Despite what Hollywood would have you believe, creating a spectacle of flying cork and bubbles isn’t the only way to open a bottle of Champagne.
While this method is great if you’re christening your new yacht or celebrating a big win, more demure toasting occasions call for a different approach.
Ensure the bottle is dry on the outside before opening, then use that firm but gentle grip we know you’ve been practicing. Hold the cork with your dominant hand and the bottle with your other, then tilt slightly. Twist the cork until you hear one of the most arousal building sounds known to man (second only to having sweet nothings whispered in your ear). This light hiss is the sound of the carbon dioxide escaping the bottle and your signal of a successful open!
There’s one other Champagne opening method that certainly isn’t for the faint of heart or inexperienced! Sabering involves using the blunt edge of a knife (or sabre, if you will) to run along the bottle’s neck with enough force to push the cork out of the bottle. Sacré bleu!
This tradition’s roots are steeped in myth, most of which are linked to Napoléon Bonaparte and his cavalry in one way or another. Whether you prefer to believe it was Napoléon himself who unsheathed his blade and lopped the top off his bottles, or his soldiers who wished to impress the wealthy Veuve Cliquot (Veuve in French meaning widow) it’s clear that passion is a prerequisite for the sabre open.
Today, like much of France’s culture, Champagne is a symbol of love and celebration. Sharing a bottle elevates any moment shared between lovers, turning any day into a memorable moment! If there’s two things (we at Frenchie) believe you should always have on hand, it’s a bottle of lube and a good Champagne, à votre santé!
In the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald, “too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right.”