All you need to know about storing Prosecco
Today we will be exploring the question: How Long Does Prosecco Last?
Food isn’t just about nourishment; rather, it’s about enjoying an experience that brings us closer together. When we eat with our loved ones, we get an opportunity to grow closer.
This is why there are so many accompaniments to our favourite meals that make the experience so much better. One of the most popular food pairings anywhere in the world is wine.
Wine can add a touch of elegance to any meal and can highlight your favourite flavours unlike anything else. Wine-tasting and winemaking is an art in itself, and it can take years of careful effort to make your favourite wine.
One of the most popular wines is white wines, and these are deliciously fruity, light, and bubbly.
Although there are many white wines you can choose from, prosecco is one of the most popular. Prosecco is a wonderfully light, fruity wine you can pair with various dishes.
If you’re interested in learning more about this classy beverage, keep reading below.
How Long Does Unopened Prosecco Last?
If you have an unopened bottle, you might wonder how long does unopened prosecco last.
An unopened bottle of prosecco can last you up to 2 years comfortably. If you store it properly, it can last longer in a place away from too much light or humidity.
However, even after the two years is over, your prosecco won’t start to go ‘bad.’ instead, it’ll start to lose its delicious taste and may start tasting pretty average.
Additionally, sparkling varieties can start to lose much of their fizz after this time. So, while technically, your prosecco will still be consumable even after two years, you shouldn’t wait that long.
Does Prosecco Get Better with Age?
In general, we usually hear that wines get better as we age them. However, this rule may not apply in certain cases.
So, you might wonder how long does prosecco last. Prosecco is one such exception to the case, and it takes a much different approach to age. As you age your prosecco, it can start to lose much of the complexity in taste and can start tasting bad.
It is because prosecco has a much higher sugar ratio than other wines like champagne, which lowers the ageing potential. More acidic wines do much better as they age and can develop sharper, more refined flavours.
However, prosecco is a wine meant to be enjoyed as young as possible. If you enjoy your prosecco fresh, you’ll be able to appreciate much better the fruitiness, acidity, and bubbliness of the wine.
If you wait too long, your prosecco will start to go stale.
How to Store an Unopened Bottle of Prosecco?
You may think you can toss your wine bottles in your cupboard any way you like. However, that isn’t the case if you want to maintain their taste properly.
If you store your wine bottles on the side, the wine can contact the cork. This makes them age faster, and they can lose much of their taste.
If you want to store your prosecco properly, you need to store the bottles upright. Furthermore, you need to ensure that you store the bottles away from heat, direct sunlight, and moisture.
All these factors can cause the quality of your prosecco to degrade.
How to Store an opened Bottle of Prosecco?
If you have an opened bottle of wine, you might think that the fridge is the best place to store it. However, storing your wine in the fridge can cause it to degrade much faster.
Then, you might wonder how long does prosecco last once opened. It can last you a few weeks if you store it properly.
The air in the fridge may be too dry to keep the cork moist and maintain the flavours. Furthermore, if your bottle is already open, smells from other food items can mix in with your drink and make it smell and taste funny.
So, the best place to store an opened bottle of prosecco is also in a cool, dark place. If you want to enjoy it chilled, you can place it in the fridge a few hours before using it.
Does Prosecco Go Bad in the Fridge?
If you have no other option than to store your prosecco in the fridge, you can do so for a few days. For about four days, you can comfortably store your prosecco in the fridge.
However, if you wait any longer, it can start to go bad. At most, if you wait longer than a week, your prosecco’s cork will dry out.
You might be wondering then that does prosecco go off. The answer is yes.
You might wonder how the cork can affect the taste of the wine. However, as your cork dries out, it can accelerate the oxidation process.
Once your cork is dry, it’ll start to loosen, which will expose your prosecco to air. Not only does this adversely impact the flavour and colour of the prosecco, but it can also reduce carbonation.
It means that your wine will be much less bubbly and won’t taste as amazing either.
How Can You Tell If Prosecco Is Bad?
