Does Champagne Go Bad? Shelf Life Of Champagne Explained
Contents
- The Types Of Champagne
- Vintage
- Non-Vintage
- Champagne Through Time
- Champagne’s Shelf Life Depending On Situation
- 1. Opened And Refrigerated
- 2. Opened And Unrefrigerated
- 3. Unopened And Unrefrigerated
- 4. Unopened And Refrigerated
- Storing Champagne Properly
- Sealing
- Refrigerating
- Storing
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Can old champagne make you sick?
- Can you drink champagne that is out of date?
- What can be done to stale or flat champagne?
- Conclusion
- Sources
Hosted a party, and now you don’t know what to do with all the champagne that’s left lying around?
One thing we’re sure of is that the moment you don’t take care of them, they’ll definitely go bad.
But the thing is…
Does champagne go bad at all? Well, it depends on the situation.
So, how long does champagne last? And does champagne age well? Let’s take all of your questions one by one, keep reading, and we promise to answer them all.
The Types Of Champagne
Before actually taking any steps, let’s tackle the basics so you will know which solution would work best for your situation.
Aside from knowing whether your drink is from Dom Pérignon, Veuve Clicquot, Pol Roger, or some other famous brand, you also need to know what type your drink is.
Vintage
Vintage champagnes are the prestige bottlings of most houses, made only in good years.
When we talk about vintage champagnes, we mean those that were made of grapes that were all harvested in the same year.
These are generally more expensive than non-vintage bottles, partly because they are made in smaller amounts and aged longer before release.
If you’re not sure whether your champagne is vintage or not, all you have to do is pick up the bottle and start looking for the year it was made. This can usually be found on the front label, but if you can’t find one, then that means that it’s non-vintage.
Non-Vintage
On the other hand, non-vintage champagne blends wine from the current harvest with reserve wines from earlier years. Most champagne sold is non-vintage, and the blending keeps each house's style consistent from year to year.
Even though they may be cheaper, this does not necessarily mean that they’re not as good. In fact, some people prefer non-vintage champagnes because of the unique flavor they have.
Champagne Through Time
Let’s talk about the real question, does champagne age well?
Unlike a bottle of pinot noir red wine, most champagne and sparkling wine does not get better with years in your home. Non-vintage champagne is released ready to drink, while good vintage champagne can develop for a decade or more. Neither one "expires" in the sense of turning toxic.
When a champagne bottle stays for too long, it tends to lose its best qualities.
The bubbles slowly fade, the fresh fruit flavors dull, and the wine can turn flat and nutty. The overall quality of this drink will lower the longer you keep it past its prime.
It's a challenge, especially for the noobs, to predict how long champagnes last. Other "advanced" drinkers might suggest champagne brut vs extra dry as a good starting point to learn more about sparkling wine longevity.
Champagne’s Shelf Life Depending On Situation
So, how long is champagne good for? That depends on two conditions: if the bottle is either opened or unopened and if you're contemplating on wine cooler vs fridge to store your bottle of champagne! Let’s see:
1. Opened And Refrigerated
Let’s talk about the most common situation first.
What should you expect when you refrigerate a bottle of opened champagne that you enjoyed last night? With an airtight champagne stopper, it keeps its full quality for up to 48 hours. It stays drinkable for a few days after that, though it gets flatter each day.
The bottle being either vintage or non-vintage no longer matters since it’s already opened; just make sure to seal the bottle properly so that the carbonation doesn’t escape.
2. Opened And Unrefrigerated
An open bottle left at room temperature goes flat much faster. Plan on finishing it the same day, or move it to the fridge with a stopper.
This is, of course, relative to the temperature of its surroundings. Heat can ruin any drink; if the bottle is kept in a warm atmosphere, its aromas will fade quickly, and it’ll lose its bubbles.
3. Unopened And Unrefrigerated
An unopened bottle keeps well when it is stored properly. Its seal holds the pressure in, so the bubbles stay put while the wine slowly ages.
The question, “how long is unopened champagne good for?”, depends on how you store it. Keep an unopened bottle lying down in a cool, dark place, ideally a steady 45°F to 65°F, away from vibrations and heat.
Champagne houses such as Ruinart suggest drinking a standard 750 ml non-vintage bottle within about two years of purchase. Vintage champagne can be opened 7 to 10 years after purchase, or even later.
4. Unopened And Refrigerated
A kitchen fridge is fine for chilling a bottle you plan to open within days or a few weeks. For long-term storage, it is too cold and too dry, which can dry out the cork, so a wine fridge or cool cellar is the better choice.
Before we start talking about years, take note that you’ll start counting from the year you’ve purchased the bottle and not from the manufacturing year.
