Should Champagne Be Stored Upright or on Its Side?
Should Champagne be stored on its side? Not necessarily. If you plan to drink the bottle within the next few weeks or months, keeping it upright is generally fine. For long-term storage, the best position is less clear-cut: many experts recommend laying Champagne bottles on their side, while some Champagne specialists consider upright storage acceptable too.
Whatever position you choose, keep your bottles in a cool, dark place with a stable temperature. These conditions matter more than obsessing over the angle of a bottle you plan to drink soon.
In this guide, you’ll learn when to store Champagne upright, when to lay it on its side, and how to protect your bottles over time.
Upright or on Its Side? The Quick Answer
| How Long Are You Storing It? | Recommended Position |
|---|---|
| A few days | ✅ Upright |
| A few weeks | ✅ Upright |
| A few months | ✅ Upright |
| Several years | ✅ On its side |
| Long-term aging | ✅ On its side |
The short answer: If you plan to drink the bottle within the next few months, you can generally store Champagne upright without worrying about damaging the wine.
For bottles intended for long-term aging, storing them on their side is the safer approach.
Can You Store Champagne Upright?
Yes.
Contrary to a common belief, Champagne does not necessarily need to be stored on its side at all times.
If you bought a bottle for a dinner next month, a celebration in a few weeks or even a bottle you expect to drink within the next several months, keeping it upright is generally perfectly acceptable.
Champagne is different from still wine because the bottle contains significant internal pressure created by dissolved carbon dioxide.
This pressure helps keep the cork pressed against the neck of the bottle. As a result, the cork is less vulnerable to drying out over short and medium periods than the cork in a traditional still-wine bottle.
This is one reason you will often see Champagne bottles stored upright in wine shops, supermarkets and Champagne cellars.
However, that doesn’t mean upright storage is ideal for decades of aging.
If you plan to keep a bottle for several years, laying it on its side provides an additional safeguard by keeping the wine in contact with the cork.
Champagne Finder tip: If you’re planning to drink your bottle within the next 3–6 months, don’t worry too much about whether it is upright or horizontal. Focus instead on keeping it cool, dark and away from temperature fluctuations.
When Should Champagne Be Stored on Its Side?
If you plan to keep a bottle for several years, storing it on its side is the safer option.
The main reason is the cork.
Over a long period of time, cork can gradually lose moisture and elasticity. If the seal deteriorates, tiny amounts of oxygen can enter the bottle and accelerate the aging process.
Keeping the bottle on its side allows the wine to remain in contact with the cork, helping maintain its condition.
This is particularly relevant if you’re building a Champagne collection or buying vintage bottles that you intend to open several years from now.
For long-term storage, however, the position of the bottle is only part of the equation.
A good storage environment is even more important.
Is Champagne Stored Differently From Still Wine?
Yes, to some extent.
A traditional still wine has little or no internal pressure. Over a long period of time, keeping a cork-sealed bottle upright can allow the cork to dry out, potentially compromising the seal.
Champagne is different because the bottle contains significant pressure.
A typical Champagne bottle contains roughly 5–6 bar of pressure, which helps maintain pressure against the cork.
This means Champagne is generally more tolerant of short- and medium-term upright storage than a traditional still wine.
For long-term aging, however, the same basic principle applies: keeping the bottle on its side helps maintain contact between the wine and cork.
So you don’t need to panic if your Champagne has been standing upright for a few weeks or months.
The length of storage matters more than the position alone.
What Are the Ideal Conditions for Storing Champagne?
Whether your bottle is upright or on its side, the environment in which you store it matters enormously.
Keep the Temperature Cool and Stable
For long-term storage, a temperature around 50–55°F (10–13°C) is a good target.
The most important factor is stability.
Repeated temperature changes can accelerate the aging of wine and negatively affect its development.
A dedicated wine cellar or wine refrigerator is ideal.
If you don’t have one, choose the coolest, darkest and most stable area of your home.
Champagne Finder tip: A stable 55°F environment is generally better for long-term storage than a place that repeatedly swings between 45°F and 75°F.
Protect Champagne From Light
Light is one of Champagne’s biggest enemies.
Extended exposure to sunlight or strong artificial light can affect the wine’s aromas and contribute to what is known as lightstruck character, sometimes referred to as goût de lumière.
For this reason, Champagne should ideally be stored in a dark environment or inside its original packaging.
Avoid leaving bottles on a sunny kitchen counter or near a window.
Avoid Vibrations
Champagne should also be protected from constant vibration.
Don’t store your bottles directly next to:
- Washing machines
- Dryers
- Large appliances that vibrate
- Loud machinery
- Areas with frequent movement
Occasional movement isn’t a major concern, but constant vibration isn’t ideal for long-term aging.
