Champagne is the undisputed king of sparkling wine. It is the beverage of royalty, the beverage of celebration, the beverage of the New Year! The mythology surrounding Champagne is just as fun as drinking it. I am obsessed with Champagne. Can you save a bottle for an extra special occasion? Some would argue that opening a bottle of Champagne IS the special occasion! But does Champagne age? How long does Champagne last unopened? What about once it’s opened? Read on. In this post we’ll answer the following questions:
Top 6 Questions about How Long Champagne Can Last
- How long does Champagne last unopened?
- Does Champagne go bad?
- Can Champagne age?
- Is keeping Champagne in the refrigerator a good idea?
- How long does Champagne last once it’s opened?
- When to drink Champagne?
- What to do with leftover Champagne? As if!
How long does Champagne last unopened?
Champagne can last up to 7-8 years from disgorgement without opening it. The date of disgorgement is difficult to surmise though because most Champagne is labeled NV, or non-Vintage. Non-vintage means that there is wine from other years mixed in with every season’s harvest. This is an important part of blending for the Champagne houses, the special sauce, if you will. Only the absolute best years will be declared for vintage Champagne, or Champagne with a date on it. In addition to all this, disgorgement is often years after the grapes were harvested.
So the long and short of it? Non-vintage Champagne can last 7-8 years unopened. Vintage Champagnes can age even longer than NV Champagne, up to 10 even 15 years unopened. Determining that start time is the tricky part though.
Can Champagne age?
The short answer is yes. Champagne can age from 7 years for non-vintage Champagne until 15 years for vintage Champagne. Most Champagne is released when it is ready to drink. I have never been fully convinced of that aged Champagne is better than fresh.
When I finished my Sommelier Diploma Program, my teacher shared a 1978 Dom Perignon with the class to celebrate. The wine was nearly 30 years old at the time. While it was super interesting and felt very glamorous to be drinking Vintage Dom, the bubbles were pretty flat and it was quite oxidized. My preference will always be fresh and bright bubbles.
How long can Champagne last in the fridge unopened?
I wanted to clarify that one should not be keeping Champagne in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 years, BIG NO NO! As I mention here, the fridge is for very short-term storage. Do not leave any wines in the refrigerator for more than a month. The cork will shrink due to lack of humidity and all your stinky foods will start making your wine stink, too! A specific wine fridge or a basement cellar, with the bottle on its side, is the only way Champagne will last without being damaged.
How long does Champagne last opened?
Once the cork is out of the bottle, Champagne is on the clock. Because the bubbles are extremely well integrated into the wine, it will take longer for Champagne to go flat than say, Prosecco. You’ll want to keep Champagne as cold as possibly from the time you pop the cork. Cold temperatures slow does the release of bubbles. A bottle of Champagne will last up to 48 hours opened with the help of a Champagne stopper. Without the stopper blocking the CO2 from escaping, Champagne will go flat in one to two days.
Recently, Coravin has released a sparkling wine preservation system which has been tested and shows that with this system, Champagne can last up to 4 weeks! I don’t have the budget for it but if you’re a serious Champagne drinker, it may be worth the investment. You can buy it on Amazon here. I recently saw a new Champagne stopper reviewed, it’s a gadget called L’Atelier du Vin Bubble Indicator for Champagne. She sealed it with one of those bad boys and the bubbles last 10 days! It’s about 50 bucks but may be worth it for you. Read about more Coravin alternatives in this buying guide.
When to drink Champagne?
Every. Single. Day. Wouldn’t it be nice if our budgets allowed for that? Serious goals. Anyway! You should drink NV Champagne as soon as possible. Non-vintage Champagne is released when it is ready to be drunk. The Champagne houses have already aged their Champagnes for a minimum of 15 months. They are brought to the market when they are ready. There isn’t any major benefit to ageing NV Champagne especially if you like the bright acidity. Ageing it will bring out more of the bready, brioche characteristics of Champagne. That’s a preference you’ll have to discover for yourself.
Champagne is made in the best way to preserve as much carbonation as possible. The Champagne method of sparkling wine production requires the second fermentation occur in the bottle. As the yeast eats sugar and releases carbon-dioxide the bubbles become smaller and smaller and more refined. The bubbles are so incredibly assimilated that it takes a long time for them to all release from the wine.
What to do with leftover Champagne?
This question is offensive. What the heck is leftover Champagne! SHAME ON YOU! Okay, okay, let’s say something crazy happened and for some reason you have a half empty bottle of Champagne. Here’s a few things you can do when it goes flat.
- Make ice cubes either to cool down white wine or to store to use for cooking.
- You can make a wine cocktail and substitute the leftover Champagne for a still white wine.
- Cook with Champagne. Whether in ice cube form or a few days after you open it, you can make delicious pasta sauces with Champagne.
- Or you can make a luxurious marinade for chicken or pork.
- DIY Champagne mask for hair and face.
What makes Champagne so special?
Only sparkling wine made in the Champagne region can be called Champagne. There are a few bottles of wine in the United States specifically that do have Champagne written on the label. While this is not illegal (long story) I believe it is a major faux pas. Champagne is located in north east France. The Champagne region is one of the coldest wine growing regions in the world. This climate preserves the bracing acidity in the grapes. The soil of Champagne is it’s claim to fame. Champagne soils are dominantly chalk, a form of limestone. This allows for the right amount of water retention. It is also rumored that there are hundreds of kilometers of cellars burrowed into the chalk soil.
There are 3 main grapes used in Champagne: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier. Each area of Champagne is best suited for each grape, they are almost equally divided into thirds. The Champagne method of making sparkling wine is the best way to do it to create and preserve the effervescence of the wine. The bubbles occur naturally by instigating a second-fermentation in the bottle.
Admittedly, a huge part of the price tag is the marketing behind Champagne. It is easily identifiable by name and the most famous beverage. This started from French nobility who were the first to enjoy sparkling wine. The aura and mystique and luxury around Champagne continues to today.
When is World Champagne Day?
World Champagne Day is October 16th every year.
Is 20 year old Champagne drinkable?
Yes, 20 year old Champagne is drinkable but it won’t be that great. It’ll likely be flat and dull. It could take on a cool nutty characteristic but everything we love about Champagne will likely be gone.
Does Champagne go bad?
Yes, Champagne goes bad. Just like any wine, Champagne is susceptible to oxygenation. Its high acid does allow it to age for a few years, but it’s best to drink Champagne fresh.
Can old Champagne make you sick?
It’s unlikely that old Champagne will make you sick. Champagne has alcohol so bacteria will not survive in the bottle of Champagne. However, if you drink the entire bottle, you may get a bit sick.
How do you know when Champagne goes bad?
There are a few ways to know if a Champagne has gone bad. First, when you remove the cork, there will be no pop, indicating that it’s lost it’s sparkle. Then when you pour a glass, the color might be gold or brown, a sign that it’s been exposed to too much oxygen. Then you may also notice that it smell stale or off, or it could smell sour. Another way to know that Champagne has gone bad is by tasting it. If it generally unpleasant and tastes flat, the Champagne has gone off.
How do you store unopened Champagne?
To make sure Champagne lasts as long as possible, store Champagne in a dark, cool place with a stable temperature. Be sure to store Champagne on its side so that the cork does dry out. A wine fridge is ideal for Champagne storage.
Is putting a spoon in an open bottle actually helpful in retaining carbonation, or is that just a rumor?
Nearly certain it’s a myth. Although I’ve never had leftover Champagne to be sure.