AOC: Age of Champagne Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Overview
  • How to Read These Rules
  • Components
• Game Setup
• Components Overview
• Game Concepts
• Gameplay
  • Your Starting Inheritance
  • 1. New Event
  • 2. Collaborators Assignment
  • 3. Resolving Actions
    • 3.1 Acquiring a Vineyard
    • 3.2 Building a Wine Press
    • 3.3 Installing a Winery
    • 3.4 Marketing Strategy
    • 3.5 Shipping to Markets
    • 3.6 Wine Draw
    • 3.7 Grape Harvest (Action Zone)
    • 3.8 Council of Cellar Masters (Action Zone)
  • 4. Grape Harvest
  • 5. End of Season
    • 1. Council of Cellar Masters
    • 2. Vineyard Cards Renewal
• Final Scoring
• Variants and Wine Merchant
  • First Game Variant
  • Advanced Variants
  • Playing with the Wine Merchant
• Icons Reference
  • Bonus Tokens
  • Event Cards

Game Overview

How to Read These Rules

This rulebook is organized into 4 chapters we invite you to read in sequence before your first game of Age of Champagne:

1. Game overview — components, game setup, in-game concepts.
2. Gameplay — rounds and game phases, performing actions and final scoring.
3. Variants and Wine merchant — game variants and rules for playing against a virtual opponent (solo or multiplayer).
4. Icons Reference — Bonus tokens and Event cards description.

Credits and acknowledgments

Original concept: Christophe Pouey. Authors: Cyrille Lefranc, Christophe Pouey and Franck Rubarbe. Artworks and graphic design: Cyrille Lefranc. Wine merchant variant: an original idea from Gregory Losiaux and Laurent Dupont. Rules redaction and rulebook layout: Benoît Pepermans. Rules proofreading: Isabelle Lasalle and Aurélie Pouey.

The Age of Champagne team would like to address special thanks to: our contributors for the Kickstarter campaign, La communauté des Supers Protos Numériques (Ivan, Franz, Kaahl, Nikos, Florian, Jean, Stéphane, Cléonis, Théo, Sypher, Fab, Lab and the others), David from Explique moi ça, Rémi from Y Jouer, Ben and Lili from Recettes Ludiques, Mathieu, David and Benji from On joue tu ?, Romain from Le Labo des Jeux, Guillaume and Xylis and the members of the Cwowd community, Pauline and everyone we couldn't mention here.

Components

Gameboard

• 1 double-sided gameboard (a Standard side and a Simplified side).

Player components (x4)

• 1 player board
• 1 player aid / blending guide
• 1 Cellar master pawn, 3 Collaborator pawns and 3 discs
• 1 Press level white marker

Cards

• 36 Vineyard cards
• 51 Market cards
• 12 Inheritance cards
• 16 Event cards

Markers, tokens & modules

• 3 x 60 cubes (still wines / cuvees)
• 22 Bonus tokens
• 32 Winery modules
• 1 Wine merchant board

Game Setup

1. Place the main gameboard in the center of the table. For your first game, we recommend using the simplified side of the gameboard (see First game variant, p. Variants).

2. Create grapes supplies by placing the matching markers near the main board: blue for Meunier, black for Pinot Noir and yellow for Chardonnay.

3. Create a Winery modules supply near the main board.

4. Take the Vineyard cards and set aside the 4 "Vallée de la Marne" cards with the Inheritance icon.

   • a. Shuffle the remaining Vineyard cards and distribute them in as many stacks as the player count. Place them face-up on the matching spaces of the main board.
   • b. Place the top card of each stack on the "Active offers" space right below.

5. Separate the Market cards by type (France, Europe and International).

   • a. Independently shuffle the cards from each pile and place them face up on the matching "Provisional orders" space.
   • b. Place the top card of each stack on the "Active Orders" space below.

6. Create the supply of Bonus tokens by placing them face down near the main board. Randomly take 3 Bonus tokens from the supply for each of the markets (France, Europe and International) and place them on the matching space.

7. Set aside the 12 Inheritance cards (these will be used later).

8. Randomly draw 10 Event cards and place them face down on the relevant space on the main board. Return the remaining Event cards to the box.

9. Each player takes:

   • A player board
   • 1 Cellar Master pawn, 3 Collaborator pawns and 3 discs in his color as well as a white cube.

