Stonemaier Games GTGSTM105 Viticulture: Essential Edition
Stonemaier Games GTGSTM105 Viticulture: Essential Edition, Mixed Colours, Polish Editio
Your job is to allocate your workers and helpful visitors to complete various tasks throughout the year. Each season is different on a vineyard, so the workers have different tasks they can take care of in the summer and winter. There’s competition over those tasks, and often the first worker to arrive at each one has an advantage over the rest.
Using those workers and visitors, you can expand your vineyard by building structures, planting vines, and filling wine orders as you work towards the goal of owning the most successful winery in Tuscany.
| Dimensions: | 22 x 9.98 x 27 cm; 1.81 Kilograms |
| Model: | STM105 |
| Colour: | Mixed Colours |
| Batteries Required: | No |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Age: | 13 years and up |
| Assembly: | No |
| Dimensions: | 22 x 9.98 x 27 cm; 1.81 Kilograms |
I’ve been eyeing Viticulture Essential Edition for quite some time, familiarizing myself with the rules even before making the purchase, so diving into the game was a breeze. This game is a gem for those who appreciate a deep, strategic experience, perfect for seasoned board game enthusiasts. The quality of the components is top-notch, which is what you’d expect from Stonemaier Games, but what really impressed me was the included organizer in the box. It makes setup and breakdown so much smoother, keeping everything neat and accessible. Viticulture isn’t just about building the most prosperous vineyard; it’s about immersing yourself in the strategic intricacies of wine-making in Tuscany, making every playthrough a unique and enjoyable challenge.
We are a game loving family, and recently got this game. It is fantastic. You are the owners of vineyards, and whoever can run the Vineyard most efficiently wins the game. It is a worker placement game, where you have Vineyard workers. Each round is considered a year, and in each season you can have your workers take different actions. In the summer, you can build structures necessary to run a vineyard,, give tours to make money, plant grapes, in the fall, you have summer or winter visitor cards that can be played during each season, to help you along in your vineyard. Winter spaces are focused on the winemaking, harvesting grapes, making wine, storing it in your wine cellars, filling wine orders and hiring more workers to help out around the vineyard. The game plays smoothly and once you understand the structure of turns, it is very easy to play and so much fun. There are many different strategies that can bring you to the end goal the fastest, and the use of visitor cards give you so much re-playability, you can play it often and never tire of it! We have a lot of games, but this is my favorite!
If you love board games this is a must buy. Can be played with only two people or as many as six which was a huge selling point for me. Very fun, not too hard to learn but might be difficult for people not used to learning board game rules.
An excellent addition to a collection, whether you’re a seasoned board gamer or just getting into the hobby. The game is beautifully designed, the components are exceptional quality, and the rules and icons are easy to understand. As an added bonus, the theme of the game (you run a vineyard) makes it easy to pique the interest of most people. 10/10.
This game is the perfect game for game night! It takes a few plays to figure it out but once all players understand the game it is very fun and interactive. The game is also not a mean competitive game where you tear down your neighbours for your benefit which we also appreciate about the game. 10/10 recommend
I wanted another worker placement game and this one has regularly been in the top 100 on quite a few game reviews list for years. So it has staying power and for a reason. It’s a fun and challenging little game once you get a few games in. The Tuscany expansion (I don’t have it yet) makes an already solid and fun game even better. If you are looking for a good worker placement game and don’t mind the theme, you won’t go wrong with this one.
Para los que amamos los juegos de mesa, es un juego un poco complejo de iniciar a jugar, pero una vez entendido se vuelve realmente divertido de utilizar. La realcin precio me parece muy buena.
Watch a video first online to learn how to play it, then read the instructions as it will make a lot more sense. This is an incredible worker placement game. No 2 playthroughs are the same, excellent it 2 or 4 player, will drag if more than 4 in between goes. Cannot recommend enough.
