The Best Way to Store Champagne and Sparkling Wine at Home

Sarah Tracey, Certified Sommelier
·7 min read

Champagne experts share how to make sure your bubbles are at their best when you pop the cork.

<p>webphotographeer / Getty Images</p>

webphotographeer / Getty Images

Champagne (and other sparkling wines like prosecco, cava, and regional sparklers worldwide) is one of the most festive, pleasurable, and delicious wines around. Popping the cork on a sparkling wine heralds a celebration. Knowing how to store Champagne properly is important—not doing it correctly can lead to muted flavors, diminished effervescence, and a disappointing experience. Learn the essential steps and what you need to keep in mind to keep your bubbles fresh, vibrant, and perfectly fizzy—whether you're planning to keep the bottles for years, days, or just a few hours.



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Related: Your Guide to Choosing Champagne and Other Sparkling Wines for Any Occasion or Budget

What Can Happen If You Don't Store Champagne Correctly

"Wine is an investment, even in the short term, and you want to maintain the best standards of storage to promote the best evolution of your collection," says Elise Cordell, U.S. Brand Ambassador at Perrier-Jouet and G.H. Mumm Champagnes. And Champagne is one of the more premium categories of wine—nothing is more disappointing than saving a pricey bottle for a special milestone and having it be lackluster. "Wine that evolves too quickly, whether from oxygenation, light, vibration, etc., will seem somewhat bland or take on characteristics of cooked or rotten fruit rather than maintaining its brightness or complexity," she says.

Mathieu Roland-Billecart, CEO and seventh-generation owner of Champagne Billecart-Salmon, agrees, saying Improper storage can lead to "the development of a bad taste, to premature aging, to potentially a leaking bottle in extreme cases."

The 4 Factors That Impact Champagne Storage

The good news is that because of its naturally high acidity, Champagne has a fantastic potential for aging (especially in larger bottles like magnums, a popular format for Champagne bottlings). A special bottle of Champagne can last for decades if you store it right. Here are the factors you need to pay attention to.

Temperature

The optimal temperature for wine storage is slightly cool: ideally, at "cellar temperature," which is between 53-57 degrees Fahrenheit. "This will ensure optimal aging of the wine and the preservation of its aromas," says Hervé Dantan, cellar master at Champagne Lanson.

Equally as important as the right temperature is keeping your bottles at an even temperature: consistency is key. "Keeping this constant temperature is also essential in avoiding the evolution of the aromatic bouquet and changes in the texture of the bubbles," says Dantan. A refrigerator, a wine fridge, or even a cool corner of your basement helps to keep that storage temperature even through the seasons and avoid extreme temperature fluctuations.

Light

Dantan also warns us to keep bottles away from direct sunlight, as UV rays and even bright fluorescent lighting can harm the wine inside the bottle. "The aromatic development can be accelerated and sometimes degraded, particularly if the wine is exposed to light for a long time, a condition called goût de lumière," he says. The adverse effects of light exposure can also be experienced in beer, which, when light-struck, will develop a "skunky" aroma. Champagne doesn't have as extreme a reaction to light, but it's still recommended to keep Champagne bottles in a location away from bright light. If you don't have a wine fridge or cellar system, a dark corner of your pantry will do.

Humidity

If you want to build a Champagne collection over time, having the right humidity level in your storage area is also something to consider. In dry climates, you could experience the Champagne cork drying out and the seal no longer airtight—making bottles vulnerable to inviting in bacteria or even causing bottles to leak. "The recommended humidity level is 60-80 percent; below this level, there is a risk of problems with the cork seal and oxidative aging for the wine. It is possible to use humidifiers—like for cigar cellars. The right device will depend on the surface area of the cellars," says Dantan. So, if you're serious about becoming a collector, you might want to invest in a humidifier for your cellar (professional cellar design companies will be able to propose the correct system according to your collection, goals, and local climate).

Positioning

Storing bottles horizontally, also called "laying them down," rather than standing them up, is a very easy yet important step. It will keep the wine inside the bottle in contact with the cork and help prevent it from drying out. This also helps avoid issues of too much oxygen infiltrating the bottle through a dried-out cork, which can make the wine flat and stale.

Short-Term Champagne Storage

According to Sonoma State University, nearly 90 percent of wine purchased is consumed within 24-48 hours, so for most of us, Champagne can go straight from the wine shop into the fridge. Your refrigerator will not only chill the wine down to its ideal drinking temperature, but it will keep it mostly away from light, as the inside of your refrigerator is dark when the doors are closed.

Long-Term Champagne Storage

Roland-Billecart recommends cellaring your bottles for the long term. Store them "somewhere away from a heating system; keeping the bottles laid down in a dark place should be fine for medium to long-term hold," he says. Also, bear in mind the humidity of the space and remember that the temperature should be relatively stable. "The best thing is to leave them to rest (forget about them?) in a cool place, at a constant temperature, away from light," says Dantan. As hard as it may be to forget about a fabulous bottle of bubbles you're waiting to enjoy, we think that's excellent advice.

Wine Refrigerators

If you don't have the desire, investment, or space for a specialized wine cellar, a wine refrigerator can be a great solution. "For people who are building their wine collection, a wine fridge offers the opportunity to eliminate one of the biggest risks to a wine's integrity—temperature fluctuation," says Cordell. The fridge essentially recreates cellar conditions, including temperature, humidity, and absence of light. "Additionally, it helps to keep collections organized—I have four units that I divide my wine into," she says.

If You Don't Finish the Bottle

Once Champagne is uncorked, the bottle pressure starts to fade, and the wine loses its sparkle. If you have a partially consumed bottle, a sparkling wine stopper can provide a temporary solution, but we highly recommend savoring your bubbly on the same day you pop the cork. Wine preservation systems designed to extend the life of your open bottle, like the Coravin Sparkling Wine Preservation System, may help. Our advice for when you might fancy a glass of Champagne but don't expect to consume the entire bottle? Look for half-bottles or even single-serve bottles (also called splits).

Sometimes Things Go Wrong

Despite your diligent efforts to store Champagne correctly, occasional issues, such as a dried-out cork or an undesirable taste, may still arise. The reality is, the journey your bottle undertook before reaching you remains unknown. It might have endured less-than-ideal conditions during transportation or been exposed to light on a store shelf.

If your wine is leaking or has an unpleasant oxidative flavor, there may be no saving it, but it's worth trying one of these two options:

  • Chill it until it's ice cold: This may mask any issues and dull the nuances of the wine enough that it tastes OK to you.

  • Alternatively, consider decanting the wine; sometimes, allowing the wine to breathe outside the bottle can dispel off-flavors, and unpleasant aromas will blow off.

Read the original article on Martha Stewart.