How is champagne stored (temperature, duration, etc.)?
Elaborated with care and according to the rules of the art, champagne is a fine product. Winemakers ensure that it is given perfect aging, as well as optimal champagne storage conditions. Therefore, it is important to respect it, pamper it, and ensure its preservation.
How to store a bottle of champagne? How long does champagne last? At what temperature should champagne be stored?
Here is a brief guide to storing champagne to answer the main questions you may have.
- How is champagne stored?
- What is the storage temperature for champagne?
- What are the storage conditions for champagne?
- How to store champagne once opened in the fridge?
- Should you store your champagne or not?
- How to store champagne when living in an apartment?
How is champagne stored?
Since champagne is a refined product, the storage conditions are very specific. Indeed, several criteria must be followed to properly store champagne and not alter its taste or quality:
- A cool cellar temperature, offering a constant storage temperature.
- Humidity should not be excessive. Otherwise, the cork could be attacked, particularly by mold. In this case, the taste of champagne would be altered by picking up the taste and smell of the mold.
- Champagne should be stored in a clean place, free of odors and light.
- Absence of drafts, as champagne does not tolerate temperature fluctuations.
- Absence of light. This is especially true if your champagne bottles are transparent.
Light affects the quality of champagne. This is why, throughout the production process, we ensure that our wine is provided with the best storage conditions. Among the tools winemakers use for maturation, oak barrels are ideal for storage. In addition, they give champagnes a particular complexity. We explain the role of wood in the production of champagne from our De Lozey house.
Finally, with regard to storage, there is less importance whether the bottles are stored horizontally or upright. The horizontal position has the advantage of keeping the cork moist. The upright position avoids possible cork and taste alteration.
If you do not have a cellar to store bottles from our champagne range, a bottle rack in the dark will be perfect. In an apartment, it will be possible to store them in a refrigerated cabinet displaying the correct champagne storage temperature.
What is the storage temperature for champagne?
Because it matures in cool and dark places, champagne requires a cool champagne storage temperature. Thus, the ideal champagne temperature is considered to be between 10 and 12°C (50-54°F). With a lower temperature, the cold prevents all the flavors from being released. Furthermore, it acts somewhat like an anesthetic on the taste buds, making them less sensitive to quality.
Champagne is a very fragile wine. In addition to its storage temperature, it requires a humidity level between 60 and 70. It should neither be too dry nor too humid.
Champagne should be stored at a relatively low temperature. However, in the absence of a cellar, you will need to put your champagne in the fridge when you plan to drink it. In this case, you should keep it in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours. Then, before serving, wait about ten minutes.
Furthermore, champagne does not tolerate temperature shocks.
So, you will agree that putting champagne in the freezer to cool it down faster is a very bad idea. While champagne can tolerate being chilled, it should not be frozen. Therefore, if you are pressed for time, it is better to immerse your bottle in a champagne bucket with ice for 15 to 20 minutes. The champagne temperature will be perfect.
In the summer, especially once the bottle is opened, champagne tends to warm up quickly. Again, a champagne bucket with ice will be the best solution for keeping the champagne temperature cool. This way, you can continue to serve champagne-based cocktails under the pergola. If you have no idea what cocktails you could make with champagne, here are some champagne cocktail recipes.
What are the storage conditions for champagne?
The longer the storage conditions, the more champagne evolves. Aromas change, intensify, and become more complex. Champagne storage conditions also depend on your taste. Know that in the first few years, your champagne will retain its floral notes. As it ages, the notes will shift more towards undergrowth, truffles, or toasted bread.
First of all, when the wine is distributed, it is already aged. For example, our De Lozey vintages rest for at least 36 months. This is the minimum champagne storage time for our vintages to reach their full potential. What also makes the quality of our De Lozey traditional brut champagne, a must-try champagne, is that it is made from reserve wines of over 15 years.
Discover our Brut Tradition
Delightfully fruity, energetic, refreshing, and easy to enjoy, it's the essential champagne, the safe bet. Never will a classic champagne tickle your taste buds like this.
If champagnes made from the Chardonnay grape tend to keep well, the same cannot be said for Rosé champagne. Indeed, there is no need for a long storage period for Rosé champagne. It is a champagne with a storage duration that is generally around 2 years.
