Does unopened champange go bad? UPDATE post #30

[Imzadi]

This is not correct. Champagne can certainly go bad, and is likely to if not stored correctly or if it's from a bad vintage or vineyard, but I've even had Dom Perignon that went bad. Not all wine is meant to lay down for long periods of time. It won't make you sick, per se, but it will go to vinegar or just taste bad (and if stored upright, the corks can dry out and even lose the carbonation).

OP, best way to know is to open a bottle and taste it. You'll know quickly; if it tastes bad, it's probably turned.

It IS wine, it ages like wine, it will go bad like wine if, as a PP mentioned, it's stored improperly (or if the corking was flawed).

It can be fine for 50 years, it can go bad in one. Try it and see!

yes, it depends on the environment it was kept in. If the cabinet tended to get warm or heated, you could end up with bad wine.

 

[cornflake]

So is Wine in the pantry/fridge the only thing DISer's will try past an expiration date??

It's so funny to read how much people throw out over a date on a package, but alcohol... just try it. Then come back and report if you wound up sick.

It's very unlikely wine, even corked wine, will make someone ill. If it's turned, it's just gone to vinegar.

It's much more likely that foodstuffs, depending, can make someone potentially very ill.

 

[Nancy]

It's very unlikely wine, even corked wine, will make someone ill. If it's turned, it's just gone to vinegar.

It's much more likely that foodstuffs, depending, can make someone potentially very ill.

Yeah, one sip of wine/champagne turned bad and you'll know it. Same thing with cracking open an egg..if it's bad you'll know. There are foods though that will still smell and taste OK, but if old/expired etc. will make you sick. BIG difference.

 

[katrina1122]

Oh yes yes yes it can go bad.

Last NYE our friends popped a bottle (which actually popped). We all toasted and then sipped and 8 people then simultaneously spit all over their dining room table. Oh how awful that tast was. though we still laugh about it.

Test it before you mix it up.

 

[Bilberry]

As others have said it can turn bad. I believe someone mentioned to me that to store champagne best to turn the bottle upside down and kept cool. Don't know why that is, or true, just recall it being mentioned!

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Champagne can go bad, but is less likely to do so in a regular persons non-professional "wine cellar" than other wines. As such, open it and see. It's probably (though not necessarily) okay.

 

[ccgirl]

OK great!! This is the recipe I'm trying:

2 cups cranberry juice, chilled
2 cups orange juice
1 (750 ml.) bottles Champagne, chilled
slices fresh orange, for garnish (optional)

pour 1/3 cup cranberry juice into each glass. Top each serving with 1/3 cup orange juice and about 1/2 cup Champagne. Garnish with orange slices, if desired. Six servings.

Apparently, I am trying it too since I found some champagne as well. Thanks for the recipe. Sounds yummy!!!!

 

[thomas998]

Vintage champagnes (has to be at least 39 years old to be sold) will age nicely if stored correctly. Non-vintage champagnes don't age very well. Open it and taste it , but have a spare bottle on hand just in case it is bad. Enjoy!

I'm not sure what you are talking about.

Vintage champagnes are vintages because the majority of the grapes used are from the same year or vintage... has nothing to do with the age of the champagne.

 

[thomas998]

As others have said it can turn bad. I believe someone mentioned to me that to store champagne best to turn the bottle upside down and kept cool. Don't know why that is, or true, just recall it being mentioned!

Doesn't have to be upside down, just on its side so the cork doesn't dry out. The upside down is probably a thought that came about from someone watching the method of champagne production where you have the bottles upside down, freeze the end so you can remove the sediment without losing the wine or carbonation... as I recall the frozen plug of sediment allows you to get the gunk while the contents self seal by way of the shape of the frozen plug.

 

[Kitten]

OP here...

Well I was a little freaked out over the horror stories of the champagne going bad so I bought new bottles as a back up. Good thing I did because all 3 bottles "popped" but they smelled absolutely horrible!!

On the bright side the cranberry orange mimosas were sooo good and will now be a tradition for Thanksgiving (and probably Christmas) mornings!!