   Then each player:

   • a. Places 1 disc on the "0" position of the score track.
   • b. Places 1 disc on one of the "-3" position of the eco-responsibility track.
   • c. Places the white cube on the 1st Press level of his player board.
   • d. Places his Cellar master, Collaborators and his 3rd disc near his player board.
   • e. Installs 1 Winery module (taken from the supply) at the bottom left (Age I) of the cutout of his player board.

The main board is organized into the following zones: Vineyard cards "Upcoming offers", Vineyard cards "Active offers", Actions zones and action spots, Eco-responsibility track, Market cards "Provisional orders", Market cards "Active orders", Council of Cellar Masters, and Event Cards / Round Counter.

Components Overview

Player Board & Vineyard

The personal player board is a central piece of your strategy development during the game:

• The acquired Vineyard cards are placed above the board next to the corresponding region, showing the grape variety and the amount of grapes produced.
• The Winery modules are installed in the dedicated cutout, starting at the bottom left, then from left to right before installing them on the top row (Age II).
• The cubes standing for the still wines (in the Winery modules) or the cuvees (in the cellar, oenotheque or Marketing Strategy) are placed in the cutouts, within the maximum limits indicated.

The player board shows: the Region and Village (Cru) for each row, an Instant Bonus of Prestige Points or eco-responsibility levels, a Marketing Strategy grid (level of attractiveness of cuvees and export bonuses on the markets), spaces for your Vineyard cards collection with the variety and quantity of grapes produced, the Press level (pressing capacity limit during the Grape harvest phase), the Winery / Cuverie modules installation area (8 max.), the Œnotheque (cuvees set aside for the Marketing Strategy, 3 max.), and the Cellar (storage of cuvees after drawing still wines, 10 cuvees max.).

Game Concepts

Age of Champagne offers you the role of a young Cellar Master who inherits the family winery. As the head of your Champagne House, you have 10 rounds to accumulate the most Prestige Points and become the Cellar Master of the decade.

In each round, you decide which tasks to assign to your House's collaborators in order to acquire vineyards for the production of different types of grapes, build presses to receive the fruits of the grape harvest, or install winery modules to vinify and store still wines.

You will also have to establish your marketing strategy and carry out the bottling of the wines in order to honor the national, European or international shipping contracts that you will have signed.

In a constantly changing world, your House will gain more prestige if you make it a point of honor to favor eco-responsible actions during the game.

Regions & Vineyards

The 5 regions of the Champagne appellation are shown on the player boards with a reminder of the number of Vineyard cards available and the quantity of grapes produced for each type of grape variety.

You will therefore be keen to acquire vineyards from different regions that you will choose for their grape varieties or the quantity of grapes produced, according to your strategy.

Cubed Grape Varieties

The blending of a Champagne wine is made with one or several grape varieties, represented in the game by the different colors of cubes: Meuniers (blue), Pinots noirs (black), Chardonnay (yellow).

Depending on their use, these cubes represent different thematic elements:

• On the Vineyard cards: the grape varieties produced.
• In the Winery: the still wines which are involved in the blending during the draw.
• In the Cellar, the oenotheque and on the Market cards: the cuvees that will be marketed and shipped.

Vineyard Collection

The success of a House lies in its ability to diversify grape varieties and regions of origin: this makes it possible to limit the effects of localized climatic hazards and to offer a wider range of cuvees on the markets.

Grape Harvest

The grape harvest is the main step in the creation of a Champagne cuvee. During the game, this phase implements several important game elements:

• The Vineyard cards represent the grape variety and the number of grapes produced each round.
• The Press level limits the amount of harvested grapes that can be pressed before being transferred to the winery.
• The Winery modules condition the number of still wines that can be stored before being blended during the draw.

Marketing Strategy

Successful marketing of a cuvee may require promoting it by establishing a Marketing Strategy. Thus, during the game, it may be appropriate to set aside some of your cuvees that will help increase their reputation in different markets.

Still Wines Exchange

When the diversification of your wines is not optimal, it may be necessary to exchange still wines from the winery with those from the reserve in order to prepare for future draws.

