A Theatrical Way to Uncork Bubbly: A Sword

Everyone has experienced the pop of a cork being removed from a bottle of Champagne. Some have experienced the spray from a bottle that has been shaken, losing some of the wonderful bubbles forever. But few have experienced the beauty of a bottle being opened with a sword.

Sabrage is a technique for opening a bottle of Champagne with a saber, a curved sword. Typically done for ceremonial purposes, it can be a spectacular way to open a bottle of bubbly.

The technique was popularized in France when Napoleon’s cavalry used sabers to celebrate victories and open bottles of wine. Napoleon is reputed to have said, "Champagne! In victory, one deserves it; in defeat, one needs it."

From a historical perspective, Madame Clicquot, a French businesswoman, inherited her late husband’s Champagne house at the age of 27. After entertaining Napoleon’s officers in her vineyard, she provided them with complimentary bottles of Champagne. As they rode off, they would saber the bottles to impress the rich young widow.

Today sabrage is celebrated by the international Confrérie du Sabre d’Or. This organization celebrates Champagne and, of course, sabers bottles at each of their events. A truly impressive sight is the sabering of oversized bottles of Champagne such as a magnum—which is equivalent to two bottles—and then pouring it over a tower of Champagne glasses.

You too can saber a bottle with some basic instruction and a sword. The blunt edge of the blade is used, not the sharpened edge, and the location of impact and angle of the bottle are crucial. The record for the most bottles sabered together at one time is 196, and the most sabered in one minute is 35. I have even heard of bottles being opened—rather unceremoniously—with a credit card or a spatula.

Safety is key, so it’s best to choose someone experienced in the art of sabrage, who can open the bottle with little loss of the precious bubbly. Just make sure that nobody is in the line of fire, as the cork and glass will explode off the bottle as the Champagne is under about 90 pounds of pressure per square inch before the impact of the saber. Also, make sure that there are no shards of glass at the mouth of the bottle or in the glass when poured.

Now round up your favorite sommelier, a sword, a bottle of Champagne and the words with which to toast your celebration. It’s sure to be a moment to remember.