Does Champagne go bad?

[hott_michelle2001]

We got a bottle of champagne given to us on our honeymoon almost two years ago. We actually won the bottle aboard Carnivals Ecstacy. It was suppose to be the best bottle of champagne on board the ship. Not being that familiar with champagne or wines we kept it and still have it to this day. We are cruising on Fantasy this weekend for our two year anniversary and werethinking of opening the bottle. Would it still be good? it is unopened and has just been stored in the pantry for two years.

[pkrchkr]

If you pop the cork and there is no noise or fizz in the bottle it is flat.I have never had a bad bottle of champagne.

[AugustWest]

It should be fine. I suggest you get a bottle stopper at the liquor store. With the stopper and some ice you can drink from it over a couple of days if you like. If you want to have it with dinner, the waiter will hold it for you.

[pkrchkr]

Don't forget the chocolate covered strawberries:D

[hott_michelle2001]

This is really helpful thank you so much! We are going ot try and have it on formal night since our family will be on the cruise as well.:D We cruise in two days!!!!!!!

[firefly333]

Assuming you have been storing it laying flat, so the cork is kept moist, it should still be good, take it and enjoy. You said it was stored in your pantry, hopefully laid down.

 

Champagne is only champagne if it is made in France, or Calif and a few S. American countries have gotten by with calling it that. Strange huh? Its called sparkling wine if its made in Spain for instance, but I love the Spanish stuff, not so dry.

[compman9]

Champagne is only called Champagne if it comes from the Champagne region of France, nowehere else in France, nowhere in the rest of the world.

 

You don't need to put a stopper into the bottle once it is opened either. The fizz stays there for at leas two days.

 

If a two year old bottle of Champagne doesn't taste great, it was not the best bottle on the ship in the first place.

 

And finally, the 'Champagne' they sell as the standard bottle or give away with their 45 day letters is revolting.

[NCTribeFan]

Well, during a visit at Moet & Chandon once, we were told that you should not store champagne for long periods. It doesn't "age" well like some still wines. Whether 2 years is a long period or not, I don't know.

 

Of course, I imagine they want people to purchase and consume as much of their product as possible (and I try to oblige, although those bubbles do go straight to my brain).

 

They're heavy bottles to lug around, that's for sure. But if you don't mind doing that, then it's worth finding out. If it's flat, you'll just have to purchase a glass or a bottle on board.

 

For the first time, I'm taking a split just to have a Kir Royale at sailaway on Saturday. Yum.

[Bran8778]

This is a good question!! I have a bootle from a cruise about 4 years ago. I won it with one of my scratch off tickets during bingo. I just gave up on it after all this time. We have it stored laying down, but it's been about 4 years!! Would you think it's still good???

[hott_michelle2001]

I believe it was a Mumm Brut champagne and it is from France

[UKCruiser_2008]

I was amused to find "champagne" in the American supermarket for $6. In the UK it can only be legally sold as champagne if it is from that region of France, and it is more common for the bottles in the supermarket to be $100 on average!

 

Enjoy your genuine champagne - it should hopefully taste perfect :)

[trock]

Keep it sideways and the cork wet...

should be fine

[jetexpress]

On our Fascination cruise last August, my mom insisted on bringing a bottle of Martini & Rossi Asti she had saved from their wedding 25 years ago. She stored it sideways for 25 years in the refrigerator. Kept it on ice the whole flight to miami. Opened it on formal night. Lets just say, if we had poured it overboard we probably would have seen dead fish start floating to the surface. We ended up ordering a new bottle of Martini & Rossi and sure did laugh the entire time while enjoying a "fresh" bottle.

[firefly333]

I was amused to find "champagne" in the American supermarket for $6. In the UK it can only be legally sold as champagne if it is from that region of France, and it is more common for the bottles in the supermarket to be $100 on average! :)

 

I googled it once and also came up with some S. American champagne's. Dont know how they get away with it. American sells cheap bulk method crap and calls it champagne and folks buy it up. I look to make sure its been made in the bottle, not vat method.

 

You will love this champagne you got, yes its real and expensive.

[Wolfie48]

We got a bottle of champagne given to us on our honeymoon almost two years ago. We actually won the bottle aboard Carnivals Ecstacy. It was suppose to be the best bottle of champagne on board the ship. Not being that familiar with champagne or wines we kept it and still have it to this day. We are cruising on Fantasy this weekend for our two year anniversary and werethinking of opening the bottle. Would it still be good? it is unopened and has just been stored in the pantry for two years.