I like that the game provides plastic inserts from the get go
Had lots of fun playing in solo mode and with friends. Looking to get the Tuscany expansion now
This game has been a great success. It’s a great two player game and also multiplayer. The dynamic of the multiplayer game changes game tactics. The game itself is easy to learn – the first round can be a bit confusing but once you play the first round you’ll have picked it up. There is a range of different tactics to play so game play remains fun. I’d recommend this game.
The game is a repeat play for me and my family. Simple worker placement game but with some nuances to keeping your eye on making and selling the wine. There are expansions which you can try if you find it as enjoyable as we do.
I’ve had my eye on the Essential Edition ever since it was released, in 2015. Since I bought it, I have played the physical copy 4 times is solo mode, as well as played a digital version, in online multiplayer.
The components for this game are top quality. The board and rulebook have what I believe is a linen finish. The art of actions on the board is an excellent touch. The cards are flexible and durable, and the print is clear. The pieces/tokens have a slight heft to them and the colours are vivid and lasting.
The game is essentially a worker placement game, but it has been designed such that the theme, running a vineyard and winery, is strongly supported by the gameplay. I personally enjoy games that have a good theme with integrated mechanics, so this is a shoe-in for me.
We like board games and this one is a bit different. Only played with two so far but we’ve found it very enjoyable. Requires some thinking through your strategy and the turn of various cards provide the luck . It is a bit expensive, but probably on a par with other games of this type
GAMEPLAY:
While I have only played 2-player versions, I can say it is pretty solid. One thing about worker placement games that some people don’t like is when you keep getting locked out of an action you want to perform by your opponents. There is a nice design element here, where one worker (the big meeple) which I called “the boss” (maybe call him “il capo” since the game takes place in Italy?) is a larger meeple and that one worker can be placed at a location to do the action, regardless of whether other spaces are available. This lessens the sting of getting blocked over and over. In this game, I never felt the worker placement element was overly cutthroat, and while it was something you worry and plan for, you have that big meeple to save the day.
SCORING:
there are multiple ways of scoring, and while gaining a point here and there through “visitor” cards might seem minor, that coupled with things like the windmill and/or Tasting room can be a reliable Victory Point generator. However, you really want to go for “order” cards where you sell the wine you’ve made for bigger VP rewards and passive income. The random distribution of the order cards means you could get many difficult ones early on, meaning if you aim for those, it will take a long time to score. So don’t be afraid of drawing more and more “order cards” until you get some easier ones to get you on the road.
FINAL ROUND:
The rules as written (aka “RAW”) says as soon as one player passes the 25VP spot on the VP track, that signals that this is the last round of the game and that players continue to finish their turns for the round and then the game is over. In a few of the games we played this resulted in rather abrupt ends of the game where someone jumped from 20 to 26 points by turning in a big VP order as one of their last actions. So keep in mind that once someone hits 20 points, the game is virtually over unless they have no wine. I am not sure how I feel about this aspect of the game. I will update my review after a few more plays.
MINOR NITPICKS:
While it is a pretty game, it could probably use a little more iconography to explain things and for ease of use. Also, it would have been useful to have reference cards that only reminded you of the building effects. Again, iconography would have helped. Your player mat kind of spreads out important building upgrades and they are in some slightly awkward positions (I kept bumping my trellis ad my irrigation unit off my board because it is next to where the vine cards go (representing the kinds of grapes you are growing in your vinyard). Another tiny nitpick is the image on the three field cards is meant to mirror the playmat that rests below them, but there is a layout issue (at least with my deck) where the images overlap on the second and third cards and if you are just a tad “OCD” about things, this might bug you a bit. Finally, with all the unique meeples, having round cylinder pieces for the scoreboard was a poor design choice. One good bump of the table and those can fall and roll all over. Simple cubes would have sufficed…or why not wine cask shaped pieces?
VERDICT:
Stonemeier’s first game, this worker placement game is lighter than two of his (company’s) other worker placement games, Euphoria and Scythe. It is maybe a tiny bit heavier than their most famous game (…which I play several times a week these days…) Wingspan. It is a very nice game to play, and it is not really confrontational so that can be a real boon if playing with a spouse or partner who doesn’t like that kind of thing. A very solid game…well worth the price of a modern Hobbyist game. 8 out of 10 stars.
