Bubbly lovers know the drill: You buy a bottle of champagne, you bring it home, and you put it in the fridge right away so it will be nice and cold when you're finally ready to imbibe. According to one winemaking expert, though, this might not be the best way to treat your bubbly — apparently, champagne shouldn't always be refrigerated.
"If you're planning to enjoy your bottle of Champagne (or sparkling wine) within three to four days of the purchase, it is fine to store the bottle in the refrigerator," Moët & Chandon wine quality manager Marie-Christine Osselin told Huffington Post.
But if it's going to be more than a few days before you pop open that bottle, you're better off bypassing the refrigerator.
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"If it sits in the fridge for weeks, the cork can dry out due to no humidity," Osselin explained. "As corks dry out, the seal between the bottle and the cork loosen up and the Champagne will oxidize faster, changing its aromas."
To translate: In the world of wine, the word "aroma" refers to the tiny odorous compounds we smell when we take a sniff of the stuff. But, because aroma and taste work together to create a wine's flavor, any change that occurs in your champagne's aroma will also have an effect on your overall impression of it.
So, instead of bringing your bottles of bubbly straight to the fridge, Osselin recommends storing them in a cool, dark place with a consistent temperature, such as a wine cellar. Then, 15 to 20 minutes before you want to pop them, move the bottles to a bucket filled with ice and a little bit of water. Happy sipping!
[h/t Huffington Post
Heather Finn is the content strategy editor at Good Housekeeping, where she heads up the brand's social media strategy and covers entertainment news on everything from ABC's 'The Good Doctor' to Netflix's latest true crime documentaries.
