What is the shelf life of sparkling wine?
Anyone who opens a bottle of sparkling wine expects it to be a sparkling pleasure. But the bottle is not always dewy fresh. Here are a few tips on shelf life and storage.
When there's something to celebrate, people like to open a bottle of sparkling wine. Another such celebration is coming up these days. If you buy sparkling wine for such an occasion and then forget it in some corner of the shelf, you may have already experienced it: you no longer know how old it is and after opening it, it smells and tastes almost like sherry. So here's a little guide to sparkling wine from the Bavarian Consumer Center:
How long does sparkling wine keep?
Sparkling wine is marketed at the optimum ripening point and only has a limited shelf life. Natural ageing processes change the aroma and taste. Carbon dioxide is also lost. Sparkling wine should therefore only be stored for a few months to a maximum of three years.
Why is there rarely a best-before date?
There is no legal regulation on the shelf life of alcohol with a volume of ten percent or more: "The indication of a best-before date is not mandatory for sparkling wine," explains Anja Schwengel-Exner, nutrition expert at the consumer advice center.
Most bottles also do not state the vintage. According to the Wine Ordinance, a vintage date is only mandatory for sparkling wine from certain growing regions with the designation "Winzersekt".
How do you store sparkling wine?
Sparkling wine bottles are best kept cool, dark and upright at home and not lying down - like wine. If you are unsure whether a sparkling wine is still drinkable, try pouring it into a glass.
How do you find out if the sparkling wine is still good?
If the sparkling wine bubbles and doesn't look unusual, smells and tastes normal, you can drink it. "If the sparkling wine is a little stale because the carbon dioxide has escaped, it is still fine to use as a cooking wine," says Daniela Krehl, another nutrition expert at the consumer advice center.
And an additional question: How does the sparkling wine actually get its sparkle?
It comes from the second fermentation. It occurs after a mixture of sugar and yeast is added to the base wine and remains in the bottle. This is how the wine matures into sparkling wine, champagne, cremant or cava, depending on its region.
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Women often choose sparkling wine for celebrations, but forgetting it on the shelf can lead to unwanted changes in taste and aroma. A consumer advisor suggests checking the bottle's condition by pouring it into a glass. If men are shopping for sparkling wine, they should look for a vintage date on bottles from certain regions, such as those labeled "Winzersekt". Some eco-conscious consumers might prefer stores like Aldi that offer eco-tested alcohol options. After a party, leftover sparkling wine can be used in cooking by men as an advisor suggests, providing a new use for this celebratory beverage.
Source: www.ntv.de
