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Viticulture Essential Edition box image

Viticulture Essential Edition

Viticulture Essential Edition is a worker placement game where players run a vineyard, planting and harvesting grapes, making wine, and fulfilling orders to gain victory points. It includes a solo mode and expansions.

7.99 / 10
BGG Rating
13+
age
2015
published year
1 - 6
player count
1 - 5
Recommended player count
45 - 90 mins
play time

How Complex is Viticulture Essential Edition?

2.89 / 5

Viticulture Essential Edition has a moderate complexity level, with a clear rulebook and intuitive gameplay mechanics, making it accessible to both new and experienced players.

How much Luck is involved in the gameplay of Viticulture Essential Edition?

2.5 / 5

Luck plays a moderate role in Viticulture Essential Edition, as players draw random cards to perform certain actions, but strategic planning and worker placement decisions have a greater impact on the game's outcome.

How much Player Interaction does Viticulture Essential Edition offer?

3.5 / 5

Viticulture Essential Edition offers moderate player interaction through the use of shared worker placement spaces and the ability to block opponents, but it is not a highly confrontational game.

How much Replayability does Viticulture Essential Edition offer?

4 / 5

Viticulture Essential Edition offers high replayability due to the variety of cards and multiple paths to victory, making each game unique and challenging.

Why you should play Viticulture Essential Edition

Engaging gameplay

Viticulture Essential Edition is a strategic worker placement game that challenges players to manage their vineyards and wineries in order to produce the best wine. The game offers a variety of actions and decisions to make, ensuring that each playthrough is unique and engaging.

Beautiful artwork

The game features stunning artwork that captures the essence of the wine-making process and the beauty of the Italian countryside. The components are also of high quality, making the game a pleasure to play.

Easy to learn

Despite its depth and complexity, Viticulture Essential Edition is relatively easy to learn. The rulebook is well-written and the game mechanics are intuitive, making it accessible to both new and experienced players.

Solo play option

The game includes a solo play mode, which is perfect for those who prefer to play alone or want to practice their strategy before playing with others.

Replayability

With multiple paths to victory and a variety of cards and actions to choose from, Viticulture Essential Edition offers a high level of replayability. Each game is different, ensuring that players will want to come back to the game time and time again.

Theme

The theme of wine-making is unique and interesting, and it adds an extra layer of immersion to the gameplay. Players will feel like they are running their own vineyards and wineries, making the game even more enjoyable.

Why you should avoid Viticulture Essential Edition

Length of play

Viticulture Essential Edition can be a lengthy game, especially with a full player count. The game can take up to 2 hours to play, which may not be suitable for those who prefer shorter games.

Complexity

While the game is relatively easy to learn, it can still be quite complex, especially for those who are new to worker placement games. This may be a turn-off for some players who prefer simpler games.

Luck-based elements

While the game is primarily based on strategy and decision-making, there are some luck-based elements, such as the card draws. This may frustrate some players who prefer games that are purely based on skill.

Limited player interaction

Viticulture Essential Edition is a game that is primarily focused on individual player boards and actions, with limited player interaction. This may not be suitable for players who prefer games with a high level of player interaction and negotiation.

Theme

While the theme of wine-making is unique and interesting, it may not appeal to all players. Some players may prefer games with more traditional or familiar themes.

Where to find the Rules of Viticulture Essential Edition

Check the rules of Viticulture Essential Edition in a PDF file.

You can also find the community-driven rules summary, player aid, etc., in the Viticulture Essential Edition files section on the BoardGameGeek website. You need an account on BGG to download files.

Beginner Strategies for Viticulture Essential Edition

These strategies are for players who have either not played or played one or two games of Viticulture Essential Edition.

Focus on planting grapes early on

Planting grapes is the foundation of the game, so it's important to start doing this as soon as possible. Try to plant a variety of grapes to give yourself more options later on.

Build structures to gain bonuses

Building structures like the trellis, irrigation, and windmill can give you bonuses/let you plant certain vines that will help you throughout the game. Try to build these structures early on to maximize their benefits.

Pay attention to the seasons

The game is divided into seasons, and each season has different actions you can take. Make sure to plan ahead and use your actions wisely to maximize your productivity.

Don't neglect the visitor cards

Visitor cards can give you powerful bonuses, so make sure to use them to your advantage. Try to plan your actions around the visitor cards you have in your hand.

Balance your wine production

It's important to produce a variety of wines to meet the demands of different orders. Don't focus solely on one type of wine, but try to produce a mix of red and white wines.

Keep an eye on your opponents

Pay attention to what your opponents are doing and try to anticipate their moves. This will help you make better decisions and stay ahead of the competition.

Don't be afraid to take risks

Sometimes taking risks can pay off big time in Viticulture. Don't be afraid to try new strategies and take chances, but make sure to weigh the risks and benefits before making a move.

I hope these tips help you get started with Viticulture Essential Edition!

Advanced Strategies for Viticulture Essential Edition

Plan ahead for the end game

The game ends when a player reaches 20 victory points, so it's important to plan ahead and make sure you're on track to reach that goal. Keep an eye on your opponents' victory points as well, and try to prevent them from reaching 20 before you do.

Use the grande worker strategically

The grande worker is a powerful tool that lets you take an already occupied action space, but it can only be used once per season. Use it strategically to maximize its benefits and gain an edge over your opponents.

Focus on fulfilling high-value orders

Some orders are worth more victory points than others, so it's important to prioritize these when fulfilling orders. Try to plan ahead and produce the wines you need to fulfill these orders.

Balance your wine production with your vineyard expansion

It's important to balance your wine production with your vineyard expansion. Don't focus solely on one or the other, but try to find a balance that will give you the most points.

Use the bonus actions to your advantage

Bonus actions can give you extra resources or actions, so make sure to use them to your advantage. Try to plan your actions around the bonus actions available to you.

Don't forget about the importance of workers

Workers are the backbone of your vineyard, so make sure to use them wisely. Try to maximize their productivity by using them strategically and efficiently. Also, make sure you take the 'Train a worker' action early in the game to gain extra workers for your vineyard.

I hope these advanced strategies help you take your Viticulture Essential Edition gameplay to the next level!

Mechanics

Hand Management
Worker Placement
Solo / Solitaire Game
Turn Order: Auction
Victory Points as a Resource
Race
Contracts
Worker Placement, Different Worker Types

Categories

Farming
Economic