Sabering Champagne

Here's something to kick off the New Year - ever think about opening that first bottle of Champagne by literally chopping the top of it off? Well, apparently the act is fairly common. Called sabering, the subtle art has it's origins with French soldiers during the Napoleonic Wars - and it's still alive and well today. There's a great article on the practice on DemocratandChronicle.com, complete with the conditions necessary, a vivid description of the act and a detailed history of sabering. Here's a bit from the article:

"Demonstrating at WineSense last week, the neatly dressed retired Pittsford neurosurgeon grasps a machete-type knife. He stands up straight, one hand at the base of the bottle, the other holding the knife's blunt edge at about a 30-degree angle. Then in a swift, decisive yet not particularly forceful strike, he lops off the top of the bottle, and a chunky missile of glass lip, cork and wire cage arcs through the air. Left in his hand is a bottle with just a bit of foamy overflow and an angled, clean-cut spout."

If you're looking for something that will add a bit of flair to your end of the year celebration - this might be exactly what you're looking for. All I'm saying is . . . attempt at your own risk.