Indeed, it is an eccentric method of opening a bottle of Champagne, dating back to the period after the French Revolution, around 1800. After each battle, Napoleon’s army used to celebrate a victory or console themselves for a defeat with Champagne.
It was at that moment that the sabre of the Hussars was unsheathed to uncork the lively and effervescent bubbly, a practice that was necessary at the time but today is mostly a dramatic and theatrical tradition, perhaps useful for piquing the curiosity of those present.
So, if you love saber slashing, make sure the bottle is thoroughly dry, remove the foil and cage, grasp it firmly at the base, and after creating enough space to avoid hitting anyone, smoothly slide the saber along the bottle until it strikes the neck with a swift blow. This should cause the cork and glass to pop off, following the best “knightly” tradition.
The sabre for sabrage, or sabre à champagne, is a tool created specifically for this practice. Some sabres have very short blades, not exceeding thirty centimeters, and they resemble long knives more than actual sabres. The blades are always blunt, and often they do not even have pointed tips. The bottle is opened by the impact of the sabre’s mass on the classic collar or “lip,” a protrusion necessary to secure the wire cage, rather than relying on the sabre’s cutting ability since the blades are always dull.
Imagining the correct procedure for a perfect sabrage, the steps are as follows:
- Chill the Bottle: Ensure that the wine bottle is well-chilled, as a colder neck enhances the success of sabrage.
- Remove the Capsule: Make sure to completely remove the foil covering the cork. From this point forward, speed up the procedure to avoid the risk of spontaneous uncorking.
- Select a Trajectory: After determining a trajectory, preferably away from people or fragile objects, given the potential speed of an uncorked Champagne cork (up to 80 km/h), mentally visualize an imaginary line extending along the body and neck of the bottle to the collar or “lip.”
- Hold the Bottle: Securely hold the bottle at a 45-degree angle with one hand and the sabre with the other. Proceed to “sabre” along the imagined line, applying precision rather than force. Strike the collar accurately; the internal pressure of the sparkling wine will do the rest, and the trick is done.