Although generally, it’s hard to mess up storing prosecco, there are some cases where your wine may go bad. If you stored a bottle in the fridge for too long or stored it lying down, you may notice many changes in the wine.
Improper storage can cause the wine to change colour. This discolouration can be pretty evident, and you’ll notice it turn many shades darker.
Furthermore, your prosecco can start to taste stale and flat as it goes bad, and the aroma may strongly diminish. Additionally, if your prosecco has completely gone bad, you’ll notice it tastes bitter and almost metallic.
Do You Have to Refrigerate Prosecco After Opening?
It might seem like the most straightforward thing to store your prosecco in the fridge after you open it. After all, it’s how we store most of our beverages.
However, when it comes to prosecco, doing so can cause you more harm than good. Storing it in the fridge can accelerate oxidation and can make your wine taste flat and stale.
Furthermore, refrigeration can cause your wine to smell different, and this can be incredibly unappetizing. If you need to chill your wine, the best way to do so is by placing it on ice.
However, you can also put it in the fridge for a few hours before you have it.
Many wonder that does prosecco go out of date. It can, but you can store it properly to slow the process.
Ideas for Leftover Prosecco
Contrary to popular belief, the best thing to do with prosecco isn’t to drink it straight. Rather, there is a host of fun recipes you can try.
Prosecco butter sauce
If you want to have mild, elegant tasting dishes, this prosecco butter sauce is a must. This delicate sauce can help you highlight seafood and vegetable dishes unlike anything else.
Made from just three ingredients, you can whip this up in no time. All you need are shallots, butter, and prosecco.
Prosecco ravioli
If you want to give your ravioli an upscale edge, adding some prosecco to the mix can be an excellent idea. The sparkling wine can give a delicious tart taste to your creamy sauce and make it taste even better.
Furthermore, adding a little bit of tomato sauce can help you highlight the sweetness of the prosecco for a truly winning combination.
Prosecco ice cubes
If cooking isn’t up your alley, but you still want to use your leftover prosecco creatively, you can add it to your ice cube tray for a fun hack.
These prosecco ice cubes are a fun way of cooling down your drinks, and you can add them to juices or other alcoholic beverages.
In particular, they can help you make a super easy mojito because all you need to do is add some ice, mint leaves, lemon wedges, and you’re good to go.
Prosecco poached pears
Poached pears are easily some of the most elegant desserts out there. However, they are also deceptively easy to make and taste fantastic with some extra prosecco.
You can either brush the peeled pears with prosecco, or you can add prosecco to the syrup you’ll cook the pears in.
The second method can give you a boozier mixture that’ll have a stronger taste as the water evaporates.
Prosecco risotto
If you’re looking to brush up your culinary skills, you can’t go by without perfecting the risotto. A classic dish of rice and broth, this dish looks deceptively easy but can be super tricky.
Although you can try many flavour combinations with risotto, prosecco and parmesan are one of the best. The prosecco can be the perfect complement to the nutty, intense flavour of the cheese.
It can help bring some much-needed depth and sweetness to the dish for the tastiest risotto you’ll ever have.
Fromage spread
If you’re a cheese lover, you’ll appreciate this easy wine-cheese pairing. Using an assortment of leftover cheese, you can create a stunning dip.
The addition of a little prosecco can intensify the flavours can give you a mind-blowing creation.
Conclusion
There’s no shortage of wines to enjoy. You can find rich, robust reds and light, sparkling whites.
With such a vast selection, it can seem impossible to narrow down your choices. However, prosecco is an excellent white wine that you need to taste and savour.
It packs a punch in terms of flavour without ever being too overpowering. Pair it with your favourite seafood dishes, or use it in many of the recipes mentioned above – the rest is up to your imagination.
So there you have it – How long does prosecco last: Answered!
Andy
Ever since I started cooking I’ve been fascinated by how different people’s techniques are and how they best utilise the ingredients around them. Even the person living next door will have their own unique way of frying an egg or cooking a salmon fillet.
This fascination led me on a journey across the globe to discover the countless practices and traditions the world of cooking has to offer. I thought you’d enjoy and find value in sharing that journey with me so I created Cooked Best!