Should Champagne Be Stored Upright or on Its Side?

Should Champagne be stored upright or on its side? The answer depends largely on how long you plan to keep the bottle. For Champagne you intend to drink within the next few months, storing the bottle upright is generally fine. For long-term aging, however, laying the bottle on its side is the safer choice.

If you are planning to drink your Champagne within the next few weeks or months, storing the bottle upright is generally fine. If you are planning to age a bottle for several years, however, storing it on its side is the safer choice.

The ideal position is only one part of proper Champagne storage. Temperature, light, humidity and vibrations also have a major impact on how well a bottle ages.

In this guide, we’ll explain how to store Champagne properly, when to keep a bottle upright, when to lay it on its side and what conditions are best for both short-term storage and long-term aging.

Upright or on Its Side? The Quick Answer

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.

How Should You Store Champagne for Different Lengths of Time?

Here’s a simple way to think about it.

Drinking It Within a Few Days

Position: Upright or horizontal

Priority: Keep it cool and away from sunlight.

You don’t need to worry much about the bottle’s position.

Drinking It Within a Few Weeks

Position: Upright is perfectly fine.

Keep it somewhere cool and stable.

Drinking It Within a Few Months

Position: Upright is generally fine.

Focus on temperature stability and protecting the bottle from light.

Aging It for Several Years

Position: On its side

At this point, proper long-term storage becomes much more important.

Ideally, use a wine cellar or temperature-controlled wine refrigerator.

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

Can Champagne Be Stored Upright?

Yes.

For short- and medium-term storage, keeping Champagne upright is generally fine. If you plan to drink the bottle within the next few weeks or months, there is usually no reason to worry about keeping it vertical.

For long-term aging, storing it on its side is the safer option.

Should Champagne be stored on its side?

For bottles intended for long-term aging, yes.

Keeping the bottle horizontal allows the wine to remain in contact with the cork, helping maintain the cork’s condition over time.

For bottles that will be consumed within a few months, horizontal storage is not essential.

Can I store Champagne upright for a year?

Generally, yes, provided the bottle is stored under good conditions.

The internal pressure of Champagne helps protect the cork, making upright storage less problematic than it would be for many still wines.

However, if you specifically plan to age the bottle for several years, storing it on its side is the more conservative approach.

What temperature should Champagne be stored at?

For long-term storage, around 50–55°F (10–13°C) is a good target.

The most important factor is a stable temperature.

Avoid locations that experience large temperature swings.

Can Champagne be stored in a regular refrigerator?

Yes for short-term chilling.

No for long-term aging.

A refrigerator is excellent when you want to chill a bottle before dinner, but it isn’t an ideal long-term storage environment.

Does Champagne need to be stored in the dark?

Yes.

Champagne should be protected from direct sunlight and strong light for long-term storage.

Dark storage helps protect the wine from developing unpleasant light-related aromas.

Does the position of the bottle affect the bubbles?

Not significantly over short periods.

The bubbles are primarily affected by the wine’s dissolved carbon dioxide, temperature and how the bottle is handled.

For long-term storage, the main concern with bottle position is the condition of the cork and the integrity of the seal, rather than preserving the bubbles themselves.

What is the best place to store Champagne at home?

The ideal location is a cool, dark and stable environment, ideally around 50–55°F.

A dedicated wine cellar or temperature-controlled wine refrigerator is excellent.

If you don’t have one, choose the coolest stable area of your home, away from sunlight, heat sources and 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.