UNESCO Gives Champagne World Heritage Status

While we were busy eating hot dogs and setting fireworks off this weekend, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) made several additions to its World Heritage List, the BBC reports.

UNESCO deemed French sites of champagne production (because we all know that if it's not French, it's just sparkling wine) a world treasure to be preserved. The vineyards, sales houses and wine cellars in Hautvilliers, Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Saint-Nicaise Hill in Reims and the Avenue de Champagne and Fort Chabrol in Epernay are all covered.

Benefits of being on the World Heritage List include financial aid to ensure future preservation and protection.

"The property bears clear testimony to the development of a very specialized artisan activity that has become an agro-industrial enterprise," UNESCO states on its website.

The organization also added to the Heritage list the area of Burgundy, France, a location known for its production of wine.