When you receive or buy a bottle of bubbly, it’s important to make sure that it is properly stored. Proper storage ensures that the quality of the contents is maintained and you won’t run the risk of your champagne going bad.

While some might say that champagne and sparkling wine should be stored upright, this is only partially true. This works for short-term storage of up to one month and it is often considered to be the most practical.

When storing a vintage bottle for a long period of time, some different rules apply. This kind of bottle will need to be stored on its side in a wine rack. Alternatively, you can stack multiple bottles just as you would in a wine cellar. The reason for storing vintage bubbly on its side is because you do not want the cork to dry out. If you store the bottle upright, you can be sure that the cork will become dry, brittle, and tough to pop.

The best temperature for storing champagne is between 7 and 10 degrees C. Wherever you store your champagne, you need to make sure that the room does not experience any significant temperature fluctuations. For example, a room that gets particularly warm in summer and cold in winter is not ideal. Count your kitchen, shed, and garage out if you don’t want that bubbly to go bad! Instead, a cellar would be a better bet or any other room where you are positive that the temperature will not fluctuate throughout the year.

The size of the bottle will also determine how well it ages. In general, magnums age better over the long-term while smaller, 750ml, bottles are great for aging up to 15 years. Most of all, don’t forget to keep your bottles away from any bright light – including artificial light.