Losses of Yeast-Fermented Carbon Dioxide during Prolonged Champagne Aging: Yes, the Bottle Size Does Matter!

When it comes to champagne tasting, dissolved CO is a key compound responsible for the very much sought-after effervescence in glasses. Nevertheless, the slow decrease of dissolved CO during prolonged aging of the most prestigious cuvees raises the issue of how long champagne can age before it becomes unable to form CO bubbles during tasting. Measurements of dissolved CO concentrations were done on a collection of 13 successive champagne vintages stored in standard 75 cL bottles and 150 cL magnums showing prolonged aging ranging from 25 to 47 years.