Viticulture: Moor Visitors - A Complete Guide

Welcome to Viticulture: Moor Visitors! This guide will walk you through the ins and outs of managing your vineyard, producing fine wines, and attracting discerning guests. Let's get started!

The Goal of the Game

In Viticulture, you are a vintner in old-world Italy, working to build a successful wine business. You'll plant vines, harvest grapes, make wine, and fulfill orders. The player who earns the most Victory Points by the end of the game wins!

Game Setup

Here's how to get your vineyard ready for the season:

• Each player receives a Field card of value 5, 6, and 7, and places them in their vineyard.
• Randomly deal two Special Worker cards to each player. In a two-player game, do not include the Innkeeper card. Place these two cards on the table and identify each with a gray Special Worker meeple.
• Randomly deal one Mama card and one Papa card to each player. The player acquires the indicated resources. The Mama and Papa cards can be discarded.
• Randomly select a player to receive the Rooster token. This player will be the first to place their Worker on the Wake-up Chart. At the end of the year, the marker passes to the next player, moving clockwise around the table.

Game Flow

Viticulture is played over a series of years, with each year divided into four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. The game progresses as follows:

Spring

• The player with the Rooster token places their Worker on the Wake-up Chart and receives the listed bonus.
• The next player, moving clockwise around the table, places their Worker on an empty row.
• Continue this process until all players have placed their Workers.

Summer

Players take turns placing their Workers on action spaces on the main board and on their player mat. Consult the manual for details on specific actions available during this season.

Autumn

• After all players have chosen to pass their turn in Summer, following the order of the Wake-up Chart, players draw one Visitor card of their choice.
• After building the Chalet, a player may draw an additional Visitor card.

Winter

Players continue to take turns placing their Workers on action spaces. Consult the manual for details on specific actions available during this season.

End of the Year

• After all players have used all their Workers:
• Age Grapes and Wine.
• Collect your Workers.
• Collect Recurrent effects.
• Discard cards until you have a maximum of 7 cards in hand.
• Remove Workers from the Wake-up Chart and pass the Rooster token to the next player.
• If a player reaches 25 Victory Points during the year, this year will be the last to be played.

Actions and How to Play

Throughout the game, you will use your Workers to take actions. Here are some of the actions you can perform:

Planting Vines

• You can plant Vines on your Field cards. Some Vines may have specific structure requirements, such as needing a Trellis or Irrigation.
• The Moor Visitors expansion introduces new ways to plant and manage your vineyards. For example, the Irrigationist allows you to build an irrigation for free or plant a vine requiring irrigation and gain a bonus.

Harvesting Grapes

• You can harvest your planted Fields to gain Grapes.
• The type and quantity of Grapes you harvest depend on the Vines planted in that Field.
• Some actions and structures, like the Harvest Machine, can enhance your harvesting capabilities.

Making Wine

• You can use Grapes to make different types of Wine: Red Wine, White Wine, Rosé Wine, and Sparkling Wine.
• The type of Wine you can make and its value depend on the Grapes used and your Cellar capacity. The Medium Cellar is needed for Rosé Wine, and the Large Cellar is needed for Sparkling Wine.
• The Mixer structure allows you to make Rosé Wine and/or Sparkling Wine.

Building Structures

• You can build various Structures that provide ongoing benefits or unlock new actions. Examples include the Trellis, Irrigation, Windmill, Tasting Room, and different sizes of Cellars.
• Some Structures have specific requirements or provide bonuses when built. The Architect card offers discounts on building structures.

Drawing and Playing Visitor Cards

• Visitor cards (both Summer Visitors and Winter Visitors) represent guests who can provide powerful one-time effects or ongoing benefits.
• You can draw Visitor cards during specific seasons or through certain actions.
• The Chalet structure allows you to draw an additional Visitor card when moving from Summer to Autumn.
• Many Visitor cards offer unique actions and bonuses. For example, the Agriculturist allows you to plant vines and gain bonuses based on the variety planted.

Other Actions

• Tour the Vineyard: This action can grant Victory Points under certain conditions.
• Sell Grapes or Wine: You can sell your produce for Lira.
• Buy/Sell Fields: You can expand or contract your vineyard.
• Train Workers: You can train additional Workers to take more actions each season.
• Trade: Some actions allow you to trade resources.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends at the end of the year in which at least one player reaches 25 Victory Points. If a player reaches 25 points, that year is completed, and then the game ends.

Tiebreakers

If there is a tie in Victory Points, the following criteria are used in order:

1. Most Lira possessed.
2. Total value of Wine in the cellar.
3. Total value of Grapes in the crusher.

Tips for Winning

• Focus on Synergies: Look for combinations of Visitor cards, Structures, and actions that work well together. For example, building structures that enhance grape production can set you up for powerful wine-making turns.
• Manage Your Workers Wisely: With a limited number of Workers each year, prioritize actions that give you the most return on investment. Consider the Wake-up Chart to ensure you get crucial actions early in the season.
• Adapt to Visitors: The Visitor cards can significantly alter your strategy. Be prepared to adapt your plans based on the cards you draw and the actions available to you.