Posted by Antonio Galloni, Founder, Vinous

Editor's note: Today’s guest blogger is Antonio Galloni, founder of Vinous, a website and media platform providing first-hand insights into the world of wine. See how other forward-thinking organizations are investing in mapping technology and transforming their business: Maps are Going Google.

Every wine tells a story. In a sip, you can learn what region the wine is from, the type of grapes grown to make it, the vineyard and even the winemaker. Together, these components paint a picture of the wine’s history and personality. At Vinous Media, we aim to share these stories through videos, images and information that feature our winemakers and the vintages we produce. Google Maps for Work helps us make those stories come alive.

Vinous caters to wine collectors and enthusiasts who want to know more about where and how their favorite wines are made. We realized that overlaying those details on a map would give visitors insights on specific regions and wines without needing to travel to vineyards in person. We also wanted to marry our maps with the decades worth of reviews and analysis I amassed during my time as the founder of Piedmont Report and lead critic for The Wine Advocate. We needed the maps not only look good and be easy for our members to navigate, but also be able to integrate layers of data. Google Maps met these challenges perfectly.

Using Google My Maps Pro, we created Vinous’ first maps on Italy’s Barolo and Barbaresco regions. The vineyards are color-coded by our own classification system, outlining what locations we deem to be “exceptional” or “outstanding.” Clicking on a vineyard opens a window with more information, including ownership and history, and notable wines they make. We also provide information on any reviews or tasting notes we’ve done for wines from that vineyard. This is a unique approach to the wine publishing business, bringing together maps and content to offer a complete picture of what a wine’s all about.
We anticipate even more innovation in our vineyard maps, giving wine connoisseurs stronger connections to the birthplaces and stories behind their favorite wines. We’re glad we chose a company that’s as excited about our maps as we are.