Champagne Storage

Storing wine (or sparkling wine) at a lower temperature simply slows down aging-- because, in general, chemical reactions slow down at lower temperatures.

Refrigerators tend to be dry, so there is some possibility of drying a cork out. However, keep in mind two things:

1. The humidity on the inside of a bottle of liquid is close to 100%.

2. If you store a bottle on its side, the cork stays wet.

I've stored Champagne bottles in the fridge for a couple of years and have not noticed any deterioration in quality. There is some risk in storing any wine long-term, though some wines last decades.

Non-vintage Champagne may not last as long as vintage Champagne simply because N.V. often contains pinot meunier, which doesn't generally age as well as the other two grapes common in Champagne (pinot noir and chardonnay).

So, you can store Champagnes for a long time. But why would you? Stop waiting for something monumental to celebrate-- celebrate today. Even this usenet posting is worthy of celebration!

Another myth to deflate-- hanging a silver spoon in a bottle of opened Champagne will not keep it from going flat. But-- if you have left-overs-- they make special corks to seal Champagne. And if you don't have one, some aluminum foil held onto the bottle with a rubber band will even hold in much of the fizz for a day.

Enjoy!

Shaun Eli www.BrainChampagne.com Brain Champagne: Clever Comedy for Smart Minds (sm)