If you have some guests around or even a special occasion, sparkling wine can be your celebratory drink! However, if you have some unused sparkling wine left in the bottle after opening, what should you do?
Many people believe that you cannot store an opened sparkling wine. But, that is a myth as you can drink sparkling wine even three to four days after opening. You just need to store it in the refrigerator after recorking. You can also place it in a cool area after recorking.
In this guide, I will answer every question about storing an opened sparkling wine. So, read on to clear your doubts!
Can You Recork Sparkling Wine?
Yes, unlike what other people say, it is perfectly fine to recork sparkling wine as long as you have a proper cork.
However, keep in mind that you may not be able to use the original cork. It is because the cork may not fit well. Moreover, it could also cause a buildup of gases which could further lead to the cork flying out of the champagne bottle.
So, you need to either buy a new one or recycle an old one.
For instance, you can try recycling corks from regular wine bottles. They may fit well and keep your sparkling wine safe. If you don’t have an old wine or alcohol bottle cork, buy a reusable hermetic cork. They are airtight and will keep the gases inside.
Does Sparkling Wine Need to Be Refrigerated?
It isn’t necessary to refrigerate your sparkling wine bottle as you can store them in wine coolers before drinking. But, if you don’t have wine coolers, feel free to keep the sparkling wine in the fridge, be it opened or unopened sparkling wine.
Here are a few tips if you want to refrigerate sparkling wine:
- Keep the temperature around 50F to 55F as this is ideal for sparkling wines. If it exceeds, remove the sparkling wine from the fridge or it may lose its taste.
- Make sure that you keep an unopened sparkling wine in a horizontal manner instead of vertical to keep the cork moist enough to hold its position. This is applicable for long-term storage.
- An unopened sparkling wine bottle can last for 3 to 5 years whereas opened sparkling wine can last for 3 to 5 days.
- Refrigerate an unopened sparkling wine only one or two days before its consumption.
Champagne usually shouldn’t be left in the fridge for long as it may dry out and lose its flavor. The same problem isn’t seen in other types of sparkling wine. As long as you properly keep them for a few days, you won’t face any issues.
How Do You Store Opened Sparkling Wine?
I have compiled a list of some of the best ways to store an opened sparkling wine. These methods are effective and will prevent your sparkling wine from losing its taste.
1. Store In Cool Or Dry Place
This may not sound like an effective tip but trust me, most sparkling wines retain their flavors for around 3 to 5 days.
So, if you want to store your opened sparkling wine, simply recork it. Then, you can store it in a cool or dry place. Make sure that sunlight doesn’t reach the area as it can ruin the flavor of your sparkling wine.
Now, whenever you want to drink it again, simply pop it in the fridge for about 30 to 45 minutes. You can also make use of an ice cooler if you have that.
The only drawback to this storing method is that you will have to consume your sparkling wine in 3 to 5 days only.
2. Refrigerate It
Another option is to refrigerate your opened sparkling wine. Again, this method is effective if you are planning to store your sparkling wine for around 3 to 5 days only. After these days, the sparkling wine will lose its carbonation and flavor too.
First, you need to recork your sparkling wine. Make sure that you use proper corks that will keep the sparkling wine airtight. If you don’t, the cork will simply fly out and your sparkling wine will lose its fizz.
Also, you need to keep the fridge’s temperature around 50F and 55F so that the sparkling wine doesn’t lose its flavor due to low temperatures.
You can place the sparkling wine upright in this case as you’re not storing it for long.
3. Make Use Of Proper Corks
It’s essential to make use of proper corks if you want to store sparkling wine. Let’s take a look at some options that you have:
- Old Cork
The best way to recork your opened sparkling wine is by using an old cork. You can opt for wine bottle corks or even some alcohol bottles that may come with corks.
You can recycle the old corks for storing an opened sparkling wine as they’re quite airtight and fit nicely too.
- Reusable Cork
If you don’t have old corks, you can simply buy a reusable or hermetic cork. These corks are extremely useful for re-corking opened sparkling wines and even champagnes.
Moreover, they have an excellent design which keeps the sparkling wine bottle airtight and as good as new!
- Plastic Wrap and Rubber Band
This isn’t the most effective option but still, if you have nothing then this may work nicely too.
Just wrap the plastic wrap on the top of the bottle. Then, put the rubber band around it to secure the plastic wrap. This method works if you’re planning to store an opened sparkling night just for one day.
- Wine Or Champagne Stoppers
Lastly, you can go for either wine stoppers or champagne stoppers. These stoppers work miraculously if you don’t want your sparkling wine to lose its bubbles.
