Champagne Tips From a Pro

Philippe de Crespi is co-owner of Canaille, a well-loved neighborhood French bistro in Brooklyn, N.Y. But prior to opening Canaille, de Crespi traded wines in the Hamptons and helped clients choose from amongst 500 Champagnes at The Bubble Lounge in Manhattan. We caught up with de Crespi to learn a bit more about bubbly.

Before we enjoy a glass of New Year's bubbly, what are some things we should know?

Champagne is a wine, so treat it as a wine. In France, it's considered the wine of celebration. A French household always has a minimum of one bottle in the fridge 24 [hours a day]/7 [days a week], 365 days a year. The French pop Champagne for anything, any reason to celebrate.

When a baby is born, the French bring a bottle of Champagne to the hospital. As soon as the baby comes out, they pop Champagne, give it to the mom, the nurses, and on the lips of the baby. We're not as uptight as in America. ...