Quick Answer: None of the sources checked gives prosecco a fixed expiry date, but it does fade. Prosecco.it, the consortium for Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG, says that wine is best enjoyed in the year after harvest and should be stored cool, dry and away from light and heat. Opened, Bonterra says prosecco is best within 24 hours. Kendall-Jackson gives sparkling wine 1 to 3 days with a stopper made for it.
Does prosecco go bad? Unopened, it is meant to be drunk young. Opened, it loses its bubbles within a day or so. Bonterra groups prosecco with tank-method wines, and that matters for how long the fizz lasts. This post covers the sealed bottle, the opened bottle and what to do with half a bottle. Champagne is handled in the champagne shelf life post, and sealed wine in general in the unopened wine post.
Does unopened prosecco go bad?
It does not spoil on a printed date, but it is meant to be drunk young. Prosecco.it says the qualities of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore can be enjoyed to the full in the year following the harvest, and that over the years its aromas move from fruity and floral to more mature, vinous ones. It says to store bottles in a cool, dry place away from light and heat, and to serve at 6 to 8°C (43 to 46°F) in a tulip-shaped glass. That is one appellation's consortium, not all prosecco, and the page does not say where to find the harvest year on a bottle.
| Situation | Guidance | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Unopened Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore | Best enjoyed in the year following harvest; stored cool, dry and away from light and heat | Prosecco.it |
| Opened prosecco and other tank-method sparkling | Best within 24 hours | Bonterra |
| Opened sparkling wine in general | 1 to 3 days | Kendall-Jackson |
| Opened traditional-method sparkling, proper stopper | 2 to 4 days | Bonterra |
How long does opened prosecco stay lively?
About a day, going by the most specific source. Bonterra says prosecco and other Charmat-method wines express themselves best within 24 hours. Kendall-Jackson gives 1 to 3 days for sparkling wine overall, and says traditional-method wines, whose bubbles are made in the bottle, hold their fizz longer than tank-fermented ones. Prosecco is usually in the second group, so the short end of each range is the safer guess. Both figures are winery guidance, not a standard.
What should you do with half a bottle?
Close it with a stopper made for sparkling wine and keep it cool. Kendall-Jackson recommends a stopper with arms that close around the neck, and says not to use a cork or a regular wine stopper, which can be pushed out by the pressure and cause injury. It also says not to use a vacuum pump, which pulls out the bubbles. Champagne.fr says a spoon in the neck does not work. Other closures are compared in the bottle sealers guide.
Esatto does not sell sparkling wine stoppers. Its pourers are for bar bottles, in the Pour & Seal collection and Other Esatto Pourers.
Is flat prosecco still worth drinking?
Often, yes. Kendall-Jackson says a sparkling wine can still be pleasant after the bubbles have gone, and suggests a white wine glass rather than a flute. What ends it is turning. Kendall-Jackson's checks for any open wine are a darker yellow or gold color and a smell like vinegar, followed by one small sip.
When is the year-after-harvest rule wrong?
When the bottle is not that appellation. The figure belongs to Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG. The wider Prosecco DOC has its own consortium, and its conservation page was not available to check, so this post gives no figure for it. For wine in general, Kendall-Jackson says most of it is meant to be drunk within a year or two of purchase.
Frequently asked questions
Does prosecco go bad?
It fades rather than spoils on a date. Sealed, Prosecco.it says its Superiore is best in the year after harvest. Opened, Bonterra says within 24 hours. A vinegar smell or a darker color means it has turned.
How long does prosecco last unopened?
For Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore, Prosecco.it says best enjoyed in the year following harvest. It gives no figure for other prosecco, so check the producer's own guidance for other bottles.
How long does unopened prosecco last?
Kept cool, dry and away from light and heat, its qualities can be enjoyed to the full in the year after harvest, according to Prosecco.it. Over the years its aromas shift from fruity and floral toward more mature notes.
Does unopened prosecco go bad?
No source checked gives a date on which it goes bad. Prosecco.it says its qualities can be enjoyed to the full in the first year and change afterward, and to keep it away from light and heat.
How long can prosecco last unopened?
The only figure from the sources is one year after harvest for the Superiore appellation, as the period for enjoying it to the full. It is not stated as a limit.
Does sparkling wine go bad?
Yes, after opening it loses its bubbles first and can then turn. Kendall-Jackson's signs are a darker yellow or gold color and a vinegar smell. Unopened, no source gives a date.
How long does sparkling wine last after opening?
Kendall-Jackson says 1 to 3 days. Bonterra says 2 to 4 days for traditional-method sparkling with a proper stopper and within 24 hours for prosecco. Both are winery guidance, not a standard.