You can, at any time, exchange 2 still wines taken from your winery for 1 still wine of your choice taken from the supply. Unfortunately, this action has a slight impact on the prestige of the House and you lose 1 Prestige Point per exchange.

The Eco-Responsibility Report

Taking environmental issues into account will change your eco-responsibility report and modulate your end-of-game score. For example, choosing a French market or a cleaner mode of transport will increase your score by one or more levels. Some placement effects chosen during the actions will impact it negatively.

If you are at the top of the report, any progress immediately earns you 1 Prestige Point. On the other hand, if your report is at its lowest, any decrease is penalized by the instantaneous loss of 1 Prestige Point.

Gameplay

The game takes place over 10 rounds. Each round consists of 5 phases, which take place in the following order:

1. New event
2. Collaborators assignment
3. Resolving actions
4. Grape harvest
5. End of season

At the end of the 10th round, the final scoring will award the title of "Cellar Master of the Decade" to the player who has accumulated the most Prestige Points.

Your Starting Inheritance

"By inheriting the family business, your endowment can include both vineyards and production tools. You are now well equipped for this new story to be written!"

The 12 Legacy cards set aside during setup determine each player's starting possessions. They are of 3 types:

• The Vineyard Inheritance cards allow you to acquire the Vallée de la Marne vineyards with the Inheritance icon. Some of these cards earn you 1 eco-responsibility level.
• The Press Inheritance cards increase the initial pressing capacity and, in some cases, also add a few wines to the cellar.
• The Winery Inheritance cards offer increased storage capacity in the early game and, in some cases, also add some wines in the cellar.

Distribution of the Inheritance

Shuffle the Inheritance cards and distribute them evenly among the players.

Each player secretly chooses one of the received cards and places it face down in front of him. He then passes the rest of his cards to the player to his left. Repeat this until each player has 3 Inheritance cards in front of them. The remaining cards are returned to the box.

Players then resolve one by one each of the Inheritance cards they have chosen to keep.

Finally, each player counts the number of stars on their Inheritance cards:

• The player with the most stars places his Cellar Master on space 1 of the Council of Cellar Masters.
• The second player with the highest number of stars lands on location #2 and so on.

In the event of a tie, the player with the Vineyard card with the highest number of stars gains priority.

1. New Event

The first player reveals a new card from the Events deck and explains its effect to all players.

This event applies for the current round (see Icon Reference — Bonus Tokens, p. Icons Reference).

Event cards act as round counters. When the last event card is revealed, this means the last round is about to begin.

2. Collaborators Assignment

On each of their turns, players choose an action on the main board and place one of their Collaborators on one of the free spots (the different actions are described in the "Resolving actions" section below).

A player may assign several of his Collaborators to the same action during the same round (with the exception of the Wine Draw actions, see 3.6 Wine Draw). The player who has several Collaborators on an action will thus be able to benefit several times from its effect during the "Resolving actions" phase.

Action zones:

• Vineyards (1): place a Collaborator on the card of your choice in the "Active Offers" row.
• Press (2), Winery (3), Marketing Strategy (4), Shipping (5), Wine draw (6): choose one of the free locations for the action (the placement effect will be resolved during the "Resolving Actions" phase).
• Council of Cellar Masters (8): choose the spot that will determine your turn order position for the next round.

Some Bonus tokens offer the possibility of performing a specific action without placing a Collaborator. In this case, place the disc of your color on the chosen space and discard the token. Note that this "free" action must be used before placing your last Collaborator on the main board.

Once players have assigned all of their Collaborators on the main board, proceed to the Resolving actions phase.

The Harvest (7) and Council of Cellar Masters (8) zones are resolved during the Grape harvest and End of Season phases respectively. With the exception of the "Shipping to Markets" (5) action, players can simultaneously resolve the effects of their actions.

Retrieving Collaborators

Once the action is resolved, the player retrieves his Collaborator then applies the placement effect (if available).

Placement effects

These placement effects may be found on spots of the action zones and on some Vineyard cards (the values indicated on the icons may vary):

• The player gains a Prestige Point.
• The player loses a Prestige Point.
• The player increases his eco-responsibility report by one level.
• The player reduces his eco-responsibility report by one level.
• The concerned player resolves the action first.
• The player may discard 1 less cube for this action.
• The Collaborator may not be retrieved immediately, it is instead moved to the right on location n+1 (see 3.4 Marketing Strategy).
• If the same player has placed 1 Collaborator on each of these 2 linked spaces, he draws a Bonus token.

