For The Love Of Port

I've always wanted to try this, but never had the nerve to do so. I even have a calvary sabre that I got in an antiques shops 20 years ago.

Done this a few times (even once in service!), it is really impressive and pretty easy. IMHO, it works best when you make sure the neck of the bottle is extra chilled, and if you use a "blade" that's got more of a 90 degree angle rather than a true blade. You're not cutting the top of the bottle, just giving a good pop to it and letting the pressure inside do the rest. The back of a heavy chefs knife works great. If you feel you need practice, korbel is very sabreable and practice priced.

The first time I did this was with a magnum of 1973 Dom Perignon Oenothèque. Talk about being nervous as all get out since I was scared I'd break the bottle and spill the contents of such an expensive bottle all over the floor. Luckily it went off without a hitch and I realized it is quite easy to do.

V cool! Have to try it someday!

I can saber a bottle with a simple butter knife.

Eric Ifune wrote:I've always wanted to try this, but never had the nerve to do so. I even have a calvary sabre that I got in an antiques shops 20 years ago.

It is pretty tough on the edge. If that saber is worth anything, you might check to see if the back edge of the blade has a sharp corner. If so, that will work as well as the cutting edge (see Bradley's comment about the chef's knife) and be less likely to break a chip out of the cutting edge of the saber.

Note: the technique is called sabrage (sa-BRAZH) with its own Wiki Article.

A dedicated blade (so you don't have to risk a valuable antique) is available from A.G.Russell, but the price is high enough that you might prefer to wreck an antique.

I, myself, use a Vorpal Knife, but this, while not an antique, is fairly valuable (no longer made; used $250+), so I use the back edge.

Moses Botbol wrote:I can saber a bottle with a simple butter knife.

I've always wondered whether the weight of a heavy blade was necessary or just a convenience. Apparently, convenience!

Peter W. Meek wrote: I, myself, use a Vorpal Knife, but this, while not an antique, is fairly valuable (no longer made; used $250+), so I use the back edge.

Does the bottle go "snicker snack" when you use it? :-P Couldn't resist.

My first time trying this was in 1977 at the tender age of 20, while at Culinary School in upstate NY. We had a "Dining Room Management" class and one of the things we learned as "Captains" was how to saber a bottle. I used the back edge of my 12" Henckel as we were taught. Very easy actually. It was in this class that I learned proper wine service, although I did have a separate class for learning about wines of the world too.

Roy Hersh wrote:My first time trying this was in 1977 at the tender age of 20, while at Culinary School in upstate NY. We had a "Dining Room Management" class and one of the things we learned as "Captains" was how to saber a bottle. I used the back edge of my 12" Henckel as we were taught. Very easy actually. It was in this class that I learned proper wine service, although I did have a separate class for learning about wines of the world too.

Roy, are you a Cornell grad?!?