Stuck Cork in Sparkling Wine

[jcoley3]

Sabering is quite safe when done properly. It needs to be traditional method, though. If it is, watch some videos online and make sure the bottle is VERY cold. I wouldn’t do it with Prosecco.

A friend of mine in the trade told me of a colleague (presumably not a clown like the guy in the video above) ended up in ER after sabering a bottle.

I know of this happening at least once. At Ça Va (bubbly bar where I am Wine Director), it’s basically a firing offense if anyone on staff tries it while working.

[DougS]

Sabering is quite safe when done properly. It needs to be traditional method, though. If it is, watch some videos online and make sure the bottle is VERY cold. I wouldn’t do it with Prosecco.

A friend of mine in the trade told me of a colleague (presumably not a clown like the guy in the video above) ended up in ER after sabering a bottle.

I know of this happening at least once. At Ça Va (bubbly bar where I am Wine Director), it’s basically a firing offense if anyone on staff tries it while working.

Thanks for mentioning that. It is a bit scary.

[Kelly_Walker]

This is common when sparkling wineis lose gas pressure. It may be dead.

Laws of physics/pressure ?

Yes. The normal pressure in a Champagne bottle is 5 - 6 atmospheres (70 - 90 psi). The corks are designed to resist that pressure, the loss of which makes removing them by hand near impossible unless the cork is old and dried.

[scott_davis]

This is common when sparkling wineis lose gas pressure. It may be dead.

Laws of physics/pressure ?

Yes. The normal pressure in a Champagne bottle is 5 - 6 atmospheres (70 - 90 psi). The corks are designed to resist that pressure, the loss of which makes removing them by hand near impossible unless the cork is old and dried.

Champagne is the reason I’ve never understood the argument that corks breathe.

[David_Glasser]

Laws of physics/pressure ?

Yes. The normal pressure in a Champagne bottle is 5 - 6 atmospheres (70 - 90 psi). The corks are designed to resist that pressure, the loss of which makes removing them by hand near impossible unless the cork is old and dried.

Champagne is the reason I’ve never understood the argument that corks breathe.

Loss of pressure in Champagne over time would seem to be evidence that corks do allow some gas to leak, albeit very slowly, around the seal between the cork and glass.

[William_Woodruff]

Great point, Scott.

[lleichtman]

Is it a traditional method sparkler? If so, I would get the bottle very cold and saber it.

So, many people here keep sabers at home?

[John_Glas]

Or…Have someone you don’t like try to open it using a corkscrew.

I brought a Champagne to a restaurant and paid the corkage fee. The server was brand new and started to pull out the corkscrew to open. I had to take over from there.