3. Resolving Actions

During this phase, the actions are resolved step by step following the numbering of the action zones on the main board: you start with the Vineyard (1) and end with the Wine Draw (6).

3.1 Acquiring a Vineyard

"Christian is constantly surveying the different regions of Champagne in search of new plots with new grape varieties. For some very popular vineyards, Olivier's help would be welcome to be the first on the spot!"

The Acquiring a Vineyard action allows you to add one or more Vineyard cards to your domain. These cards determine the type and quantity of grapes harvested during the Grape harvest phase.

When resolving this action, take each card where you have one of your Collaborators and place the card in the column of the matching region, at the top of your player board.

If the Vineyard card added to your estate shows a bonus in the upper right corner, you apply its effect immediately (see Placement Effects above).

Two "Coteaux Vitryats" Vineyard cards are not associated with any region and can be placed in the region of your choice. Once placed above the player board, Vineyard cards cannot be moved.

3.2 Building a Wine Press

"With the good harvest to come, Olivier must develop the pressing tool to be able to accommodate the entire harvest."

The Building a wine press action allows you to improve your Press level which defines the quantity of harvested grapes that will be transferred to the winery.

When resolving this action, improve your wine press by one level for each Collaborator assigned by moving the white marker on your player board.

If you have reached level 14, you immediately draw a Bonus token. Beyond level 17, you gain 1 Prestige Point for each additional press level.

3.3 Installing a Winery

"New plots, new pressing tool… Olivier cannot afford to neglect the House's winery! Without sufficient storage space — the new winery modules — our production capacity could suffer."

The Installing a winery allows you to install a new winery in order to store a greater number of still wines which will later be drawn to create your cuvees (step 3.6 Wine Draw).

When resolving this action, place a Winery module on your player board for each assigned Collaborator (starting with the bottom row: Age I).

When you place a Winery module on the top row (Age II), you immediately advance your eco-responsibility report by one level.

3.4 Marketing Strategy

"In her office, Alice is busy establishing and developing the House's marketing strategy. Good communication operations will undoubtedly contribute to the reputation of our cuvees on the markets!"

The Marketing Strategy action allows you, in two stages, to move wines from your cellar to your œnotheque and then to your Marketing Strategy grid. This grid, organized by type of wine (Tradition Brut, Blanc de noirs, Blanc de blancs), grants bonus Prestige Points during step 3.5 Shipping to Markets.

When resolving this action:

• If your Collaborator is on the left spot, you may choose up to 3 cuvees from your cellar and transfer them to your œnotheque. Then move your Collaborator to the spot on the right (this will only be available at the end of the next round, after resolving the second part of the action). The capacity of the œnotheque is limited to 3 cuvees.
• If your Collaborator is on the right spot, you may assign the cuvees from your œnotheque to your Marketing Strategy grid. Place the cuvees in the column of the corresponding type of wine (Tradition Brut, Blanc de noirs or Blanc de blancs). You can now retrieve your Collaborator for future use.

3.5 Shipping to Markets

"In France, in Europe or internationally? Alice analyzes market demand to distribute our production while trying to maintain a balanced eco-responsibility report."

The Shipping to Markets action allows you to fulfill Market card orders in order to sell the cuvees from your cellar in France, Europe or internationally.

The mode of transport chosen during shipment may have an impact on your eco-responsibility report.

The player who placed a Collaborator on the space with the Speak First effect resolves his action first.

Choice of market cards

The Shipping to Markets action offers two rows of spots with different effects:

a. If your Collaborator is on one of the spots in the top row, you may only validate one and only one Market card among the 6 Active orders and Provisional orders cards.

b. If your Collaborator is on one of the spots in the lower row, you may validate up to 2 Market cards taken from among the 3 Active orders available.

Spots in the "Shipping to Markets" action are resolved one at a time following the player turn order set at the Council of Cellar Masters — with the exception of the "Speak First" spot.

Shipping cuvees

When you choose a Market card to fulfill the corresponding order, you must:

1. Discard the cuvees specified on the card from your cellar.
2. Gain the indicated Prestige Points.
3. Add the Marketing Strategy bonus from your player board for each of the cuvees shipped.
4. Impact your eco-responsibility report according to the mode of transport used.

