Champagne has a typical shelf life of 3 to 20 years.

Champagne is a special type of sparkling wine, and while normal sparkling wines and champagnes can be kept for 3 to 4 years after purchase, vintage champagnes can be kept for 20 years or more. The life of champagne can be greatly shortened if it is not stored correctly. Most champagnes are non-vintage, so they should be consumed as soon as possible after purchase, as their quality will begin to deteriorate if they continue to be stored.

How to store champagne

When storing champagne, it's best to keep it upright in a wine cooler, which prevents oxygen from leaking through the top of the bottle. Of course, it is possible to store champagne in a wine cellar, but before taking it out of the cellar to drink, chill it for 30-45 minutes before opening the bottle for optimal consumption. If neither a wine cooler nor a cellar is available, then the champagne can be stored in a cool, dark place at a constant temperature.

Ways to recognize spoiled champagne

Before opening a bottle of champagne, you can only tell if it has passed its shelf life based on the date of purchase. After opening it, you can judge it by the sound of the cork and the bubbles that come out the moment you uncork it. A good bottle of champagne produces a wealth of fine bubbles when opened, and these bubbles will continue to emerge.

If a bottle of champagne has gone bad or is past its shelf life, it is likely to produce no or very few bubbles, and it will taste sour.