Champagne, how long to keep?

[theironduke]

I've got a bottle of cheepo Heidsieck Blue Top which i've had for about 2 years, never got round to opening it, just wondered how long it will keep before it goes "off"

[williaa68]

Quite a while - provided that the conditions are right (i.e. cool and dark) - i would say at least five years. In fact many NV champagnes improve considerably with some bottle age. At the risk of sounding like an arse, i write the purchase date on the label and try and keep it for about three years. It makes quite a difference. A couple of years won't turn an NV into a 2002 Dom but it'll be better for it. That said it is on special in tesco at the moment and with their 25% off you can replace it for £15 a bottle if you buy 6!

[LooneyTunes]

I'd agree a lot of non-vintages can improve given a year or two, and do tend to hang on to most for a year or so, but I probably wouldn't push them to 5 (even with correct storage). Personally I'd get it drunk by the end of the year...

Different story for decent vintage stuff though where even 10-15 years can seem like infanticide.