The Marketing Strategy bonus is indicated, for each type of cuvee, to the right of the cubes placed on your Marketing Strategy grid (this bonus is nil at the start of the game).

If a player cannot meet the requirements of one of the Market cards, he retrieves his Collaborator and immediately ends the resolution of this action.

Once these items are counted, the shipment is validated. The validated Market card is then discarded and replaced with the top card of the corresponding stack.

If one of the stacks of Market cards is depleted, shuffle the discarded cards from the corresponding sector and draw one to complete the offer.

Bonus tokens

Active orders spaces grant Bonus tokens to players who complete these Market cards first.

After validating a shipment, the player takes all the associated Bonus tokens and chooses one to keep. He places the other tokens back face down and checks the effect of the selected token (see Icon Reference — Bonus Tokens). Bonus tokens taken by players during the "Shipping to Markets" action are never replaced.

Partial delivery

The player who has placed a Collaborator on the Partial delivery spot may partially fulfill the order of a Market card by shipping 1 cuvee less than necessary.

The player chooses the cuvees that he discards to validate the Market card.

The number of Prestige Points gained is reduced by the value corresponding to the type of cuvee not delivered.

A Market card is never "free": the player must always ship at least one cuvee.

3.6 Wine Draw

"In the cellar, Christian coordinates the drawing of wines and works on the blends to prepare the best cuvees. Filling these precious bottles is crucial and will free up our winery modules for the upcoming grape harvest…"

The Wine Draw action allows you to transform still wines (stored in your winery) into cuvees (stored in cellars) by following the blending rules below (mentioned on the player aids).

In order to create a cuvee, you must combine 3 still wines (cubes taken from your winery) then place 1 cube corresponding to the desired cuvee in a free space in your cellar. The other 2 still wines used in the blend are discarded and returned to the supply.

At any time during the game, you may exchange still wines (2 still wines taken from your winery for 1 still wine of your choice taken from the supply). You lose 1 Prestige Point per exchange made.

You may "draw" as many cuvees as you wish: only the combinations of still wines and/or the space in the cellar can limit the number of transformations carried out during the same round.

3.7 Grape Harvest (Action Zone)

"The grapes are finally ripe and the weather is good. Alice, Christian and Olivier leave their post to settle in our vineyards and reap the fruit of long months of waiting."

This area does not include an action spot for placing Collaborators because it is systematically resolved each round during the "Grape harvest" phase.

3.8 Council of Cellar Masters (Action Zone)

The Council of Cellar Masters action allows you to alter the turn order according to the place chosen when placing your Collaborator.

This action is only resolved during the "End of Season" phase.

4. Grape Harvest

This phase is collective and systematic: each player harvests the grapes produced by his vineyard (all the Vineyard cards present above his player board) to place them in his winery.

Your Press level and your Winery capacity limit the number of grapes that can be stored as still wines.

Each player resolves the Grape harvest phase as follows:

1. For each of his Vineyard cards, the player collects the grapes produced by taking as many cubes of the corresponding type of grape from the supply.
2. The player places as many grapes in the winery as the Press level and the winery modules allow him to do.

The choice of wines pressed then transferred to the winery is free: all excess cubes are returned to the supply.

5. End of Season

1. Council of Cellar Masters

If one or more players have placed a Collaborator at the Council of Cellar Masters, they move their Cellar Master pawn to the corresponding turn order spot. If a pawn is already present on the destination spot, move it (and any other pawns) down one space.

2. Vineyard Cards Renewal

During the 10th round, skip this renewal step and go directly to the final scoring.

Discard all the Vineyard cards still present on the Active offers spaces and replace them with the top cards of the corresponding stacks.

If one of the stacks of Vineyard cards is depleted, shuffle the discarded cards and draw one to complete the offer.

Final Scoring

At the end of the 10th round (after the 10th Grape harvest), the Prestige Points gained during the game are complemented by your collection of Vineyard cards, your inventory (in the winery and in the cellar) and your eco-responsibility report.

