14/05/2026
I’m often asked at my wine tastings how long Champagne should be kept for. Usually, it’s a bottle given for a special occasion — a wedding, a milestone birthday, an anniversary — and it’s sitting at home waiting to be opened for the next special occasion.
But when will that be? And how long should you really wait?
My advice? Don’t.
Don’t wait for a moment that may not happen for years. Open the bottle and enjoy it! Because not all Champagne is made for decades of ageing — and whilst you’re waiting for that “perfect occasion” that never quite arrives, your bubbly is slowly losing its fizz, flavour and fun.
Most non-vintage Champagne is intended to be enjoyed within a few years. Even prestige cuvées eventually lose their freshness and effervescence. And while you’re saving the bottle for later, you may also be postponing the joy of now.
If you are going to keep a special bottle for a while, at least make sure it’s stored properly: cool, dark, laid flat, with no movement or dramatic temperature changes — think cellar conditions, not upright in a warm kitchen cupboard!
And if you’re tempted to open it… what’s wrong with an ordinary Tuesday evening or a lazy Saturday afternoon? Better still, head to the local chippy and treat yourself to fish and chips — one of the great Champagne pairings.
Pop your cork and enjoy the occasion happening right now, in this very moment. Because life is shorter than your wine rack thinks.
And one final tip… if the bottle itself is special, keep it after you’ve enjoyed the contents! Add a little light inside it and let the memory of the gift, the celebration and the people you shared it with live on — not hidden away in a cupboard, but proudly on display.
Cheers! 🥂
