Does Prosecco go bad?

You may have had Prosecco in some form or other. Still, other winemaking countries other than Italy cannot call their sparkling wine Prosecco due to some savvy gerrymandering on behalf of the north Italian wine district where the glare grape is grown. Every glass of Prosecco is now guaranteed from Italy.

Did you know that the bubbles in Prosecco are from the second fermentation process that takes place in stainless steel tanks? The carbon dioxide easily dissolves in liquid, making Prosecco the fizz in many cocktails like a bellini and Aperol.

In this article, we present the facts behind Prosecco giving you the low down on the product and if you can store Prosecco long term.

Let’s dive in.

Does Prosecco expire?

Yes, but it takes a long time, and this delicious sparkling wine rarely sits around for a long time with its light and refreshing taste.

An unopened bottle of Prosecco doesn’t go bad per se, but it is recommended that you drink Prosecco within two years of purchasing the bottle. However, it does last longer.

Wine does not come with an expiration date on the bottle. For most wines storing in the bottle can improve the wine and, in most cases.

You may find a date on Prosecco, this is the production date, and in some ways, you may not know how long Prosecco has been sitting in a warehouse ready for shipping.

To enjoy Prosecco at its best when it’s young and fresh and full of floral notes, drink it as soon as possible for the best Prosecco experience.

Does Prosecco get better with age?

No. Ok, it’s wine. All wine gets better with age! Unfortunately, this is a misconception. Only certain wines get better with age and are meant to be laid on a wine rack for decades.

When it comes to Prosecco and the way it is fermented, it is somewhat rushed, with the second fermentation having sugar and yeast added to the Prosecco. This addition of yeast and sugar produces the aromatic fizz in Prosecco that is enjoyed worldwide.

However, Prosecco is high in sugar, shortening its shelf life and preventing the sparkling wine from maturing and improving with time.

Prosecco will go bad over time, developing a funk flavor profile. This is due to the sugar level.

Does Prosecco need to be refrigerated?

It depends. If you are going to store Prosecco for a few months, keep it in a cool pantry or cabinet away from sunlight and heat. Prosecco should be stored on its side to keep the cork moist at all times.

If you store Prosecco in the fridge for any length of time, the cork can dry and allow that air into the bottle and then become tainted with the foods that you keep in the fridge.

To enjoy Prosecco at its optimum level, it should be chilled in the fridge for a couple of hours. The ideal temperature range to serve Prosecco is between 40 to 45℉. You can chill Prosecco quickly in an ice bucket should the impulse take you to enjoy this fantastic sparkling wine.

How long can Prosecco sit out?

It is recommended that Prosecco be consumed within a few hours of opening. If you want to leave Prosecco out on the side in an ice bucket to keep it chilled, do so, but use a champagne stopper to contain the carbon dioxide fizz in the bottle.

Keep the stopper in Prosecco. Its 12%AVB, which is low alcohol content, the stopper will prevent the wine from being exposed to bacteria.

After approximately 12 hours, the fizz will have gone from Prosecco; this doesn’t mean you can’t drink it. It will be like drinking wine without the sparkle, pleasant but not as enjoyable.

Does unopened Prosecco go bad?

Yes. Generally, you should drink Prosecco within two years of buying the bottle. It can last up to three years if stored correctly, and you know when the Prosecco was harvested and bottled. But this may be a challenge because there is no relevant information on the bottle.

Store Prosecco in a cool area like a pantry or cabinet where heat is not fluctuating. This will help keep the Prossecco stable. Keep Prosecco away from direct sunlight, the darker and cooler the storage, the better.

Keeping Prosecco in the fridge is not going to extend its shelf life. In fact, it may make it considerably shorter. Don’t keep Prosecco in the fridge for more than two weeks. The cork can dry and allow air into the bottle and carbon dioxide out, making the Prosecco flat and possibly tainted with food s from the fridge.

How long does Prosecco last in the fridge?

Whenever you want to extend an item’s shelf life, you always turn to the fridge as the first option, and 9 times out of 10, it’s an excellent choice for most foods and drinks.

But when it comes to Prosecco, it is a different story. Your fridge is a relatively dry environment depending on how often the fridge door is opened during the day. Storing your Prosecco in the fridge can cause the cork to dry out, releasing the carbon dioxide from the bottle, making your sparkling wine just wine as it becomes flat.

If you have intensely flavored foods in the fridge, like cheese or even some cooked meats, that smell can transfer to the bottle and taint the wine.

It will be an unpleasant experience, so don’t store Prosecco in the fridge for anything other than chilling.

Does frozen Prosecco go bad?

You can freeze Prosecco and enjoy this outstanding sparkling wine in new ways in cocktails as ice that is not going to water down your cocktail.

But you should be aware that freezing a liquid causes it to expand, and if you inadvertently freeze a bottle of Prosecco, you could run the risk of the bottle cracking, leaving you with a sticky mess to clean up.

The best way to freeze Prosecco is in ice cubes, and you can then use the delicious cubes to flavor your drinks further or add the extra chill required for a warm summer’s evening.

Frozen Prosecco lasts about a month, which contradicts the theory that it should have an indefinite shelf life if frozen.

All frozen liquids and food eventually start to lose their flavor profile, and Prosecco is no different. After a month, the delicate, sophisticated floral notes will diminish from Prosecco, leaving you with a cold but lackluster drink.

Does Prosecco go bad after being refrigerated and then at room temperature?

It depends on how long you will leave the Prosecco at room temperature. If the bottle is unopened, then it shouldn’t make any difference. Most of you will sometimes chill Prosecco and decide to drink it another night, removing it from the fridge and placing it back in a cool dark space.

If you have a chilled and an open bottle of Prosecco that is then left at room temperature, it should be ok if it’s consumed reasonably quickly.

If you leave a bottle of Prosecco open at room temperature, some of the alcohol will evaporate together with the delicate, sophisticated floral notes that are enjoyed when drinking Prosecco.

However, you can keep your Prosecco fresh while at room temperature by using a wine stopper to prevent the flavors from evaporating and prevent carbon dioxide from escaping.

Does unopened refrigerated Prosecco go bad?

Yes, Prosecco, as wonderful as it is, does go bad. It has a high sugar content and degrades over time, causing the Prosecco to go bad.

There are some naysayers out there who say the Prosecco does not go bad, but there is plenty of evidence to suggest it does.

Although the winery does not issue an expiry date, they say Prosecco should be consumed within two years. Is this a marketing ploy to sell more Prosecco? It seems hardly realistic, given that Prosecco is the world’s best-selling wine.

Refrigerating Prosecco doesn’t bring anything to the party other than chilling the sparkling one to a level where it is best enjoyed.

Refrigerating Prosecco for a few weeks can spoil the wine long before it would have typically expired.

Sudden changes in temperature, such as chilling Prosecco and then bringing it to room temperature, should not have any effect on the sparkling wine.

How do you know if Prosecco is bad?

The first indication will be a color change. If the wine has turned yellow or even a darker tone heading towards brown, you can safely assume the Prosecco is not fit for consumption. Prosecco is considered to be a white sparkling wine.

The second indication will be the smell. If the wine smells funky, it should be discarded. Accompanying the funky smell will be a lack of effervescence. 

Final thoughts

Prosecco is loved worldwide, but unlike other wines that can mature in the bottle, once Prosecco hits the bottle, the clock is ticking toward the expiration time for the wine.

Prosecco goes bad and should be consumed within two years of purchasing the bottle. Some people say three years, but it’s semantics. The point is Prosecco does go bad over time.