How long will unopened bottles of Krug and Dom Perignon, non vintage, last for?!
How long will unopened bottles of Krug and Dom Perignon, non vintage, last for?
I was given a bottle of Krug and a bottle of Dom Perignon as a wedding gift in May 2006. They are both unopened and sit on my shelf. I want to find out how long they will last before going bad as i don't want to miss out on drinking them but at the same time want to save them for a special occasion! They are both non vintage so i think they will last a shorter time than vintage bottles. Can anyone help?
Answers:
You can store (a quality) champagne in a cool dark place for decades! If you have a basement keep it there. All non-vintage means is that the grapes were not necessarily from the same harvest. Both of the labels you mention are quality brands that sell for significantly more than many vintage labels, between $100-150.
Unlike most wines, sparkling wines should ideally not be stored on their side, but rather are best kept upright. Although either way for just a year or two I wouldn't get too worked up about it.
If you have no wine storage, no basement, and only a few bottles, then keep them out of sunlight and away from heat (like the kitchen, heat ducts, radiators, etc...) Do not store in the Garage or an Attic.
If you have no air conditioning and really hot summer days then try to keep the bottles in the coolest least disturbed part of the house. Worst case just keep them in your fridge if you have room, but don't be taking them in and out, just leave them in there till you want to use them.
If you don't have a reason to enjoy your bottles in a year or two or three, then you probably need more upgrades than just to your ability to store a few bottles.
Still not convinced ... call or visit a local fine wine merchant in your area and ask them.