Champagne industry granted world heritage status by Unesco
The industry behind the production of the world's most famous sparkling white wine has been given world heritage status by the United Nations' Unesco.
The Paris-based organisation said yesterday that the vineyards, cellars and sale houses in the Champagne region of north east France have "cultural significance" and should be protected.
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A Unesco spokesperson said that the eponymous industry was "a very specialised artisan activity that has become an agro-industrial enterprise."
Champagne was one of a number of sites handed world heritage status including another French site the Climats, terroirs of Burgundy.
This puts them on a par with other protected sites such as the Taj Mahal in India and the temple Angkor Wat in Cambodia.