The Kir cocktail combines crème de cassis with white wine.
Kir is a French aperitif made by adding a small measure of crème de cassis, a blackcurrant liqueur, to dry white wine. It is commonly served chilled and is associated especially with Burgundy, where Aligoté wine has traditionally been used.
The drink is named after Félix Kir, a Catholic priest and political figure who served as mayor of Dijon after the Second World War. He promoted the beverage at official receptions, helping it gain wider recognition.
Kir Royale is the closely related sparkling version, made with Champagne or another sparkling wine instead of still white wine. That distinction is important: the ordinary Kir uses still white wine, while the “Royale” variation uses bubbles.