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Kir

Kir is a French cocktail made with a measure of crème de cassis topped up with white wine. In France it is usually drunk as an apéritif before a meal or snack. Originally made with Bourgogne Aligoté, a Burgundy white wine, today it is made with various white wines throughout France, according to the region and the barkeeper. Many prefer a white Chardonnay-based Burgundy, such as Chablis. Formerly known as blanc-cassis, the beverage is now named after Félix Kir (1876–1968), mayor of Dijon in Burgundy. Kir was a pioneer of the twinning movement in the aftermath of the Second World War, and popularized the drink by offering it at receptions to visiting delegations. Besides treating his international guests well, he was also promoting two economic products of the region. Kir allowed one of Dijon's producers of crème de cassis to use his name, then extended the right to their competitors as well. According to Rolland (2004), the reinvention of blanc-cassis (post-1945) was necessitated by the German Army's confiscation of all the local red Burgundy during the war. Faced with an excess of white wine, Kir renovated a drink that used to be made primarily with red.

Source: Wikipedia

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