Viticulture Complete Guide: Worker Placement Wine Game

Viticulture is a worker placement wine making board game set in Tuscany, Italy, where players plant vines, harvest grapes, make wine, and fulfill orders to build the most prestigious winery. Designed by Jamey Stegmaier of Stonemaier Games, it has sold over 200,000 copies and is beloved for its relaxed yet strategic gameplay.

Game Components

What's in the Box

• 1 game board (Tuscany vineyard with action spaces)
• 1 player board per player (vineyard mat)
• 36 vine cards, 36 wine order cards, 18 visitor cards
• wooden workers (4 large + 4 small per player)
• grape and wine tokens (multiple types)
• structures (tasting room, yoke, cellar, etc.)
• victory point stars
• Designed for 1-6 players (best with 3-5)
• Typical game duration 45-90 minutes

How to Play

Setup

1. Each player receives a player board (vineyard mat) showing fields, crush pad, and cellar.
2. Deal 2 vine cards and 2 wine order cards to each player.
3. Place the game board in the center with all action spaces.
4. Each player takes 2 large workers (family) and 2 small workers (temporary).
5. The start player is chosen randomly.

Game Structure

The game is played over seasons (rounds). Each season has specific action spaces:

Spring — Wake Up Workers

• Choose wake-up positions on the wake-up chart (determines turn order).
• Earlier positions = go first but may have restrictions.

Summer — Place Summer Workers

Players take turns placing workers on summer action spaces:

Fall — Visitors

• Draw 1 visitor card (summer or winter visitor).
• You may play a visitor card if you have one.

Winter — Place Winter Workers

Players take turns placing workers on winter action spaces:

End of Year

1. Age grapes and wines: Each grape and wine token increases in value by 1.
2. Return workers: All workers return to your supply.
3. Pay workers: Each small worker costs 1 coin to retain.
4. Check for game end: If any player has 20+ VP, the game ends after the current year.

Grapes and Wine

• Grape tokens have a value number (the grapes' quality). Red grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, etc. White grapes: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, etc.
• Making wine: Place grapes on the crush pad, then move them to the cellar as wine tokens.
• Wine types: Red wine, White wine, or Blush (1 red + 1 white grape).
• Aging: Each year, grapes and wines in your cellar increase by 1 in value.

Wine Orders

Wine order cards require specific wine types and values. Example:

• "Pinot Noir (value 5+)" → requires red wine worth 5 or more.
• "Chardonnay Blend (value 6+)" → requires white wine worth 6 or more.
• Fulfilling orders gives you VP (printed on card) and coins.

Strategy Tips

1. Plant Early, Harvest Often

• Plant vines in Spring/Summer of the first year.
• Vines take time to grow — plant in year 1 to harvest in year 2.
• High-value vines produce better grapes for premium wine orders.

2. Balance Grape Types

• You need both red and white grapes to make blush wine.
• Some orders require specific grape types — diversify your fields.
• Do not overplant one type — field space is limited.

3. Age Your Wine

• Wines sitting in your cellar increase in value each year.
• A wine worth 3 this year will be worth 4 next year — patience pays.
• Save high-value wines for high-VP orders.

4. Visitor Cards Are Powerful

• Summer visitors provide instant bonuses (coins, VP, extra actions).
• Winter visitors provide winter bonuses.
• Draw visitors whenever possible — they can swing the game.

5. Structure Timing

• Tasting Room: Enables "Give a Tour" action (2 coins → 1 VP) — strong repeatable VP source.
• Yoke: Increases harvest efficiency.
• Cellar expansion: Store more wines for aging.
• Build the Tasting Room first — it provides consistent VP generation.

6. Worker Management

• Large workers are permanent — protect them.
• Small workers cost 1 coin per year — do not keep more than you can afford.
• Upgrading a small worker to large (Train Worker action) is almost always worth it.

Game Variations

Viticulture: Tuscany Expansion

• Adds special workers with unique abilities
• Extended board with more action spaces
• Mama's and Papa's cards for asymmetric starting conditions
• Structure cards for scoring bonuses
• Considered essential by most players

Viticulture Essential Edition

• Updated base game with the best content from the original + expansions
• Includes selected Tuscany elements
• The recommended version for new players

Viticulture: Rhine Valley

• Standalone expansion set in Germany's wine region
• New mechanics with grape crush bonuses
• Different visitor card pool

Game History

Origins

• Designed by Jamey Stegmaier and published by Stonemaier Games in 2013
• One of the most successful Kickstarter board games of its era
• Stegmaier designed it after visiting Tuscany and falling in love with wine culture

Legacy

• Over 200,000 copies sold worldwide
• Praised for being accessible yet strategic
• One of the highest-rated worker placement games on BoardGameGeek
• Stonemaier Games became a major publisher partly due to Viticulture's success

Statistics

• Designed for 1-6 players (best with 3-5)
• 36 vine cards + 36 wine order cards + 18 visitor cards
• 4 stats: Speed, Might, Sanity, Knowledge — no, wrong game
• 4 large workers + up to 4 small workers per player
• Grape types: red and white (multiple varieties)
• Wine types: red, white, blush
• Game end: 20+ VP triggers end
• Over 200,000 copies sold
• Typical game duration 45-90 minutes
• Suitable for ages 13 and up
• Designed by Jamey Stegmaier
• Published by Stonemaier Games

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