How to Saber Sparkling Wine in Style
Every Thanksgiving, Tomorrow Cellars co-founder Tracy Sweeney and her husband, Jim, host one of the year’s most anticipated events—the Porch Saber Party. Think ice buckets brimming with sparkling wine, a big sword, and corks flying as the porch crowd cheers.
This year, the excitement hit a new high as we added Tomorrow Cellars Sparkling Blanc de Rhône to the mix! Our sparkling wine delivers the full celebratory vibe—just without the alcohol—so of course it’s saber-ready.
If you've never seen a bottle of sparkling wine opened with a saber you are in for a treat. The pressure inside the bottle coupled with a gentle sliding tap of the saber snaps the neck of the bottle and pops the cork clean off taking the rim with it!
The holidays are the perfect time for a saber moment, so here’s your step-by-step guide to sabering our Sparkling Blanc de Rhône with confidence.
Step 1: Chill Your Bottles
Cold bottles saber best! Chill your Sparkling Blanc de Rhône in an ice bucket for 1–2 hours before the big moment. The cold makes the glass more brittle and easier to saber. (Pro tip - put the bottles in the ice neck down.)
Find the seam on the bottle—a raised line running up the side of the bottle. Most high-quality bottles (including ours!) have one. If yours doesn’t, grab a different bottle to ensure a clean cut.
Step 2: Get Your Saber Ready
While we prefer to use a traditional champagne saber, like these from ChampagneSabers, you can also use the flat edge of a kitchen knife or butter knife. You want something long, sturdy, thin, and metal.
Step 3: Find a Safe Area
The cork will fly, so pick a clear area away from people, pets, and cars. At the Sweeneys’ party, a corner of the porch is the designated saber zone.
Step 4: Position and Practice
Before you start, give yourself a few practice swings using the following step:
1. Hold the bottle by the base with your non-dominant hand, angled at 45 degrees.
2. Find the seam on the bottle and face it toward you.
3. Slide the saber smoothly up the seam from the base of the neck to the lip. Use steady, even pressure.
Once you’ve nailed the motion, remove the wire cage from the cork and get ready for action.
Step 5: Saber
With confidence (and maybe a dramatic pause for flair), glide your saber along the seam, going through the lip of the bottle. You need less pressure than you might think. Don't chop at the bottle - simply push the cork off with the saber. Think tennis back hand and follow through. It’s less about strength and more about the angle of the bottle, hitting the seam, and confidence!
Step 6: Hurrah!
The pop of the cork is pure magic! Pour your Sparkling Blanc de Rhône into glasses and enjoy.
Don’t forget to collect your corks from wherever they’ve landed. Jim has exploded many a lawnmower by forgetting this last crucial step.
Nothing gets a party going like some sabering. And remember, Tomorrow Cellars’ Sparkling Blanc de Rhône is the perfect bottle for the job! Cheers!