Why you should NEVER display a bottle of Champagne in the living room
▲ Absolutely not the right way to store a bottle of Champagne.
Producing Champagne is truly an art form. From vineyard to sale, a Champagne producer makes many choices that influence the final aromas, flavor, color, and texture of the Champagne, and they strive to achieve the best possible blend.
Just as important as the production process itself is what happens to the bottles afterward. Once Champagne leaves the perfect conditions of the cellar, it is susceptible to various environmental influences, such as temperature, light, humidity, movement, and, of course, time. These influences can slowly alter Champagne.
Unfortunately, we hear all too often that people store champagne on the extractor hood, or in a display case, for example. Yes, a bottle of champagne does look festive, but opening it this way will never be a celebration. And that's a real shame.
So how should you store a bottle of Champagne, and what should you pay attention to when buying one? In other words: how do you ensure that the Champagne you're about to open is in perfect condition?
Go for a constant, cool temperature
It's no coincidence that Champagne houses store their Champagnes in underground cellars. Underground, the temperatures are constant and cool. Optimal for the bottles is a temperature between 10 and 12 degrees Celsius . At these temperatures, Champagne can develop slowly but interestingly. If it's too warm, the Champagne will develop faster, oxidize more quickly, and therefore age faster.
'Too warm' is quickly above 20 degrees Celsius.
So what about too cold? Storing Champagne at too low a temperature is generally not a problem if all other conditions are right. Low temperatures cause Champagne to develop and mature slowly. Be careful with temperatures below freezing; Champagne can freeze too! Once it reaches that point, valuable characteristics will be lost.
One option is to store your Champagne in the refrigerator. Research has shown that storing Champagne in the refrigerator can extend its shelf life. However, the problem with the refrigerator is that the other conditions are usually not optimal. Consider humidity, the presence of (refrigerator) light, and potential vibrations from the refrigerator.
It is recommended to keep Champagne in the refrigerator for a few days and not for months or years.
Perhaps even more important than the temperature itself are temperature fluctuations . High temperatures cause Champagne to expand, compressing the air between the liquid and the cork. When temperatures drop, the Champagne contracts again, creating a vacuum within the bottle. If this process repeats itself several times, the seal between the bottle and the cork may no longer be perfect, allowing too much oxygen to enter the bottle. Too much oxygen is detrimental to Champagne.
Try to avoid leaving the bottle of Champagne in the living room for a few days, then in the refrigerator for a while, then back in the kitchen for a while, and finally storing it in the cool cellar.
The ideal conditions:
A constant temperature of around 10 to 12 degrees Celsius is ideal for optimal Champagne development. A cool cellar is ideal. Champagne can also be stored in the refrigerator for a short period. Ideally, use a "second" refrigerator, one that is used less often and is ideally used only for drinks.
If you don't want to store your Champagne in the refrigerator and don't have a cellar, try to find the coolest, most consistent room in your house to prevent temperature fluctuations. Generally, storing Champagne at temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) is fine, as long as the temperature remains constant and you don't store it for too long. However, always aim for a temperature around 10 to 12 degrees Celsius (50 to 54 degrees Fahrenheit).
As dark as possible
You might not expect it, but light has a tremendous impact on Champagne. Not only sunlight (UV) is harmful, but fluorescent light, infrared light, and, to a much lesser extent , LED light also cause imbalances. When Champagne is exposed to this type of light, the chemicals and molecules that allow it to age so gracefully are broken down. This accelerates the aging process, ultimately causing a significant decline in the quality of the Champagne.
Fruity aromas are the first to be affected. The color of Champagne can also become lighter.
▲ The influence of light on the color of Champagne. On the left is an untouched bottle. On the right is regularly exposed to light.
Light can irreparably damage Champagne within an hour (!!). And note that this almost never happens in a Champagne house's cellar. Where light damage is much more likely to occur is in bars, restaurants, liquor stores (especially bottles displayed in the window), or at home. But even if you buy a bottle straight from the liquor store's cellar, that doesn't mean it hasn't been damaged by light before. The bottle may have been stored in a bright warehouse at the wholesaler's for a considerable time.
To rule this out, you can, of course, ask the seller how the Champagne was stored and how they obtained it. For example, was it collected directly from the Champagne house, or were there multiple links in between?
Another factor to consider is the color of the glass . Champagne bottles are typically brown, green, or clear. Brown glass blocks the vast majority of harmful light waves; as much as 90% of light waves are blocked by this type of glass. Green glass blocks at least 50%, depending on the tint and thickness of the glass. Clear bottles block approximately 10% of light waves. This last option is therefore the most risky and requires extra caution.
Does this mean that Champagne in clear bottles is always affected by light? No. This depends heavily on the conditions in which the Champagne was stored.
▲ Three different colors of glass used for Champagne bottles.
If a bottle is occasionally exposed to light, for example, from the refrigerator, don't worry . Only when a bottle is excessively exposed to light will the aging process be accelerated, and the goût de lumière can eventually be tasted.
