December is rightfully called Sparkling Wine Month because there are more bubbles consumed in December and New Year's Eve in particular than any other day and month of the year.
Napoleon once famously said, "Champagne! In victory, one deserves it; in defeat one needs it!" And it makes sense to celebrate the victories and defeats of the year passed with it.
In light of that, we get together with our wine club for Sabrage Party every December. If you wonder what Sabrage is, it's the quickest and most spectacular way to open a bottle of sparkling wine.
Legend of Sabrage
Sabrage is two hundred years old and goes back to Napoleon's time. It's hard to say who came up with the idea first.
Some say the young French cavalry officers would show off by slicing the neck of the Champagne bottle with their sabre rather than removing the cork by hand.
According to another legend, Sabrage was invented when the Russian army liberated Europe from Napoleon in 1812. Russian cavalry raided Champagne cellars on their way to Paris and discovered the magical bubbly drink. Either they were too lazy to figure out how to open it or didn't want to bother, they used their sabre. Voila! Sabrage was invented.
In any case, for the next century, Russia became the largest Champagne export market.
While tradition started with a sword, you don't need a sword to Sabrage the sparkling wine. You can do it with a kitchen knife or a wine glass. In our digital age, some even use their iPhones to do it. Crazy, right?
Still, it's possible because Sabrage is not about the raw force. It's about the technique.
Sparkling Wine for Sabrage
It's hard to say if the first bottle opened with the sword was a Champagne, but it's for sure made Sabrage popular.
Do you have to use Champagne for Sabrage? Not necessarily. You can substitute with other sparkling wines, but you need to keep in mind that results will depend on the pressure in the bottle, and the higher, the better. For this reason, Champagne and sparkling wines made following Méthode Champenoise are your best bets.
When you shop for sparkling wine for Sabrage, look for the labels that say Méthode Champenoise, Méthode Traditionelle, Traditional Method, Cap Classique, Cremant, or Fermented in Bottle.
Some good examples from the United States are Sonoma-Cutrer Brut, Domaine Carneros Rosé or Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc from California, Hermann J Weimer Brut Riesling from New York, or RMS Roco Brut from Oregon.
Cremants, traditional bubbles from regions other than Champagne in France, are an excellent value and can challenge their famous brethren in quality. Some of our recent favorites are Louis Bouillot Cremant from Burgundy and Cave de Ribeauvill from Alsace.
Italy also makes excellent Metodo Classico bubbles like Ferrari Brut Rosé. Spanish Cava is the most budget-friendly traditional sparklings, but don't expect the complexity you might get with Champagne and other sparkling wines we recommended.
If money is no object, pick Champagne. Some of our recent picks are Barons de Rothschild, Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé, and Franc Bonville Grand Cru.
