How do you store champagne and other sparkling beverages?

Sparkling wine storage: how to store champagne and other sparkling wines properly ?

Sparkling wines - whether they be champagne, crémant, prosecco or cava - are particularly sensitive products. Their storage is governed by specific rules, different from those for still wines. Temperature, position, length of storage, type of cellar... To ensure that the pressure is maintained, the bubbles are fine and the aromas are balanced, it is essential to store your bottles in the best possible conditions perfectly controlled conditions.

1. Why do sparkling wines require special precautions ?

Sparkling wines undergo a secondary fermentation in bottles or closed tanks, producing carbon dioxide. This effervescence is one of the key elements of their organoleptic structure: internal pressure, bubble finesse, mouthfeel and aromatic expression depend directly on preservation quality.

Incorrect storage can lead to :

• A pressure loss and therefore effervescence,

• A aroma alteration (oxidation, excessive yeasty notes),

• A premature plug wear,

• From perceptible variations in sugar and acidity for tasting.

2. Temperature: stability first

As with all wines, temperature is essential. But for sparkling wines, it's especially important to be perfectly stable.

• Ideal temperature : 10 to 12 °C

• Tolerance: between 8 and 14 °C

• Maximum variation accepted : < 2 °C

Increases in temperature accelerate ageing, while sudden decreases can lead to gas contraction, the result is less effervescence. Wine cellars Climadiff, single-temperature or multi-temperature, allow precise, constant adjustment, which is crucial for this type of wine.

3. Should champagne bottles be put to bed ?

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of champagne houses recommend lay down the bottles, as for other wines. This makes it possible to :

• Keep cap in contact with liquid, preventing it from drying out,

• Maintain watertightness of the bottle,

• Reduce the risk of oxidation in the long term.

The only exception: for bottles with stapled corks (such as those made using the "méthode ancestrale non dégorgée"), it is sometimes advisable to store them in an upright position.

4. Light, humidity and vibrations: common enemies

a. Light

Sparkling wines, and in particular champagnes, are extremely sensitive to UV. These degrade aromas and accelerate oxidation.

At Climadiff, all cellars with glass doors are equipped with uV protection, this guarantees effective protection for even the most sensitive bottles.

b. Humidity

The ideal hygrometry for sparkling wines is between 60 and 75. Below 50%, corks can dry out. Too much humidity, on the other hand, can cause mildew and label deterioration. Cellars Climadiff guarantee a regulated natural humidity, reinforced if necessary by the addition of lava stones.

c. Vibrations

Champagne's fine bubbles can be affected by repeated vibration. This disturbs the balance of yeasts and dissolved gases. Our cellars are all equipped with a anti-vibration system, essential for preserving sparkling wines.

5. Can champagne be aged in a cellar ?

Yes, under certain conditions.

• Vintage Champagnes designed for aging, they gain in complexity (aromas of brioche, dried fruit, sweet spices).

• Top-of-the-range Crémants some of them will improve 2 to 3 years after disgorgement.

• Traditional terroir methods to be monitored according to style (Brut Nature, Dosage Zéro, Extra Brut...).

In all cases, regular temperature, darkness and absence of vibrations are essential prerequisites.

6. Which wine cellar is right for sparkling wines ?

Aging cellars single-temperature :

• Ideal for ageing champagnes and vintage cuvées,

• Constant temperature around 10-12°C.

Multi-purpose or service cellars :

• Perfect for always having a bottle ready to enjoy,

• Zones adjustable between 5 and 18°C depending on model,

• Possibility of compartmentalizing according to the type of wine.

Key points to check :

• Anti-UV treatment,

• Vibration damping,

• Stable humidity,

• Modular shelves to accommodate specific formats (champagne bottles, magnums).

Conclusion

Correctly storing sparkling wine requires careful planning. Stable temperature, darkness, regulated humidity, absence of vibrations: these are the parameters that will enable your champagne or crémant to preserve all its freshness and complexity until opening.

At Climadiff, each wine cellar is designed to meet the requirements of even the most discerning connoisseurs of fine wines. No matter how long you need to keep your wine, or how often you need to enjoy it, there's a solution to suit your sparkling bottles.