Great game and highly recommended as a gift for someone who loves Eurogames and management for fun. This game is highly variable and requires a lot of thought on how to win from an odd starting situation. Well balanced and not too repetitive when replaying.
My favourite board game…is even good playing solo using ‘automa’ cards. Would definately recommend playing this game with the ‘Tuscanny’ expansion board and cards. Game can last up to 3 hours….superb entertainment for family and friends.
Brilliant worker placement game, buy and sell wine to obtain victory points to win the game. Several expansions inc metal coins make this game a real head turner. Plays in about 60-90 mins, worth upgrading the coins.
Very high quality product and I am sure given time I will master how to play it – the rest of the family seem to understand and love it! For the serious gamer I would recommend it – will keep the family busy for years – and there apparently are excellent extensions!
This is a great game and recommended for board game lovers. It is a resource management game which involves you managing your workers to build your vineyard, plant vines, harvest the grapes, make wine and sell it to buyers. On the way you gain victory points with the game ending when a player reaches 20 points. There are a number of different strategies to employ. The rules are fairly simple to pick up but like all the best games the secret is in how to best manage your limited resources to best effect.
One of my favorite games of the moment. Not overly complicated, decent meat to the game, enjoyable game play, competitive, still great with 6 players and doable within 90 minutes even with newbies.
Pros.
– Componentes. Los componentes del juego (cartas, tokens, tableros) son de la mxima calidad y produccin.
– Soporte de la Compaa. Mi juego llego con un componente roto en el traslado de Amazon y la compaa que realiz el juego (Stonemaier Games) me envo el remplazo del componente sin costo alguno hasta Mxico.
– Esttico. Visualmente es un juego hermoso.
– Estratgico. El juego te da opciones para que pienses en las mltiples acciones que necesitar realizar para mejorar tu finca y conseguir producir ms vinos, constantemente tienes que pensar en que es lo que hars para tus prximos turnos y en como adaptar tu estrategia para conseguir puntos de victoria.
– Complejidad adecuada. El juego no es ligero, pero para nada es pesado. La inclusin del trabajador Grande permite realizar acciones an cuando los espacios estn ocupados. La direccin del mismo es sencilla de captar y representa un buen inicio para jugadores nuevos en este tipo de mecnicas.
– Opcin Solitario. El juego puede jugarse en solitario con mecnicas similares y tratando de obtener ms de 20 puntos en cierto numero de rondas, adems de un pequeo modo ‘campaa’ para cumplir escenarios con ligeras variaciones en las condiciones del juego solitario.
Neutro
– Duracin. El juego tiene aproximadamente una duracin de 30 min. por persona (e.g. 3 jugadores = 1hr30min)
– Numero de jugadores. El punto ideal parece ser 4 jugadores. Con 3 jugadores no existen casi bloqueos en el espacio, con 2 no hay bonus en las acciones, con 5 a 6 puede alargarse demasiado.
– Idioma. El juego tiene una dependencia intermedia del idioma ingles. Principalmente las cartas de visitante tienen efectos que se requieren comprender para jugarse. No es complejo y tiene iconos que facilitan el entender pero puede ser necesaria una comprensin bsica.
Contras
– Suerte de las cartas. El juego puede ser determinado en gran medida por las cartas de visitante que salen al azar.
—–
El juego es muy bueno por si solo, sin embargo, cuenta con una expansin (Tuscany) que aumenta el numero de rutas posibles para hacerse con puntos de victoria y otorga la posibilidad de seguir estrategias completamente distintas.