They may be slightly expensive but they are a good investment if you can’t seem to finish entire sparkling wine bottles.
4. Use A Spoon To Retain The Bubbles
This is a controversial method of storing an opened sparkling wine as it hasn’t worked out for everyone. Still, many people swear by it due to its efficiency.
So, what are you supposed to do here? All you need to do is put the tail part of the spoon inside the bottle’s mouth. This should seem like the spoon is dangling inside.
The spoon method works well for keeping the sparkling wine’s fizz intact for a day or two. It may not work more than that.
Certain methods are not recommendable for storing sparkling wine. One of them is using a freezer.
Even though people may suggest using a freezer to cool sparkling wine, I suggest against it. It is because when you put wine in the freezer, the water inside the wine may expand. This could force out the cork or in the worst-case scenario, it may even break the bottle.
So, make sure you stay away from using a freezer and opt for safer options like using a fridge or even a cool area for an opened sparkling wine bottle.
It’s also not a good idea to transfer your sparkling wine from one bottle to another. When you do this, the sparkling wine may lose its carbonation and even its flavor. So, always store it in the same bottle that it came in.
How Do You Know If Sparkling Wine Is Bad?
Certain obvious signs can show you if a sparkling wine has gone bad or not. These include:
1. Lose Or Improper Cork
One of the easiest ways to tell if a sparkline wine has gone bad or not is by checking its cork.
The cork should remain in its place while in storage. If you notice that the cork is pushed out slightly, then the sparkling wine may have gone bad. For an opened bottle, it could also be a sign that you didn’t put the cork on it properly after drinking it.
2. No Bubbles Or Fizz
Sparkling wine is characterized by the presence of tiny bubbles. So, if it is not stored well, the bubbles may evaporate and leave you with a flat-tasting sparkling wine.
When you check the sparkling wine and find that there are no bubbles present inside it, then the chances are it has gone bad and lost its flavors.
3. Changes In Smell Or Taste
Lastly, you can also make out from the changes in smell or taste if the sparkling wine is drinkable or not.
If the odor is extremely unpleasant and not like the previous bottles of sparkling wine, then this one may have gone bad. Similarly, if you find that the taste is off as well, discard the sparkling wine immediately.
Related Questions:
1. Should Sparkling Wine Be Stored on Its Side?
Yes, storing the sparkling wine on its side is recommendable for a long duration. There’s a particular reason behind this.
When you store the sprinkling wine on its side, the wine comes in contact with the cork. This helps in keeping the cork moist and long-lasting.
On the other hand, if you keep it upright, chances are that the cork may dry out, lose its durability, and become crumbly. It may even encourage the premature aging of sparkling wine.
2. How Do You Reseal a Bottle of Sparkling Wine?
Resealing a sparkling wine isn’t the same as any other wine. There are certain extra steps you need to take to ensure that it retains its flavor and carbonation. Some of them include:
- Use An Old Cork From Wine Bottle
Even if you cannot use the original cork of the sparkling wine, you can always make use of an old cork. Here’s how you can do it:
- First, make sure that the cork isn’t tapered.
- Take the cork and position it near the bottle’s neck. Hold the bottle tight.
- Lastly, push the cork inside such that it is tightly fitted. You can twist it inside to ensure that it’s firm.
In this way, you can reseal a sparkling wine using an old wine bottle cork.
- Make Use Of Champagne Stopper
A champagne stopper is one of the most effective techniques for resealing a sparkling wine bottle. Or, if you’re going for a wine stopper, make sure it’s specifically made for sparkling wine.
The stopper is usually made out of metal and is tight enough to preserve the flavor and fizziness of the sparkling wine.
- Use Rubber Band With Plastic Wrap
Using a rubber band with plastic wrap is the most convenient option for resealing a sparkling wine.
All you need to do is cover the sparkling wine with plastic wrap. Then, hold the plastic wrap in its place by using a rubber band.
3. Does Sparkling Wine Expire If Unopened?
Most wines are known to last for years. The same stands true for sparkling wine. If you have an unopened sparkling wine, then it would last for a minimum of five years.
Moreover, even if there’s an expiration date given on the bottle, most sparkling wines last even three years after that. So, as long as the flavor and bubbles seem good, you can drink your sparkling wine.
Final Thoughts
Almost every other person who loves wine is a fan of sparkling wine. Sparkling wine has a unique and luxurious flavor like no other drink. Hence, it becomes necessary to store it well for flavor and carbonation retention.
As I suggested, consider recorking your sparkling wine properly. Then, simply store it in a cool and dry area or even your fridge for about two to three days. Don’t ever store it in the freezer as it would cause the wine to lose its taste or even break the bottle!