Vintage champagnes are the ones built to age, and good ones can develop for ten years or more in a proper cellar.
Non-vintage champagnes are made to be enjoyed young, so drink them within a couple of years of purchase. Even under ideal conditions, their freshness slowly declines over time.
Fun Fact: Wine coolers help in preserving wine and other drinks. There are a variety of models on the market today; however, one stands out and is known for being the best Vinotemp wine cooler unit for the budding wine enthusiast. Why not give this one a try?
Storing Champagne Properly
Aside from knowing how long does champagne last, you should also take note of how to properly store them so that its quality wouldn’t decline any sooner. More importantly, you should know the proper wine fridge temperature so that your champagne wouldn't spoil quickly.
Sealing
Properly sealing your bottles matters more than you think. You may think that you just need to push the cork back in as deep as you can, but that rarely works.
Here’s where a champagne sealer comes into play.
A used champagne cork expands once it's out and won't go back in, and things like tape or plastic wrap can't hold the pressure.
Champagne sealers are small stoppers, often stainless steel, that clamp onto the lip of your opened bottle. They hold the gas inside under pressure; unlike still-wine pumps, they do not create a vacuum, which would pull the bubbles out.
A good sealer slows the loss of fizz and aroma considerably. Without one, a bottle loses most of its bubbles within a day.
Refrigerating
Ensuring a consistent quality would require you to immediately store your champagne in a cool area to maintain a constant temperature.
The best place to store a bottle, whether unopened or not, is a wine fridge, of course. This is because its temperatures are readily set to keep specialty drinks.
If you’re storing the bottle in a wine fridge, make use of the white wine temperature default. Note that “default red wine temps” are harmful to champagne flavors.
Now, since not all of us have a wine fridge, you could also use your refrigerator but not your freezer! For serving, champagne shows best at about 8-10°C (46-50°F); much colder, and it’ll numb your tastebuds.
Never place your bottles on the door of a fridge. Champagne thrives in spaces where it won’t be moved or touched. The fact that you’ll be opening and closing your fridge door every day will surely disturb its bubbles.
Store champagne in the vegetable compartments for safety or on the shelves if you're confident that it’s properly sealed.
Fun Fact: Know the ideal wine storage temperature before purchasing a wine fridge! Not all coolers are manufactured the same; hence, it pays to be attentive to small details like temperature, humidity, and bottle capacity, to name a few.
Storing
If you can’t refrigerate your champagne (due to whatever reason), the best way to go is to store it properly.
The first thing you want to do is make sure that it’s properly sealed. If you are, then it's time for you to find a safe space for it.
Where you will place the bottle is a great factor in keeping the substance crisp and fresh. Store champagne in an area where it can stay for as long as it needs to; these bottles aren’t a big fan of being moved around all the time.
Also, keep them away from appliances that exert heat and produce vibrations. You wouldn’t want your drink to be cooked or stale.
Speaking of cooked champagne, you also want to place them far away from windows or anywhere at all where sunlight can reach. UV rays are harmful to the flavors, and the heat would pretty much just cook it.
If you're very willing to make that bottle of champagne last, you can wrap it in cling wrap for extra protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can old champagne make you sick?
Generally, no. An old unopened bottle loses quality, but its alcohol and acidity keep harmful bacteria from growing. If it smells like vinegar, wet cardboard, or something off, pour it out because it won't taste good. Any risk comes from the alcohol itself, so drink in moderation.
Can you drink champagne that is out of date?
Yes, in fact, you can but this does not mean it would taste nice. Old champagne may be flat, dull, or oxidized, but it isn't toxic.
What can be done to stale or flat champagne?
If a bottle of champagne is no longer good enough to be enjoyed as a drink, then don’t feel bad! You don’t necessarily have to throw it away. You can still whip up cocktails with it as the main ingredient. If that champagne doesn’t give you enough flavor, then other wines will! You can also freeze it into ice cubes and use them for other cocktails.
Stale champagne can also be used in cooking too -- you won’t need that fizz or strong flavor in your dishes, anyway. Stews, crepes, sauces, and almost any dish can include some champagne in its recipe.
Conclusion
Let’s have a short summary of what we’ve tackled.
Through time, champagne may lose its fresh flavors, fizz, and the other qualities you love in it; it may get flat, stale, and bitter, but it doesn't become toxic.
An opened bottle with a proper stopper lasts a day or two in the fridge. Unopened, non-vintage champagne is best within about two years of purchase, while vintage champagne can keep for a decade or more in a cool, dark place.
Now that you’ve learned all of this, go ahead and pop open a bottle; you’ll know what to do after anyway!
Sources
- How to Store Champagne, Ruinart
- 7 Tips for Storing Wine, Wine Spectator
