Opening a bottle of Champagne can be pretty daunting — do it wrong, and the risks range from mild embarrassment to inflicting bodily harm on your party guests (you could put an eye out!).
To the rescue is Melanie Lemieux, owner of The Baroness wine bar in Long Island City, NY. In this video, Lemieux shows the key steps to properly opening a bottle of Champagne or other sparkling wine, such as prosecco or cava. She also shows off her skills in sabrage, or sabering — opening a bottle of Champagne with a sword! Even if you're a seasoned sparkling opener, Lemieux can probably teach you a thing or two about popping that bottle of bubbly without letting a drop go to waste.