Kir, which he prepared with dry, fruity white Burgundies (like Bourgogne Aligoté) produced in the Côte d’Or department, where Dijon is situated.

The concept of invention, however, is a fluid thing—especially when it comes to cocktail history. 

The Difford’s Guide offers a slightly different story: It reports that the original Kir was dreamt up decades prior, in 1904, at a Dijon bar called Café George, where a waiter had the idea to mix together crème de cassis and white Burgundy. This original iteration, according to Difford’s, became known as “Cassis Blanc” until Kir popularized the drink in the 1940s. 

The drink has bobbed in and out of fashion ever since. At some point, bartenders started substituting white Burgundy with Champagne.

A 1979 New York magazine article about the rise of Champagne cocktails calls the Kir Royale “the rich man’s Kir,” noting, “Although some wine drinkers think it’s sacrilegious to add anything to Champagne, it’s used in many popular drinks.” 

The Kir Royale Revival

Provenance aside, a cocktail needs more than a colorful origin story for it to endure as a classic. Not only has the Kir Royale cemented itself in cocktail canon, but it’s having somewhat of a resurgence. 

The retro cocktail recently had a stint in the television spotlight on Emily in Paris, when the titular Emily tries it for the first time at apéro with coworkers. “It’s the perfect drink to sip and do nothing,” a character explains to her. 

The effervescent, sweet and slightly herbal drink is delicious, yes, but the key to its longevity and current vogue is its versatility. It doesn’t hurt that it’s just two ingredients, either. 

“It is non-seasonal, simple and classy,” says Erin Gabriella, bar director of Thyme Bar and Chanson in New York City. It suits a number of occasions, without requiring overly fussy or hard-to-find ingredients, adds Gabriella. It’s also appropriate to serve both before or after a meal, or simply on its own. 

“It’s a cocktail that manages to be both approachable and luxurious,” adds Toby Maloney, the consultant for TY Bar at Four Seasons Hotel New York. 

Indeed, it’s the ideal drink for when you can’t decide between a glass of wine or a cocktail, because it’s pretty much both.