Viticulture Essential Edition
WORKER-PLACEMENT + WINE-MAKING BOARD GAME (2013 / Essential Edition 2015) by JAMEY STEGMAIER + STONEMAIER GAMES — players run TUSCAN WINERIES, planting vines, harvesting grapes, crafting wines, filling orders. Signature: WINTER/SUMMER seasonal actions with different action spaces per season; VISITOR CARDS provide special powers each season. STONEMAIER's first hit (funded via Kickstarter 2013). Precursor to SCYTHE (also Stonemaier). Deep worker placement + engine-building. Multiple expansions (Tuscany, Rhine).
Quick facts
Category
Board Games
Type
Individual
Players
1–6
Duration
~90 min
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
2013 Kickstarter launch; Essential Edition 2015 incorporating expansion content; Tuscany + Rhine expansions
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Reach 20 Victory Points via fulfilling wine orders + achieving milestones.
Rules
Basic rules
TURN sequence: Winter → Spring → Summer → Fall → Winter (each year)
Signature 4-season structure.
Each year: choose 1 VISITOR CARD (Summer or Winter); place workers in Summer + Winter action rows
Signature worker placement per season.
ACTIONS: draw vine, plant vine, harvest grapes, crush grapes into wine, fill wine order for VP
Signature wine-making chain.
GRAND WORKER: extra premium worker (1 per year) for early-mover advantage
Signature grande worker.
AUTOMA: solo mode with card-driven AI opponent
Signature solo mode.
END: whoever hits 20 VP triggers end-of-year game end
Standard VP end trigger.
Scoring
20 VP triggers end; VP from wine orders + structures + residual income + visitors.
Win condition · Highest VP when someone hits 20.
Equipment
Central board (Winter + Summer action spaces) + player mats + workers
Signature 2-season board
Vine cards + wine order cards + visitor cards + crush pad + cellar
Signature wine-themed components
Wooden meeples + Lira coins + grape tokens
Standard tokens
Terminology
- Vine
- Card representing planted grape variety.
- Grape
- Harvested resource from planted vines.
- Wine
- Product of crushing grapes; fills orders for VP.
- Visitor
- Card played once per year for special ability (Summer or Winter type).
- Grande Worker
- Premium worker that can go on any full action space.
- Jamey Stegmaier
- Founder of Stonemaier Games; also designed Scythe, Wingspan, Charterstone.
Where it is played
Sources & provenance
- Stonemaier Games — Viticulture— Stonemaier Games
- BoardGameGeek— BGG