Connecticut Distributors, Inc. (CDI), in partnership with its social media moniker Cheers CT, welcomed the new year with a demonstration for industry members on the art of sabering a Champagne bottle and other entertaining ideas. Nadine Gengras, Senior Trade Development Manager, CDI – who was joined by Brian Federman, Director of Learning, Leadership and Sales, and Jason Rustico, On-Premise Sales – gave guests a virtual sabering lesson on Facebook Live on Dec. 30. With New Year’s celebrations looking different for many due to the pandemic, the theme of the virtual event was to show guests how to transform their living spaces into a lounge and create their own bottle service experience at home. Gengras walked participants through the process, starting with chilling the neck of a thick-glass bottle of bubbly before beginning. She then sabered a bottle of La Marca Italian Prosecco, welcoming participants to saber their own bottles during the interactive event or post their own to the page afterward. The art of sabrage dates back to the era of Napoleon, when the French emperor’s soldiers were said to saber bottles of Champagne with their swords.