En este juego cada uno es dueo de un viedo y tu objetivo es conseguir ms prestigio (puntos de victoria) que todos los dems viedos de la Toscana. Para lograrlo tienes que plantar vides, cosechar las uvas, convertirlas en vino y despus completar pedidos de estos vinos. Tambin cada ao puedes recibir visitas de personas relacionadas con la viticultura que te ayudarn a alcanzar tu objetivo. Todos juegan en un tablero donde van colocando sus trabajadores para realizar las diferentes tareas. En este juego es necesario ir planificando cuidadosamente tus acciones ya que los otros jugadores pueden tomar las acciones que t quieres, lo que te obligara a esperar un ao ms para completar algunas de tus cartas (visitantes o pedidos).
Para empezar este es un juego de mesa moderno, o sea muy diferente a los juegos de mesa comerciales como Risk o Monopoly. Si eres un iniciado en esto de los juegos de mesa modernos te puedo decir que es un juego de mucha estrategia que deberas intentar ya que hayas jugado varios juegos con estrategia ligera-moderada. Si ya eres todo un conocedor de los juegos de mesa modernos de estrategia este juego de gustar, pero si adems eres fantico de los eurojuegos este te encantar.
Esta es la versin Esencial y ms nueva, o sea la que definitivamente tienes que comprar si quieres conseguir este juego. La diferencia respecto a la versin anterior (Viticulture 2da edicin) es que esta incluye 4 mdulos de Tuscany (expansin de Vituculture): las caras de visitantes avanzadas, las cartas de visitante adicionales, los campos que se pueden vender y las mams y paps. Todos estos mdulos se agregan a esta versin ya que siempre deberan estar en cualquier partida de Viticulture: las mams y paps slo determinan al azar la configuracin inicial de cada jugador, las cartas de visitante agregan ms variedad sin agregar mayor complejidad y los campos para vender slo aaden una accin adicional y super sencilla en el tablero.
Algunas otras consideraciones:
– El juego es dependiente del idioma ya que todas las cartas de visitante tienen texto. El texto del tablero como sea es un poco ms fcil de memorizar el significado. El juego viene en ingls.
– Para disfrutar el juego al mximo se requiere tener una buena planificacin y manejo de recursos (liras, cartas, vinos), por lo que es este juego es recomendado para adolescentes (13-14 aos) en adelante.
– Si te encant este juego tal vez debas considerar comprar su expansin Tuscany: Essential Edition. El tablero extendido de esta expansin vale mucha la pena ya que es hace este juego an ms nico. En el nuevo tablero las acciones se dividen en las 4 estaciones del ao, haciendo que la correcta planificacin sea an ms desafiante y 2 de las 3 nuevas acciones son muy buenas. Actualmente esta expansin la venden en Amazon Estados Unidos pero tal vez pronto est disponible en Amazon Mxico.
Also: Art work beautiful. Solid game, scales well w/player count. You need to plan ahead and it really is a decent game, the best in years. This edition is the best, and it is finally a worker placement game that I actually like. I played the tuscany + essential and did not like that very much. It feels “finished”, instead of others that feel incomplete and are shouting for expansions.
Compared to other wine board games it is simpler than Vinhos and less cruel than grand cru. It actually teaches how wine is produced.
For kids however it is not very spectacular, would play it with intelligent adults, that may or may not like wine.
Oh and did I mention you can play it solo against the AI of the game?
The components and presentation of the game is beautiful. The board depicts various building spaces to send your workers to obtain various resources (money, cards, points), with spots for the various card decks at the top and a point track at the bottom. The action spaces themselves are basically divided in half with summer actions (mostly for building up) and winter actions (scoring points and creating wine). Each player has an individual playerboard that represents their vineyard with an assortment of different building and worker meeples that they can use for upgrading their vineyard and executing actions.
The game feels very well executed at the 2 player level. Each action only has 1 space available (more with more than 2 players) but each player has one “grande” (a bigger worker meeple) that can go to an action space thats occupied. The game involves the use of a lot of cards that represent either types of wine grapes / summer visitors / winter visitors and order cards. There is a flow to the game, where grapes must be planted, then harvested, then made into wine. At the end of each round, grapes and wine age, and you can plan ahead to fulfill an order when your grapes/wine have properly aged. Money is tight, and each player will not be able to do everything in a game.