So NEVER display your Champagne bottle in the living room or on the extractor hood!
The ideal conditions:
As dark as possible. Avoid contact with light and sunlight. A Champagne cellar uses a special LED lamp with a light spectrum of approximately 600 nm, which emits an amber light. These lamps suppress harmful UV and IR rays. Sodium vapor lamps are also suitable.
For anyone who doesn't have a Champagne cellar at home, store your bottle in a container and avoid contact with any light. If all else fails, wrap your Champagne bottle in yellow cellophane or aluminum foil. This also blocks harmful light waves.
Humidity also plays a role
The humidity of a room doesn't directly affect the Champagne, but it does affect the cork in the long run. Optimal humidity, around 70-75%, preserves the cork and maintains its effectiveness. If the air is too dry, the cork may dry out and no longer be able to form an effective seal. A regular refrigerator, for example, is often too dry.
Only if you intend to store an opened bottle is it advisable to refrigerate it. Be sure to seal the Champagne properly with the correct stopper . With this Brevetti WAF stopper , you can keep your Champagne in the refrigerator for up to a week without losing its aromas and bubbles.If the humidity becomes too high, it can lead to mold growth . This can damage the label and especially the cork, causing unpleasant aromas in the Champagne.
The ideal conditions:
A humidity of around 70-75%. If, like most people, you can't regulate the humidity, store your bottles in a cool, dark place. Not in the refrigerator, unless you plan to drink the Champagne within a few days. Generally, the effect of humidity isn't significant and only becomes a factor if you're storing your Champagne for a longer period. Therefore, anywhere between 60 and 90% humidity is generally a good option.
No movement
Little is known about the influence of vibrations (or movement) on the taste, aromas, and texture of Champagne. Vibrations create a molecular imbalance within the bottle and, according to some sources, can even break down molecules. This imbalance can be corrected by, for example, allowing the bottles to rest for several weeks after transport.
Do vibrations break down molecules? Perhaps. Keep in mind that Champagne is sold worldwide, so bottles must be shipped from France to all other continents. Almost all Champagne houses do this by boat, and the transport typically takes several weeks. This would mean a huge loss of flavor, aromas, and texture, which, given Champagne's status, is unlikely. It's possible that vibrations have some effect on Champagne. But to what extent is unknown.
The claim that Champagne in the refrigerator is exposed to excessive vibration is therefore questionable. If weeks of being splashed at sea don't spoil Champagne, the minimal vibrations in a refrigerator probably won't affect it much.
However, it never hurts to ensure that the bottles move and are exposed to vibrations as little as possible to encourage optimal maturation.
▲ Do the vibrations in the refrigerator affect the Champagne?
The ideal conditions:
Store champagne in a place where the bottles are moved and exposed to vibrations as little as possible. Although the influence of vibrations has been studied to a limited extent, it never hurts to avoid them.
Just bought Champagne and in no hurry to finish it? Let it sit for a few weeks to restore molecular harmony, especially if the bottle has just been transported.
The influence of time
Time, like all wines, can influence the aromas, flavor, color, and structure of Champagne. For example, fruity aromas, often found in younger Champagnes, can evolve into aromas of honey, nuts, dried fruit, and toast. Fresh notes can develop into more complex and rich notes, the liveliness of the mousse diminishes as Champagne ages, and the color can also deepen. Remember, however, that once Champagne is corked, the yeast is gone and the aging process is essentially over. Therefore, these changes will always be subtle .
▲ Maturation in the Champagne cellar.
When a Champagne is stored correctly, these subtle changes can unfold beautifully, resulting in an unparalleled experience. However, not all Champagnes can develop this way.
The influence of time on Champagne is diverse and depends on several factors.
The ultimate ideal conditions
So, it is best to store your Champagne in a dark place, between 10 and 12 degrees Celsius, with a humidity of around 70-75%, which is vibration-free.
Try to maintain these conditions as much as possible so that the Champagne can age or be stored optimally and beautifully. If you don't have the opportunity to create these conditions, choose not to store your Champagne for too long. It's better to buy multiple cases of Champagne instead of five at once.
It's important to check the conditions before you buy the bottle. If you have any doubts, don't hesitate to ask.
At Selected by Dronk, you know you're in good hands. Our selection consists entirely of Champagnes, allowing us to create optimal conditions in our warehouse. Our Champagnes are stored in their boxes in a sealed, dark room. This "lightless" room maintains the correct temperature (10-12 degrees Celsius) and humidity. Moreover, we source the Champagnes directly from the Champagne houses, ensuring fast and accurate transport.
Also good to know: we regularly retest the Champagnes in our range to monitor their development. This way, we can be sure our range meets our quality standards!
We'll be discussing the influence of time on Champagne in detail soon. In the meantime, why not enjoy a delicious Champagne?
Take a look in our webshop!