How to open a bottle of champagne with a sword

Want to pop the top on a beautiful bottle of bubbly, impress everyone at the party, and ring in the new year like the classy badass you are? Try using a sword. Sabrage works because the contents of a bottle are under enormous pressure, usually around 90 psi, which is about three times the pressure of the air in your car’s tires. The stress of that pressure builds up at a few key points: along the seams running the length of the bottle on opposite sides, and where the smooth part of the neck turns to a lip by the cork. When you strike at the right spot, the pressure causes the glass to separate cleanly, taking the cork with it.

The art of champagne sabrage was popularized by Napoleon’s cavalry, who would use their swords to lop the tops off bottles when celebrating military victory. In modern days, the ritual is mostly seen in tasting rooms and lavish restaurants, which makes it all the more appropriate for your party.


Dan Rinke and Trey Starnes from Johan Vineyards, just outside of Salem, Oregon stopped by The Manual office to provide an expert hand and expertise when it comes to opening a bottle of champagne the right way.