Champagne Swords

The side of the blade used should be blunt – a sharpened edge is unnecessary because in sabrage it is the impact that is important. If using a sword with a sharp blade then use the flat blunt back of the blade. The bottle neck is held at an angle of approximately 20 degrees and the sword is cast down on it. The experienced sommelier can open the bottle with little loss of Champagne. However, it is advised to allow a small flow in order to wash away any loose shards of glass that may be adhering to the neck. The first glass poured should also be checked for small glass shards.