🥃 Cassis de Dijon

Cassis de Dijon is the oldest French geographical indication for blackcurrant cream liqueur (crème de cassis). Macerating the berries, drawing off the infusion and making the liqueur are allowed only within the city of Dijon, while the berries themselves may come from any region. The finished drink contains at least 400 g/l of sugar and 15% vol. or more.

Protected name. The name was included in the EU spirit drinks regulation No 1576/89 as early as 1989, and later in Annex III of Regulation No 110/2008 under "crème de cassis". The specification was approved by an order of 7 August 2013. The place of production had already been confirmed by the courts: the Dijon Court of Appeal in 1923 and the French Court of Cassation in 1925.

Production. Whole berries are used fresh, frozen or preserved in alcohol; at least 25% must be of the Noir de Bourgogne and Royal de Naples varieties. The minimum is 200 g of berries per litre of liqueur. Cold maceration in alcohol of agricultural origin lasts at least five weeks, the infusion has 25% vol. or more, and white sugar is then added. A little raspberry or redcurrant and blackcurrant buds are permitted.

History. According to the specification, the recipe for crème de cassis was invented by the Dijon liqueur maker Denis Lagoutte in 1841. In 2010 Dijon producers accounted for more than 80% of the 20 million bottles of French crème de cassis. The name is also familiar to lawyers: the 1979 judgment of the EU Court of Justice in case 120/78 on the free movement of goods between EEC countries is known as the "Cassis de Dijon case".

Why it matters to you. "Cassis de Dijon" guarantees where and how the liqueur is made, but not where the berries come from: unlike Cassis de Bourgogne, the blackcurrants may be grown in other regions. It contains at least 400 g/l of sugar, so a kir made to the IBA recipe needs just 10 ml. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe dose of alcohol.