 

I have had some Vintage champagne, as well as some aged California sparkling wines. If stored well it will be fine! I work for a winery in N. California, and have some experiance in the matter. Happy cruising!

[firefly333]

I believe it was a Mumm Brut champagne and it is from France

 

Good brand. brut just means dry.

[Texas_firefighter]

Champagne is only called Champagne if it comes from the Champagne region of France, nowehere else in France, nowhere in the rest of the world.

 

You don't need to put a stopper into the bottle once it is opened either. The fizz stays there for at leas two days.

 

If a two year old bottle of Champagne doesn't taste great, it was not the best bottle on the ship in the first place.

 

And finally, the 'Champagne' they sell as the standard bottle or give away with their 45 day letters is revolting.

 

 

You're right.Korbel "champagne" ,they give away on the ship, is sparkling wine made in Sonoma California.

 

U.S. regulations require that semi-generic names (for example, California Champagne) may be used on a wine label only if there appears next to such name the appellation of "the actual place of origin" in order to prevent any possible consumer confusion-Wikipedia

[L2J]

Keep it sideways and the cork wet...

should be fine

 

:eek:

 

On our Fascination cruise last August, my mom insisted on bringing a bottle of Martini & Rossi Asti she had saved from their wedding 25 years ago. She stored it sideways for 25 years in the refrigerator. Kept it on ice the whole flight to miami. Opened it on formal night. Lets just say, if we had poured it overboard we probably would have seen dead fish start floating to the surface. We ended up ordering a new bottle of Martini & Rossi and sure did laugh the entire time while enjoying a "fresh" bottle.

 

Martini & Rossi...LMAO...Thunderbird would propbably age better.

[eventfarm]

Keep in mind that NV (non-vintage) wine is "pre-aged" and meant to be enjoyed directly, not additionally aged in the bottle. That said, it will just taste different than that winemaker intended, though not necessarily bad.

 

This is directly from the Mumm website:

G.H.Mumm’s champagnes have been aged for at least three to five years in the company’s cellars and are ready to be enjoyed as soon as they’re purchased. They can be kept for up to two years on average if stored on their side in a cool, dry place away from the light and at a constant temperature.

[vakayaker]

Assuming you have been storing it laying flat, so the cork is kept moist, it should still be good, take it and enjoy. You said it was stored in your pantry, hopefully laid down.

 

Champagne is only champagne if it is made in France, or Calif and a few S. American countries have gotten by with calling it that. Strange huh? Its called sparkling wine if its made in Spain for instance, but I love the Spanish stuff, not so dry.

 

 

Champagne is a varietal of wine. It originated in an area of France called Champagne, therfore the name Champagne. If it's not from this region, then it's not REAL champagne.

[halos]

:eek:

 

 

 

Martini & Rossi...LMAO...Thunderbird would propbably age better.

 

I really like M&R :o:p:)

It makes for a great bubbly breakfast on the balcony in the mornings....

although, I seriously can't see the point in saving an $11 bottle of sparkling wine for 25 years :eek: (hell, it probbaly cost $5 25 years ago :p)

[Bran8778]

Keep it sideways and the cork wet...

should be fine

 

Gracias :)

[estella15]

Yes, it can go bad. DH and I bought a bottle of champagne at the Korbel winery in Sonoma a few years ago. It was one of the ones that they don't sell in stores; you can only get it directly through Korbel. Anyway, we intended on drinking it to celebrate a special occasion about 8 months after buying it. We stored it as they directed: on it's side in a dark, cool place. When we opened it, it tasted different. Still drinkable, but not as good.

 

I've also come across a bottle of Tosti Asti that I bought at the grocery store that had gone flat. I returned it and got my money back.

 

BTW, Korbel uses the traditional champagne method from the Champagne region of France, which is why they can call it champagne.

[TMWTim]

Toooo funny thread:D Returning a bottle of wine bought at a grocery store because it was flat...lol.

[Murrumba]

We got a bottle of champagne given to us on our honeymoon almost two years ago. We actually won the bottle aboard Carnivals Ecstacy. It was suppose to be the best bottle of champagne on board the ship. Not being that familiar with champagne or wines we kept it and still have it to this day. We are cruising on Fantasy this weekend for our two year anniversary and werethinking of opening the bottle. Would it still be good? it is unopened and has just been stored in the pantry for two years.

 

NO - do not drink it - you might feel ill - please send it to my address in Australia so I can test it for you hic hic:p:D