How Long Does Sparkling Wine Last? (Must Read Tips)

by Philip Thompson
14 June, 2023

There’s a birthday coming up and, as is traditional, you’ve bought some fizz for the occasion.

But how long will this special sparkling wine last?

And when you’ve popped that cork how long do you have to finish the bottle?

Well, let’s find out, shall we?

Listen to this post here:

How Long Does Sparkling Wine Last Opened?

Sparkling Wines

Nothing screams party more than the celebratory pop of a bottle of sparkling wine being opened.

But how long will an opened bottle of sparkling wine keep for?

Good quality sparkling wine should keep and drink well for about 3-4 days after opening - use a sparkling wine stopper to help keep the fizz fresh.

Ideally, a bottle of sparkling wine should be consumed on the day of opening.

The magic is in the bubbles here and the fizz is very much at its best as soon as the cork has been popped.

But what about unopened bottles?

How Long Does Sparkling Wine Last Unopened?

So what about the bottle of sparkling wine you’ve just discovered in the back of a cupboard?

Depending on the style and quality of the sparkling wine in question, your unopened sparkling wine can last for 1-3 years, as long as the bottles are stored with care.

Good quality sparkling wines can last even longer, with some varieties capable of being aged for at least a decade.

So how should you store your bottles of sparkling wine?

How To Store Opened Sparkling Wine

Whether its Prosecco or Champagne, once opened it’s best to store your sparkling wine in the fridge with a stopper at drinking temperature of 5-7 degrees C.

Doing so will help to preserve both the freshness of the flavour and the vitality of the sparkle.

Remember that both the wine’s taste and carbonation can be affected by exposure to oxygen, so make sure you seal your bottles tightly!

But what about unopened bottles of sparkling wine?

How To Store Unopened Sparkling Wine

The cork is key to keeping you unopened bottles of sparkling wine at their best, so if you can, try and lay your bottles on their side.

Doing this will allow the wine to have contact with the cork, which will stop it from drying out.

Other ways to store your sparkling wine well is to keep your bottles in cool and dark conditions that are quiet and free from unnecessary vibrations and light sources.

Storage conditions aside, is sparkling wine capable of going bad?

Does Sparkling Wine Go Bad?

Yes, unfortunately sparkling wine can go bad, which is why it’s always best to drink your bottles sooner rather than later.

There’s nothing worse than leaving a prized bottle of fizz for too long!

So how can you tell if your sparkling wine is no longer good to drink?

How Can You Tell Sparkling Wine Has Gone Bad?

Testing Sparkling Wine Freshness

Smell. Taste. Appearance. The 3 best methods you can use to tell if sparkling wine has gone bad.

First and foremost, a tell-tale sign that a sparkling wine has gone bad is if there is no sparkle to be found!
A fizzy wine can’t be good if it pours flat as a pancake, can it?
After that, if the wine looks hazy in appearance, smells a bit weird and tastes downright bad then it’s not suitable for consumption and sadly you’d be best pouring the wine away.

But can a fridge help to avoid this?

Should you keep opened sparkling wine in the fridge?

Do You Keep Opened Sparkling Wine In The Fridge?

Yes, once opened it’s a great idea to keep your - tightly sealed! - opened sparkling wine in the fridge.

This will help to maintain its fresh, fizzy flavours for you to enjoy over the next couple of days.

So should unopened sparkling wine go in the fridge, too?

Do You Keep Unopened Sparkling Wine In The Fridge?

Sparkling wine doesn’t need to be kept in the fridge if it's unopened, which can help save on valuable refrigeration space.

As long as you keep your wine in a cool, calm and dark place it can happily stay there for months if not years.

Just place the wine in the fridge on the day you wish to drink it to get your sparkling wine to the right serving temperature.

But does that mean that unopened sparkling wine has an expiration date?

Does Sparkling Wine Expire?

Sparkling wine is magical, but unfortunately good things don't last forever and sparkling wines carbonation and quality of flavour will deteriorate over time.

So try and drink any unopened bottles within a 2-3 years of purchasing and remember you don’t always need a special occasion to pour yourself a glass of delicious sparkling wine!

Summary of How Long Sparkling Wine Lasts?

Here's everything you need to know about how long sparkling wine lasts:

Topic	Duration
Opened Sparkling Wine	3-4 days
Unopened Sparkling Wine	1-3 years (can age longer for quality wines)
Storage for Opened Sparkling Wine	Store in fridge with a stopper
Storage for Unopened Sparkling Wine	Store in cool, dark, and quiet conditions (lay on side if possible)
Shelf Life of Sparkling Wine	Drink within 2-3 years of purchase
Signs of Bad Sparkling Wine	No fizz, hazy appearance, strange smell, unpleasant taste
Can You Keep Opened Sparkling Wine in Fridge	Yes
Keeping Unopened Wine in Fridge	Doesn't need to be but ideally kept in a wine fridge at 12-13 Degrees C
Expiration of Sparkling Wine	Carbonation and flavor deteriorate over time