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How to Saber Champagne in Slow Motion


Sabering Champagne has always been swathed in a sheath of unobtainium. This is most likely because not all of us have a sword just lying around. Here’s how to saber Champagne with something we all have access to: a butter knife.

Never underestimate the power of basic kitchen utensils.

See the spoon? In the first portion of the video we use a spoon to saber Champagne.

Step by Step: How To Saber Champagne

Do please be careful! Make sure you use extra-cold sparkling wine (and don’t use Prosecco).

  1. Chill Champagne to reduce pressure –we put the bottles in the freezer for one hour
  2. Completely remove Champagne foil
  3. Reposition cage carefully to first lip just to be safe
  4. Choose Your saber –we used a spoon and a butter knife
  5. Hold Champagne at 45° angle
  6. Slide saber in a smooth motion along the seam of bottle

how to saber champagne diagram
channel your inner ninja and imagine the saber past the lip of the bottle

Tips on the Saber Method Follow sage advice and be certain that your bottles are ice cold. Champagne is under 5–7 atmospheres of pressure and heat increases pressure. A failed attempt may involve exploding bottles… which would be lame on multiple fronts.

Want to know the normal way to open Champagne? Check out the right way to open Champagne confidently and safely.

Why not Prosecco? Well, Prosecco is made with a different method than Champagne, Cava, and Crémant. It has only about 3 atmospheres and thus, tends to be a dud.

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Safety Warning Be careful. Don’t poke your eye out attempting to saber Champagne.

Buy the book, get a course.

Get the Wine 101 Course ($100 value) FREE with the purchase of Wine Folly: Magnum Edition.

Shop Now

AboutMadeline Puckette

James Beard Award-winning author and Wine Communicator of the Year. I co-founded Wine Folly to help people learn about wine. @WineFolly