Brut champagne has a longer storage life compared to other champagnes. Extra-dry, dry, demi-sec, and sweet champagnes, on the other hand, are champagnes that are consumed quickly. These are bottles that you can keep in a relatively cool place while still protecting them from light.
How to store champagne once opened in the fridge?
Once a bottle of champagne is opened, the question remains of how to store it in the refrigerator. Everyone has their own advice and tricks to preserve the quality of the bubbles as much as possible.
Of course, everyone has tried the theory of the small spoon, which is said to allow the bubbles to rise and fall back into the bottle. Well, it must be acknowledged that this does not work. It is, of course, a legend.
Therefore, the only truly effective method for preserving the effervescence of champagne is to be able to reseal the bottle. Thus, you can use either a vacuum stopper or an airtight stopper. With the vacuum stopper, you can remove the air, preventing the oxidation of your champagne. The airtight stopper, on the other hand, does not remove air but prevents carbon dioxide from escaping too much. Thus, the effervescence of the champagne is preserved. However, please note that these two solutions offer only short-term solutions. Therefore, the storage time of champagne in the refrigerator once opened is only a few days.
Once opened, it is best to consume the bottle as quickly as possible. After all, unless you are sharing a magnum, the bottle is quickly finished. By the way, do you know why a magnum is a smart choice for champagne lovers? In our case, our De Lozey house offers several magnum-packaged champagnes in its champagne range.
However, we strongly advise against storing champagne in the refrigerator for too long. Indeed, this would strongly affect its taste. Furthermore, the cork could be damaged by losing its moisture. Consequently, the wire cage would be loosened, and the champagne would oxidize more quickly.
The solution to store your champagne in the fridge is only valid if you plan to consume the champagne in the following days. And even then! As mentioned above, the ideal champagne storage temperature is between 8 and 12 degrees, depending on the champagne. If you have a cool place, sheltered from light, for champagne storage, it's even better.
Should you store your champagne or not?
It is often said that some wines are better for aging and storage than others. That you should buy wine to store and age it. That this wine is a cellar wine, etc. But what about champagne? How do you know if storing the purchased champagne is recommended or not? And how long should champagne be stored? In fact, it all depends on the quality of the champagne...
If you have purchased an entry-level bottle of champagne, it is better to consume it immediately. If you have bought champagne for a special occasion like a wedding, order it a few weeks in advance so that it can rest after transport. Our De Lozey champagne is very easily transported by mail. As for the choice, we recommend our article on which champagne to choose for a successful wedding.
If you buy a vintage champagne, keep in mind that it should be stored for a maximum of 2 to 4 years. Therefore, the purchase should be made with champagne storage in mind. If you want to consume vintage champagne as soon as you buy it, choose already aged cuvées. We offer a whole range of De Lozey vintage champagnes, some of which are exceptional vintages or very great vintages.
Great vintages can be stored for 2 to 3 decades. However, be aware that they will eventually lose their effervescence. On the other hand, the bouquet will become much richer, and you will get closer to an excellent white wine.
How to store champagne when living in an apartment?
Just because you live in an apartment does not mean you have to give up drinking champagne. Champagne storage in an apartment is possible without turning your home into a wine cellar.
Do you want to buy several bottles of our Cuvée du Dimanche or our Cuvée des Gentlemen? You can easily store your carton by following a few guidelines:
- Do not store your carton in your living room. The temperature there would be too high, typically around 20°C (68°F).
- Choose a room where you do not have heating in the winter.
- Leave the bottles in the carton and choose a dark place. This can be, for example, in a closet in a cool room.
- Store your bottles in a wine refrigerator. Nowadays, you can find wine refrigerators of all sizes. So, they can be placed in a living room or hallway and provide a constant temperature. The best option would be to opt for a compartmentalized cabinet. This way, you can mix champagne and wine and set a temperature for each category of bottles.
Discover our Cuvée des Gentlemen
This cuvée impresses with its balance between refined maturity and youthful dynamism. Imagined by our master oenologists for discerning palates. It's the most prestigious of De Lozey champagnes.
Now you know everything about champagne storage duration and the best champagne temperature. All that's left is to enjoy it according to your desires and mood. If we can give you advice, remember that you can enjoy champagne as an aperitif for a successful moment. Furthermore, champagne can be enjoyed in every season. To fully appreciate the flavor and finesse of De Lozey champagnes, here are 4 tips for enjoying champagne in the summer.