1. Vineyard cards

• Diversification of regions: each player who owns at least 1 Vineyard card in each region gains 5 Prestige Points (if a player owns 2 vineyards per region, he gains 10 Prestige Points).
• Major Vineyard: for each region, the player with the most Vineyard cards gains 4 Prestige Points. In the event of a tie, count the number of grapes produced by the region of the players concerned: the player who produces the most wins. In the event of a new tie, distribute the 4 points equally.

2. Inventory

• Still wines in the winery: each player gains 1 Prestige Point per batch of 6 still wines present in his winery.
• Cuvees in the cellar: each player gains 4 Prestige Points for each batch of 3 cuvees still in his cellar (the œnotheque is part of the cellar).

3. Eco-responsibility report

Each player adds the value corresponding to the position of their marker on the eco-responsibility report.

Cellar Master of the Decade

The player with the most Prestige Points is the winner of the game and obtains the title of "Cellar Master of the Decade".

In the event of a tie, the player with the best eco-responsibility report is the winner.

In the event of a further tie, the position at the Council of Cellar Masters determines the winner.

Final scoring example

The player ends with a score of 81 Prestige Points (PP) and adds:

1. +5 PP for regional diversification (he owns at least one card per region).
2. +8 PP for major vineyards (example: he is the player with the most Vineyard cards for the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs).
3. +1 PP for his still wines in the winery (he has 8 cubes left).
4. +8 PP for his cuvees in the cellar (6 cubes remaining).
5. +4 PP as his disc is at level 7 of the eco-responsibility report.

That is: 81 + 26 = 107 Prestige Points, to be compared to the scores of his opponents.

Variants and Wine Merchant

First Game Variant

For a first game of Age of Champagne, we recommend that you use the simplified side of the main board which brings the following rules changes:

• The placement effects of Action zones are always positive.
• You do not gain a Bonus token for the linked action spots in the Building a wine press (2) and Installing a winery (3) zones.
• The Marketing Strategy (4) is not used (the corresponding area is missing from the main board).
• When resolving the Shipping to Markets (5) action, players may take 2 cards from the Active offers only.

These adjustments offer a simplification of the choices for an easier discovery of the game.

For your next games, play with the other side of the main board and apply the standard rules. You should then try the Advanced Variants below to increase the difficulty of your future games.

Advanced Variants

Trade Partnership

When resolving the Shipping to Markets action, you may search for a Partner among the players who will help you fulfill the order for a Market card.

The partnership works as follows:

• You choose a Market card for which you are missing a maximum of 1 cuvee in order to fulfill the order.
• You ask the other players if one of them can and wishes to complete the order: he will be your Partner.

If no player wished to be your Partner, you continue your turn normally and choose another Market card or forfeit the action.

If you have identified a Partner, validate the order as follows:

• Discard the cuvees that you promise to ship.
• Gain a number of Prestige Points corresponding to the value of the Market card reduced by the value of the cuvee provided by the Partner.
• The Partner discards the cuvee he provided to fulfill the order.
• The Partner gains a number of Prestige Points equal to the value of the grape variety provided plus any corresponding Marketing Strategy bonus (on his player board).
• Impact your eco-responsibility report according to the mode of transport indicated on the Market card.

The partner player who participates in the action to fulfill the order does not have to be present on this action during the round.

High Tension

For games with 2 or 3 players (solo mode with the Wine Merchant included), experienced players may increase the tension on the action zones by blocking certain locations.

Take 3 discs of an unused player color in the box:

1. On the Building a Wine Press action zone (2), place 1 disc on the first spot (with the "+1 Prestige Point" placement effect).
2. On the Installing a winery action zone (3), place 1 disc on the fourth spot (with the placement effect "-1 level of eco-responsibility").
3. On the Draw Wines action zone (6), place 1 disc on the second spot "without any placement effect".

At the end of each round, for each of the 3 action zones with a blocking disc, move the disc 1 space clockwise.

Playing with the Wine Merchant

"A merchant goes around the Champagne Houses and strives to find the best cuvees. He activates his contacts all over the world to market the precious liquid and ensure that as many consumers as possible can taste it."

The Wine Merchant can be used both as an opponent for a solo game or as an additional player in a 2 or 3 player game.

For more interaction, you can ask someone who is not playing to play the role of the Wine Merchant: this one will be responsible for choosing the destination of the cuvees and the Bonus tokens.