Maintain Reasonable Humidity
For a traditional cellar, moderate humidity helps protect corks and packaging.
A very dry environment can contribute to cork drying over long periods, while excessive humidity can damage labels and cardboard packaging.
You don’t need to obsess over the humidity level in your home, but a proper wine cellar should have moderate humidity rather than extremely dry air.
Avoid Temperature Shocks
Moving a bottle repeatedly between very cold and very warm environments isn’t ideal.
For example, don’t store Champagne in a cold garage during winter and then move it into a warm kitchen every few weeks.
A stable environment is much better.
Can You Store Champagne in the Refrigerator?
Yes — but there is an important distinction.
For short-term storage:
Absolutely.
If you bought a bottle today and plan to drink it this weekend, keeping it in the refrigerator is perfectly fine.
For long-term storage:
Not ideal.
A household refrigerator is generally colder and drier than the ideal conditions for long-term wine storage. It also contains a compressor that creates regular vibrations.
So the refrigerator is excellent for chilling Champagne before drinking, but it isn’t the best place to age bottles for months or years.
If you’ve already opened the bottle, storage is a different matter. Learn how to keep Champagne fresh after opening with the right stopper and refrigeration.
Champagne Finder tip: Think of your refrigerator as a place to chill Champagne, not as a long-term wine cellar.
The Biggest Champagne Storage Mistakes
Even an excellent bottle can suffer if it is stored in poor conditions.
Storing Champagne in the Kitchen
The kitchen experiences frequent temperature changes from cooking, ovens and appliances.
If you don’t have a wine cellar, a cooler and more stable room is usually a better choice.
Keeping Bottles in the Garage
Garages can become extremely hot in summer and very cold in winter.
Those temperature swings are far more damaging than whether the bottle is upright or on its side.
Leaving Bottles in Direct Sunlight
Never store Champagne next to a sunny window for long periods.
Light can negatively affect the wine’s aromas and freshness.
Keeping Champagne in the Refrigerator for Months
The refrigerator is great for chilling a bottle before serving, but it isn’t designed for long-term wine storage.
Constantly Moving the Bottles
Try to choose a storage location and leave your bottles there.
Frequent movement isn’t necessary and provides no benefit to the wine.
Should Vintage Champagne Be Stored Differently?
Vintage Champagne deserves particular attention if you’re planning to age it.
A vintage bottle can develop additional complexity over time, but aging potential varies considerably depending on the producer, vintage and wine itself.
If you’ve purchased an expensive vintage Champagne with the intention of opening it several years from now, don’t simply put it in a kitchen cabinet.
Give it a stable, cool, dark environment and, for long-term storage, keep it on its side.
And remember: not every Champagne is designed to improve indefinitely with age.
Some bottles are best enjoyed relatively young, while others can develop beautifully over many years.
FAQ
Yes, but only for short-term storage (weeks or months). For long-term aging, store Champagne horizontally so the wine stays in contact with the cork to maintain its elasticity and airtight seal.
Generally, yes, if the environment is stable. The high internal pressure and moisture inside protect the cork from drying out. However, horizontal storage remains the safest option for multi-year aging.
The ideal environment requires a cool and stable temperature around 50–55°F (10–13°C). A dedicated wine cellar or wine fridge is best to avoid large temperature swings and direct heat.
Only for short-term chilling before serving. A standard kitchen refrigerator is far too cold and dry for long-term aging, which will eventually dry the cork and spoil the wine over time.
Yes, absolutely. Champagne is highly sensitive to lightstrike. It must be protected from direct sunlight and strong artificial light to prevent the development of unpleasant, light-related sulfur aromas that ruin the taste.
Not significantly. Effervescence depends entirely on dissolved carbon dioxide and temperature. Bottle position strictly impacts cork health and seal integrity, rather than protecting the quality of the fizz itself.
The ideal spot is a cool, dark, and vibration-free environment at a stable 50–55°F. A dedicated wine cellar or a wine fridge is excellent. Lacking those, choose the absolute coolest closet or area in your house, far from appliances that vibrate.
Final Thoughts
So, should Champagne be stored upright or on its side?
For most bottles, the answer depends on how long you plan to keep them.
If you’re going to drink the Champagne within the next few weeks or months, upright storage is generally fine.
If you’re planning to age a bottle for several years, storing it on its side is the safer choice.
But don’t focus exclusively on bottle position.
A stable temperature, protection from light, low vibration and a suitable storage environment are at least as important.
In other words:
Short term → upright is fine.
Long term → store it on its side.
And if you’re lucky enough to have a bottle of Champagne that deserves several years of aging, give it the right environment and let time do the rest.
