For wine associations supporting American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), the value of a precise and user-friendly map cannot be understated. This article outlines a comprehensive approach to creating custom AVA maps that display the vineyards and wineries using Google Maps.
The Petaluma Gap Wine Growers Alliance (PGWA) was working with an illustrator to develop a more intricate digital and printable map. While this project was in progress, the Alliance wanted something temporary on the website and quickly created a custom (and free) AVA map using Google My Maps.
Here are the steps to follow in creating a similar map of your AVA:
Step 1 – Create A New Map – Access the Google My Maps website and sign in with your Google account. You’ll need to create an account if you don’t have one yet. Once logged in, click the “+ Create a new map” button to initiate the map-building process.
Step 2 – Personalize Your Map – At the top left corner of the page, locate the “Untitled map” field. You can enter your organization’s name, such as the “Petaluma Gap Wine Growers Alliance” and your mission statement.
Step 3- Define Your Boundary – Download an SHP (shape) of your AVA boundary as defined by the federal government from the TTB website. Since Google Maps only supports KML files, you must convert the SHP using geographical information software (GIS). For instance, we used the open-source GIS application QGIS for this purpose. Import the converted KML file into Google Maps as your initial layer.
Step 4 – Map Your Wineries – Create an additional layer for wineries. Utilize the search function to locate wineries by name or address. Click the “Add to map” option in the toolbar. If a winery has claimed its business on Google, relevant information will appear in the drop-down menu. Choose or customize the marker icon, such as a wine glass or grape icon.
Step 5 – Plot Your Vineyards – We employed latitude and longitude coordinates to locate vineyards, which we needed to establish initially. Since only a few vineyards were registered as businesses on Google, we manually inputted information, including vineyard photos, a list of cultivated grape varieties, and elevations. Non-grower members were identified on the map with less detailed information.
Step 6- Organize Your Layers – You can enhance your map by creating multiple layers. This helps in segregating distinct categories of data. Click the “Add layer” button in the left sidebar to establish a new layer. In our case, separate layers were used for wineries, vineyards, and members and non-members.
Step 7 – Share Your Map – The map can be shared using a unique link, making it accessible to specific individuals or made public or private. Most importantly, you can embed code to easily incorporate the map into your wine organization’s website or blog.
A custom online AVA map created with Google Maps serves as a valuable tool for wine organizations and professionals in showcasing the vineyards and tasting rooms within the geographical boundaries of their region. Integrating a Google Map on your website effectively complements the digital and printable AVA maps.
Next time, we will discuss the new digital and printable map of the Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance, including data collection methods.
