The Wine Knows

Until Saturday, I'd never opened a bottle of sparkling wine with a saber. If you saw our 100th episode of the Northwest Winecast, you know all about sabrage, the act of opening a bottle of bubbly by slicing off the top.

On Saturday, fellow ink-stained wretch Bob Woehler played host to a party whose theme was sparkling wine. He invited Rick Casqueiro, winemaker for Domaine Ste. Michelle, the bubbly house for Ste. Michelle Wine Estates.

Casqueiro, who makes about a quarter-million cases of sparkling wine annually, had never cut the top off a bottle of bubbly. While I interviewed him for next week's Northwest Winecast, I asked him about it, and he said he had no plans to try it, especially since he had a wedding to go to.

I brought a machete I'd picked up for $12 at Home Depot, figuring someone would want to try to saber a bottle of bubbly. I really wanted to try it, but my wife wasn't too thrilled with the idea and let me know that, as a new father, it might not be the best thought I've ever had.

Coke Roth, a grape grower, international wine judge, Wine Press Northwest tasting panelist and former wine distributor, went first. He's sabered hundreds of bottles over the years (successfully and unsuccessfully), so he gave us the techniques and sabered the first bottle.

I stepped up next. Melissa was off to one side giving me the hairy eyeball and holding onto our daughter. I pulled off the foil and cage, and Coke stepped in to give me some last-moment advice. The key, he said, was the angle of the blade along the bottle and the force with which you hit the neck. I let 'er rip, and the top flew off without a hitch.

Ken Robertson, Wine Press Northwest columnist and amateur sparkling winemaker, jumped in next and also was successful.

Then came Casqueiro. He'd watched how simple it seemed and decided against caution. He got his bottle ready, then Coke gave him a couple of last-moment tips. With a quick thrust, the top of the bottle was out in Woehler's yard and Casqueiro was wielding the machete, announcing, "I've gotta get one of these!"