There is also a lot of variability added from the cards. Most visitor cards will offer up two options where players can capitalize by trading resources for points or money. We’ve noticed that its possible to take a card-focused strategy by building a cottage and then using cards as much as possible throughout the game. Turn order is also very well done in this game, where players can choose something they really need (an extra vine card, coin, point) and it will determine the order that they get to take their turn in. The last point is that the game does not have a set number of rounds, it is more a race to see who can get the first to 20 points which makes the game very exciting as it feels very neck and neck up to the end to see who can squeeze out the couple last points through efficiency.
If you enjoy other worker placement games (Stone Age, Agricola, Lords of Waterdeep), Viticulture will likely be right up your alley. Neither my wife or I are wine connoisseurs, but that does not diminish our enjoyment of this game at all. In fact, we’ve concluded that this game will ultimately replace Agricola for us as there is not nearly as much stress involved during the course of the game. The game still has a good amount of scarcity for actions where one cannot do everything they want to, it is just not as pronounced.
Das Spiel ist an sich relativ leicht zu erlernen, aber schwer zu meistern: Immer wieder kann man neue Strategien austesten und komplexe Zge planen und viele Strategien fhren zum Sieg. Durch die Prise Glck (durch Besucher-/Vertrags- und Rebenkrtchen) und die Verhinderung des eigenen Plans durch die Gegenspieler muss eine zuvor gefasste Strategie hufig doch noch umgeworfen werden und man ist dazu gezwungen, flexibel zu agieren. Das macht mehr Spa, als man denkt und motiviert, viele Runden immer wieder neue Wege zu beschreiten.
Das Thema gefllt mir sehr gut, da es etwas gnzlich anderes zu vergleichbaren Strategiespielen ist. Es geht nicht darum, Heere in die Schlacht zu fhren oder mit Helden Verliese zu erkunden, sondern schlicht darum, Wein anzubauen und gewinnbringend zu verkaufen.
Fazit: Ein wirklich gelungenes Spiel, dass zum strategischen Spielen wie auch zum Ausprobieren einldt. Einzige eventuelle Barriere: Der Spielplan ist zwar in Deutsch, alle Krtchen und die Anleitung jedoch in Englisch, man muss also der Sprache mchtig sein, um das Spiel in vollen Zgen genieen zu knnen.
Bought this Essential edition of the game because it includes the Automa cards which allow solo play (previous edition of this game meant you had to buy a “Tuscany Expansion” pack to get the automa cards which would work out expensive). For solo play the automa cards are drawn to simulate the moves of an opponent which provides the challenge for a solo player – it’s a very clever system that works extremely well in my opinion.
The box contains a lot of bits and pieces but the game is very quick and simple to set up. A lot of thought went in to the design and artwork of the cards, board, and pieces which add to the charm of this game.
I’m new to games of this type and found following the instructions very challenging initially so abandoned my first attempt. Then having watched a solo play through of this game on Youtube I quickly got the picture which helped greatly and I completed my first game today without too much confusion in about 1.5 hours. I still had to refer to the instructions as a reminder but the game flowed really well.
The game really put me in to the mindset of a vineyard owner and I got the feel for whats involved in running a vineyard through the various seasons – assigning workers, planting vines, harvesting, crushing gapes, making wine, building structures, gaining wine orders, selling wine, etc. I was totally absorbed for the duration and really had to think hard about my next moves and plan ahead. I lost the first game with 13 points (20 to win a the level I played) due to not planning ahead enough. Better luck next time.
Concentration is important with this game so as not to miss or loose track of actions, which I did on occasion.. I’m not sure I’d do well playing this if there’s too much distraction around me. The game has various “levels” of challenge and I started on the first level so this should keep me suitably challenged for some time.
Can’t wait for my next game – this time I have a bit of experience so hope to do a better job running my next vineyard!