Viticultural Vocality: Mapping the official and non-official Wine Route in Georgia
Funded in part by the American Research Institute of the South Caucasus (ARISC), I traced a tourism initiative managed by the Georgian National Tourism Agency that places “Wine Route” signs in front of and near wineries, in an attempt to increase wine tourism. I examine how this initiative operates on the ground, what other forms of winery visibility exist, and the implications of such projects on the broader Georgian wine economy.
Major kudos to Dato (Davit), my trusty driver in Kakheti. I highly recommend Dato for any travel needs if heading to Kakheti. His tour company can be found here.
Data analysis in Google Earth helps me see connections between wineries and how digital platforms like Google both aid and abet local wineries in Georgia
Following the Wine Route is a method of storytelling and has the potential to highlight wineries and their histories, while also serving as an analytical tool to examine national discourses. I use multimedia mapping software to visualize my data.