Does sparkling wine have an expiration date?
Well, we'll try to answer this question by trying to figure out whether or not there is a real expiry date for sparkling wine, be it sweet, brut or made with particular methods such as vintage (ITA: millesimato or FRA: millesimée).
Sparkling wine expiration date: some indications.
According to the indications of the producers, there is no real expiry date.
There is a maximum conservation time for a sparkling wine, within which it must be consumed. Within this time, the producer guarantees a sparkling wine that complies with the standards of quality and taste of it.
The storage time of sparkling wines varies first of all depending on whether the bottle belongs to the sweet or dry sparkling wines.
Another discriminating factor is the production method: this can be classic or charmat. The method also influences this time frame.
Sweet and aromatic sparkling wines (e.g. Asti or Brachetto) can be kept for a maximum of one year after bottling.
Brut Charmat sparkling wines, such as Prosecco for example, should be consumed within 2 years at the latest.
If you have doubts about a Classic Method sparkling wine, be calm: the preserving date extends even to 4 years from the date of bottling.
Of course, everything depends on how you keep the sparkling wine. Stick to parameters such as temperature, humidity and light, essential to keep a sparkling wine in perfect condition, regardless of its type and intrinsic characteristics.
Sboccatura(ITA) (or dégorgement FRA) of sparkling wine: is it an expiration date?
A further parameter is the so-called sboccatura (or dégorgement). It is a process that takes place in the cellar and involves the elimination of yeasts and residues present on the bottom of the bottle after fermentation.
In order to preserve the organoleptic characteristics of the sparkling wine, many wineries recommend consuming the bottle within two years of the sboccatura/dégorgement date (shown on the label on the back).
Reporting this information on the label is currently not mandatory, its presence is indication of good customer care.
Preservation, a basic parameter
To summarize: there are bottles that have a certain personality and quality and last more than two years after sboccatura/dégorgement. What is important is how this bottle of sparkling wine was kept.