How and how much can you store champagne at home

As a rule, champagne is drunk immediately after purchase. However, sometimes there are situations where alcohol should be saved for the future. In this case, you need to know how best to store champagne. To preserve the freshness and taste of the product, it is recommended to create optimal conditions for it. At the same time, it is important to maintain optimal temperature, humidity and lighting.

Optimal storage conditions

In order to preserve the champagne, he must create the right conditions. Besides temperature, humidity and lighting, the location of the bottle is of great importance. It should be stored exclusively horizontally. This will help prevent the cork from drying out. Thanks to this, it will not be damaged when opening.

Temperature

It is not recommended to store sparkling wines in kitchen cabinets or buffets. Storing product at room temperature will significantly reduce shelf life. In this mode, the fermentation process begins, and the wine, as a result, turns sour, and the cork dries out. In addition, gases are naturally formed in the drink. At some point they can pull the plug.

The best option for storing champagne is to keep the temperature at + 5-15 degrees.To obtain such indicators, it is recommended to place the product in a cellar, basement or refrigerator.

It should be borne in mind that it is forbidden to store such a drink in rooms with strong temperature fluctuations.

Lighting

Sparkling wines do not tolerate exposure to the sun with difficulty. The taste of the drink depends on the lighting of the room in which it is stored. In this case, it is important to respect the following rules:

  1. Champagne should not be in a well-lit place. Direct sunlight is especially destructive to him.
  2. Artificial light negatively affects the quality and shelf life of the drink.
  3. If the glass of the container is not tinted, it is better to put the bottle in a box or put it in a dark and cool place.

Humidity

It is recommended to store champagne in a room with a humidity of at least 75%. This will help prevent the cork from drying out. The best option for storing a drink is a damp, dark basement.

a bottle of champagne

Rules and shelf life in a closed bottle

Sparkling wine closed at home should be stored in a cellar or basement. All the right conditions are there. In addition, many bottles can be kept in such a room at once. However, not everyone can store champagne in a cellar or basement. In an ordinary apartment, the drink can be placed in a pantry or on a cool loggia. A refrigerator is also a good option.

In this case, it is important to respect the following rules:

  1. It is recommended to store the drink in the refrigerator on the top shelf or in a special compartment for bottles.
  2. Champagne should not be exposed to light. To do this, you can darken the place or wrap the bottles in a dark cloth.
  3. Do not break the temperature regime.

The shelf life of the drink depends on the quality of the product and the type of raw material:

  1. A good vintage wine can be kept for 10 to 25 years.
  2. When making a drink from raw materials that are not intended for long-term storage, it must be used within 3 years. Among these products, let us mention in particular the famous champagne Abrau Durso.
  3. Soviet champagne is recommended to be stored for 10-12 months from the date of issue. However, it is better to drink the product within the time specified by the manufacturer.

It is imperative to respect the rules for storing sparkling wines, which are indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging. At the same time, they must be cooled immediately before use. First, it is recommended to put the champagne in a cold place for 1-2 hours, then serve it to the table in a bucket of ice.

champagne in a bucket

How long open champagne is kept

If the champagne has not been completely drunk, it is recommended to close it tightly. Using your own cork for this, most likely, will not work. Therefore, you have to do it yourself using a plastic bag or paper. It is also allowed to use an old plastic cap. This will help extend the shelf life of the drink by several days.

It is important to take into account that it will not be possible to keep open champagne without losing its properties. In addition to the evaporation of carbon dioxide, even a high-quality drink will quickly lose its flavor. A noticeable acidity may appear.Therefore, it is recommended to drink an opened bottle within 24 hours.

Inexpensive champagne will lose its quality within 12-15 hours after opening and will acquire a smell of must. This drink should be drunk completely. Elite varieties can be stored in a cool place for up to 36 hours. In this case, the container must be hermetically sealed.

For true fans of this drink, to increase the shelf life, you can use a special portable device that helps pump oxygen out of the bottle. However, this will release some of the carbon dioxide and other volatile compounds that give champagne the desired taste. This device can be purchased at any liquor store. It can be used to extend the shelf life of the drink by 1 week.

To prevent an opened drink from deteriorating, the following recommendations should be observed when storing it:

  • store in a dark, cool place;
  • lay exclusively in a horizontal position;
  • close the bottle only with a tight stopper;
  • do not drink a drink that has been opened more than a week ago.

bottle and spoon

How to check a drink

In order for the drink not to harm your health, you need to familiarize yourself with the methods of verification. To distinguish a quality alcohol from an expired product, it is recommended to evaluate it according to the following parameters:

  • label information;
  • shadow;
  • to taste;
  • Date;
  • feel.

Do not buy champagne without an expiry date. The label should contain information about the allowable amount of storage of the drink. Before opening a bottle, the condition of the product should be examined. In the presence of turbidity and sediment, contamination of the drink by bacteria can be suspected.

The color of the product is also important. He must be rich enough.Red, white and rosé champagne must be clear and transparent. Varietal alcohol has a deep and rich flavor.

It will also be possible to assess the quality of alcohol by taste and smell. If it contains bitterness, acid or mold, this indicates the end of the shelf life. The use of such a product is prohibited.

If the wine is kept open for a long time and sediment forms in the bottle, it is better to strain it through cheesecloth.

To assess the quality of the drink, you can pour water into a glass of wine. If it moves the sparkling liquid to the surface, you can be sure of the good taste and composition of alcohol. Also, when defining the characteristics of a product, you should pay attention to the intensity of its taste. It should increase with each sip.

The conservation of champagne has a certain number of particularities. By following expert recommendations, the freshness and quality of this product can be maintained. At the same time, it is important to control the temperature parameters, humidity and lighting indicators. Even the location of the bottle is of great importance.



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