Kir Imperial Recipe ｜ A Bold 2-Ingredient Raspberry Sparkler

Name: Kir Imperial Recipe: A Bold 2-Ingredient Raspberry Sparkler
Prep time: 2 minutes
Total time: 2 minutes
Yield: 1 cocktail
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: Crème de framboise — 1/2 oz (15ml); Sparkling wine — Full

Three champagne flutes of coral-pink Kir Imperial garnished with rosemary sprigs and red cherries, on a gray stone backdrop, beside a "Recipe no.104 Kir imperial" title card

Japanese version・日本語版へ

Kir Imperial is exactly what its name suggests: a step up in rank from the Kir Royale, with raspberry liqueur in place of crème de cassis. The whole Kir family traces back to Dijon, Burgundy, where mayor Félix Kir popularized wine with cassis after World War II by serving it to visiting dignitaries.

Crème de framboise’s sweet-tart aroma meets sparkling wine’s fine bubbles and crisp acidity, blushing the glass a soft, pale pink from the first pour.

Pour one tonight, a toast worthy of the rank in its name.

Table of Contents

Recipe & Method

Ingredients

Multiple rows of spirit bottles on backlit bar shelves against an exposed brick wall

Recipe no.104

Crème de framboise — 1/2 oz (15ml)
Sparkling wine — Full

“Full” means filling the glass to about 80-90% capacity.

Method

A bartender in a black apron stirring a cocktail in a mixing glass with a long bar spoon

Step

Prep

Chill the sparkling wine and glass well beforehand.

Step

Combine

Add the crème de framboise and sparkling wine to the glass.

Step

Stir in the bubbles

Stir slowly and lightly to finish.

How to Stir

・Technique ｜ Stir
・Glass ｜ Champagne flute
・ABV ｜ Around 12-13%
・Best Enjoyed ｜ Daytime / Before dinner

Kir Imperial in Detail

Origin & Characteristics

A bartender pouring sparkling wine from a dark bottle into a champagne flute, with fine bubbles rising and a softly blurred bar in the background

Kir Imperial is exactly what its name suggests: a step up in rank from the Kir Royale, made by swapping crème de cassis for raspberry liqueur.

The whole Kir family traces back to Dijon, Burgundy, where mayor Félix Kir popularized wine with cassis after World War II by serving it to visiting dignitaries.

Crème de framboise carries raspberry’s sweet-tart aroma and vivid red color, and sparkling wine’s fine bubbles and crisp acidity turn it into a pale pink gradient in the glass.

The first sip brings fresh raspberry sweetness, then crisp acidity, with fine bubbles gliding down. It finishes clean and refreshing, and I’d pour it for any toast.

Points, Twists & Best Food Pairings

Cocoa-dusted chocolate truffles piled in a green ceramic bowl, with one truffle resting beside it on a plate

Food Pairings

Smoked salmon blinis — Salt and richness meet raspberry’s sweet-tart note, while the bubbles’ crisp acidity cleans the palate.
Brie with fresh raspberries — The cheese’s creamy tang softens the drink’s sweetness, and the berries echo its flavor.
Dark chocolate truffles — Bittersweet cocoa sets off raspberry’s bright fruit, a classic pairing that feels like dessert.

Bartender’s Tip

A common mistake is stirring too briskly, which sends the bubbles flat within seconds. Stirring agitates the carbonation, so tilt the glass, pour the sparkling wine slowly down the side, and give it just one gentle turn.

Twists

Kir Royale à la Pêche — Swap raspberry for peach liqueur for a softer, orchard-fruit sweetness.
Rosé Sparkling Version — Use rosé sparkling wine for a deeper pink color and berry-leaning aroma.
Rosemary Garnish — Add a small rosemary sprig for a fragrant, herbal lift above the raspberry.

I’d always choose a dry brut sparkling wine here, because the raspberry liqueur already brings plenty of sweetness on its own.