sabrage

thumb|upright=1.3|right|Sabering the champagne bottle with a specialized dull sword thumb|Opening of Wine_bottle#Sizes|magnum bottle of the [[Champagne wine with a glass strike]] ' is a ceremonial technique for opening a sparkling wine bottle, typically Champagne, by striking it with a sword or similar implement. The blade is placed towards the base of the bottle and thrust along the length of the neck, where the force of the striking point hitting the lip breaks the glass to separate the collar from the neck of the bottle. The cork and collar remain together after separating from the neck. The act can be performed using a real saber or other bladed weapon, but is today most often done using a specialized Champagne sword'. Derived techniques can employ almost any flat object as desired. Despite the military origins and stylings of the act, a sharpened edge would be detrimental to the striking effect; Champagne swords are left unsharpened and therefore do not qualify as true weapons, while real sabers must be reversed such that the collar is struck by the dull side of the blade.

== History== The technique became popular in France when the army of Napoleon visited many of the aristocratic domains. It was just after the French Revolution and the saber was the weapon of choice for Napoleon's light cavalry (the Hussars). Napoleon's spectacular victories across all Europe gave them plenty of reason to celebrate. During these parties the cavalry would open the champagne with their sabers. Napoleon, who was known to have said, "I drink champagne when I win, to celebrate... and I drink champagne when I lose, to console myself", may have encouraged this.