Tradition — sabrage

Sabrage is a ceremonial technique for opening a bottle of champagne or sparkling wine using a sabre. It involves removing the top part of the bottle, including the cork and the glass lip, with a swift and precise stroke of the blade.The history of sabrage dates back to the Napoleonic era, when the French cavalry used their sabres to open champagne bottles during victory celebrations. Legend has it that the tradition began with Napoleon himself, who would offer a bottle of champagne to his officers and then open it with his sword.Today, sabrage is often performed at special events and...