What's the best way to store Champagne?
Hello there! I'm Dr. Vinifera, but you can call me Vinny. Ask me your toughest wine questions, from the fine points of etiquette to the science of winemaking. And don't worry, I'm no wine snob—you can also ask me those "dumb questions" you're too embarrased to ask your wine geek friends! I hope you find my answers educational, empowering and even amusing. And don't forget to check out my most asked questions and my full archives for all my Q&A classics.
Dear Dr. Vinny,
What is the best way to store fine Champagne?
—Diana K., Folsom, Calif.
Dear Diana,
Fine or not, bubbly should be stored the same way all wine should be stored: away from light, heat, vibration and temperature fluctuation. If you have a cooling unit, keep it at 55 degrees F, with 70 percent humidity. If not, find a relatively secure spot, maybe in the corner of a closet. You’ll need to chill the bubbly down before serving, and the fastest way to do that is in an ice bath.
There are a couple of caveats about sparkling wine storage. Typically, I always recommend storing wine bottles on their sides to keep the corks damp. This step isn’t necessary for sparkling wines—it stays pretty humid inside the bottle with all the carbonation in there.
Secondly, Champagne and other bubblies are extremely sensitive to light, which is why they’re typically in such dark bottles, to protect the wine from UV rays. Keep that in mind when picking a storage spot.
—Dr. Vinny