1. Components & Setup

Set up the game as usual based on the number of players where the Wine Merchant counts as a full player. Do not give any player components to the Wine Merchant for now.

The Wine Merchant's setup is carried out after all the players have placed their Cellar Master at the Council.

Proceed as follows:

1. Take the Wine Merchant board and place it within reach of one of the players (if you are playing the "First game variant", use the side without the Marketing Strategy grid).
2. Choose an unused player color and take all corresponding pawns and discs.
3. Place one of his discs on position 0 of the score track and another disc on space +14 of the eco-responsibility report.
4. Place the Wine Merchant's Cellar Master in last position at the Council of Cellar Masters and place 2 of his Collaborators near his board. The remaining Collaborator and disc are returned to the box.

2. Course of the Game

Each turn, when a new Event card is revealed, the Wine Merchant places one of his Collaborators on the Shipping to Markets action and adds cuvees to his cellar. As a great salesperson, he is also actively working to optimize his Marketing Strategy.

Its main objective is to fulfill orders for the most interesting Market cards and to sell its cuvees by gaining as many Prestige Points as possible.

The Wine Merchant does not have his own game turn, but places his Collaborators according to certain conditions described below.

3. Event Card

During the New Event phase, after describing the effect of the Event card to the players, proceed to resolve the Wine Merchant action as follows, as indicated in the "Automa" section (on the right of the card):

1. Place one of his Collaborators on the specified location (a) of the Shipping to Markets action.
2. Add the cuvees indicated (b) to the Wine Merchant's cellar in the available spaces.

If one or more cubes cannot be placed in the Wine Merchant's cellar, place them in his œnotheque. Cubes placed in the œnotheque are chosen in the following order of priority: Blanc de blancs, Blanc de noirs, Tradition Brut.

When the œnotheque is full, the Wine Merchant immediately places one of his Collaborators on "n" spot (left spot) of the Marketing Strategy action. Excess cubes are returned to the supply.

4. Competition Monitoring

If a player places one of his Collaborators in order to prepare the Marketing Strategy action (n spot, on the left) and the Wine Merchant has at least 1 cuvee in his œnotheque, he immediately takes up the second spot of the action zone.

This Collaborator will be moved to the n+1 spot during the next round, as for the player present on this action.

5. Resolving Actions

On his turn, the Wine Merchant moves or retrieves his Collaborators according to the normal rules and applies the placement effect if necessary.

Marketing Strategy — This action is resolved as usual according to the position of the Collaborator of the Wine Merchant:

• n spot: the Collaborator is moved to the n+1 spot.
• n+1 spot: the Wine Merchant moves the cuvees from his œnotheque to his Marketing Strategy grid and retrieves his Collaborator.

Shipping to Markets — As for a human player, the Wine Merchant selects one or more Market cards according to the space occupied by his Collaborator (see 3.5 Shipping to Markets) and which present orders that he is able to fulfill.

The Wine Merchant always chooses the Market card that earns him the most Prestige Points (including Marketing Strategy bonuses).

In the event of a tie between several cards, the Wine Merchant chooses the card with the most favorable eco-responsibility report. In the event of a new tie, the priority is determined successively by the presence of a Bonus token and the destination: International then Europe.

If the Merchant validates a Market card to which Bonus tokens are attached, he takes one at random. The Merchant only applies the effect of the Prestige and Eco-responsibility Bonus tokens and ignores the other types of effects. The token is then discarded, whether its effect has been applied or not.

6. Game End & Final Scoring

At the end of the game, calculate the scores of the players normally.

Since the Wine Merchant does not own any vineyards or have a production line, his final score is only modified by:

• His inventory (cuvees in the cellar and in the œnotheque only) following the same ratings as the other players.
• His eco-responsibility report.

Specific scoring for the solo mode — The human player's final scoring follows the same rules as for the Wine Merchant: ignoring the vineyards and the winery's inventory.

