How to Saber Champagne: A Step-by-Step Guide
Where does sabering come from?
Tradition credits Napoleon-era cavalry officers with opening their bottles by saber to celebrate their victories. The story is probably as much legend as history, but the gesture stuck: today, people saber champagne at weddings, milestone birthdays and on New Year's Eve.
What actually happens
A bottle of champagne is under pressure, roughly six atmospheres. Its neck has two weak points: the vertical seam left by the mold, and the lip, the ring of glass that holds the wire cage in place. When the back of the blade strikes the lip where it meets the seam, the glass breaks cleanly and the collar flies off with the cork, pushed by the pressure. You don't need a sharp edge: it's the impact that does the work, not the blade.
Preparing the bottle
- Choose champagne or a traditional-method sparkling wine: their thick bottles are made to withstand the pressure.
- Chill the bottle for several hours, then plunge the neck into an ice bucket for a few minutes: very cold glass breaks more cleanly.
- Remove the foil and the wire cage, without shaking the bottle.
- Find the seam running up the side of the bottle: that is your guide line.
The motion, step by step
- Hold the bottle firmly by the base, tilted at about 30 to 45 degrees, with the neck pointing away from everyone.
- Lay the blade flat against the bottle along the seam, with the back of the blade facing the neck.
- Slide the blade toward the neck in one confident, continuous motion, without lifting your arm: speed matters, not strength.
- Follow through. The collar breaks away and the foam rushes out, carrying any tiny shards with it.
- Let a little foam escape, then pour.
Safety first
Saber outdoors or in an open room, never toward a person, a window or anything fragile. Keep children at a distance. Pick up the collar and cork: broken glass is sharp. If the first try doesn't work, don't strike harder; check the angle and the position of the blade on the seam, then try again calmly.
The right saber
A champagne saber is designed for this one motion: a rigid blade and a secure grip. Ours has an olive wood handle, is made in Thiers, France, with a partner cutler, and can be engraved, so it becomes the piece you bring out at every celebration. Discover our champagne saber and our Le Sabrage and Le Grand Soir gift sets.
Please enjoy responsibly.