Adjusting Wine Merchant Difficulty

In order to raise the level of the challenge during your games with the Merchant, you may give him an advantage by placing cuvees in his cellar on his board at the start of the game:

• Jéroboam — Easy: the Wine Merchant's cellar is empty.
• Mathusalem — Medium: the Merchant has already started his collection of bottles and has 1 cuvee of each type (Tradition Brut, Blanc de noirs and Blanc de Blancs) in his cellar.
• Balthazar — Hard: the Merchant has a great series of bottles to market with 2 cuvees of each type in his cellar.
• Nabuchodonosor — Extreme: the Merchant has a nice sample of champagnes and has 3 cuvees of each type in his cellar.

Icons Reference

Bonus Tokens

During the game, you will be able to gain Bonus tokens thanks to certain actions or events.

Depending on the type of token, their effects will be applied either immediately or when you deem it appropriate.

After applying their effect, tokens are discarded face up near the main board. If the token supply is depleted, shuffle the discarded tokens to replenish it.

Instant effect tokens — these tokens require you to apply their effect as soon as they are gained:

• Prestige (x4): gain the indicated number of Prestige Points.
• Eco-responsibility (x3): increase your eco-responsibility report by 2 levels.
• Land ownership (x1): place this token at the top of your player board on a region of your choice. This token now counts as a Vineyard card for that region during final scoring. Once placed, the token cannot be moved until the end of the game.

Free use tokens — the effect of these tokens may be used at any time during the game, at the discretion of the player:

• Additional action (x1, x2): these tokens grant a temporary Collaborator during the Collaborators Assignment phase. Place the disc of your color on an available spot of the action corresponding to the one illustrated on the token. Your disc must be placed before your last Collaborator. After the action resolves, retrieve the disc and apply the placement effect if applicable.
• Market reservation (x1): place the disc of your color on one of the 6 Market cards on the main board. This order is reserved for you and you will be the only one who can validate it in order to sell the corresponding cuvees. If you have not fulfilled the order at the end of the round, this token is discarded and you lose a number of Prestige Points equal to the value indicated on the Market card (without applying any Marketing Strategy bonus).
• Change of mode of transport (x2): use this token when fulfilling an order and change the shipping method indicated on the chosen card (by plane instead of by boat, or vice versa). If you choose to transport by boat, you do not suffer the penalty of 2 eco-responsibility levels. If you ship by air, you suffer a penalty of 2 eco-responsibility levels.
• Protection against the cold (x1): use this token to cancel the effect of the Climatic Hazards Event card. Your vineyard will not be affected by the climatic effect. If you don't use it, you will gain 1 Prestige Point at the end of the game.

Event Cards

Event cards revealed at the start of each round offer a bonus, a penalty or a constraint applicable to a type of action for the duration of the round.

Global Events

• Airports on strike: airports are on strike and no goods can be shipped by air. Orders for the corresponding Market cards cannot be fulfilled during the round.
• Seaports on strike: the staff block the ports and no goods can leave by boat. Orders for the corresponding Market cards cannot be fulfilled during the round.
• Falling sales: markets are doing badly in some areas and affecting earnings from each sale. Subtract 2 Prestige Points from the value of each Market card in the sector specified on the Event card.
• Sales increase: market weather is good and sales in some markets are more profitable. Add 2 Prestige Points to the value of each Market card in the sector specified on the Event card.
• Perfect climate: the weather has been mild this year and the upcoming grape harvest will be excellent. This event has no effect on the round.
• Global pandemic: a pandemic affects the ability to deliver orders worldwide. Only the 3 Market cards of Active orders can be validated during this round. Validated cards are not replaced before the end of the round.
• Corks defect: your main supplier informs you that a batch of corks has a major defect. All players discard a cuvee of their choice from among those stored in their cellar.
• Subsidies: Champagne houses receive financial support to develop their production tools. Players who resolve the Building a wine press and Installing a winery actions during this round gain a Bonus token (taken from the supply, in turn order).

Localized Events

The Climatic hazards and Grape quality events apply respectively to a key region and a key grape variety. This key element is determined by the Vineyard card at the top left of the main board. If this card is a "Coteaux Vitryats" card, the player with the fewest Prestige Points chooses the key region or grape variety (in the event of a tie, it is the last player in turn order that chooses).

• Climatic hazards: frost hit a region and destroyed the fruits before the next harvest. The key region does not produce any grapes during this round.
• Grapes quality: this year, a grape variety is honored for its high quality. Each player gains as many Prestige Points as there are Vineyard cards producing the key grape variety above his player board.