Sportomax: Created page with "= Wine Cellar = == Overview == In '''Wine Cellar''', you and your rival sommeliers compete to build the best collection of wines for your Client. Over the course of '''8 rounds''', players bid Wine Bottle cards to determine the order in which they select Prize bottles. Each bottle: * Has a Bid Value used during auctions. * Has a Wine Type. * Has a Country of Origin. * Has a series of Age Scores. Your Client also has preferences for particular Wine Types and Countri..."

2026-09-17T01:30:46Z

Created page with "= Wine Cellar = == Overview == In '''Wine Cellar''', you and your rival sommeliers compete to build the best collection of wines for your Client. Over the course of '''8 rounds''', players bid Wine Bottle cards to determine the order in which they select Prize bottles. Each bottle: * Has a Bid Value used during auctions. * Has a Wine Type. * Has a Country of Origin. * Has a series of Age Scores. Your Client also has preferences for particular Wine Types and Countri..."

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= Wine Cellar =

== Overview ==

In '''Wine Cellar''', you and your rival sommeliers compete to build the best collection of wines for your Client.

Over the course of '''8 rounds''', players bid Wine Bottle cards to determine the order in which they select Prize bottles.

Each bottle:

* Has a Bid Value used during auctions.
* Has a Wine Type.
* Has a Country of Origin.
* Has a series of Age Scores.

Your Client also has preferences for particular Wine Types and Countries of Origin.

At the end of the game, you score:

# The Age Scores of the bottles in your cellar.
# Bonuses for matching your Client's preferences.

The player with the highest total score wins.

----

== Components ==

* 72 Wine Bottle cards
* 30 Client cards
* 1 Scorepad
* 1 Rulebook

----

== Setup ==

=== Prepare the Wine Bottles ===

Use Wine Bottle cards according to the number of players:

{| class="wikitable"
! Players
! Wine Bottle Cards
|-
| 1–2
| 1–18
|-
| 3
| 1–27
|-
| 4
| 1–36
|-
| 5
| 1–45
|-
| 6
| 1–54
|-
| 7
| 1–63
|-
| 8
| All cards
|}

Return all unused Wine Bottle cards to the box.

=== Deal Cards ===

# Shuffle the Wine Bottle cards.
# Deal '''8 cards facedown''' to each player.
# Place all remaining Wine Bottle cards faceup in a column in the middle of the table.

These faceup cards are the '''Prize bottles''' for the first round.

=== Choose Clients ===

# Shuffle the Client cards.
# Deal 2 Client cards facedown to each player.
# Each player secretly looks at their 2 Clients.
# Choose 1 Client to keep and place it faceup in front of you.
# Discard the other Client.

You are now ready to begin.

----

== Wine Bottle Cards ==

Each Wine Bottle card contains several pieces of information used during the game.

=== Bid Value ===

The Bid Value determines your position in the auction when the card is played as a Bid.

Higher Bid Values choose Prize bottles before lower Bid Values.

=== Wine Type ===

Wine Types include:

* Rosé
* Red
* Sparkling
* White

Wine Type may provide bonus points if it matches your Client's preferences.

=== Country of Origin ===

Each bottle comes from a particular country.

Clients award bonus points for bottles from preferred Countries of Origin.

=== Age Scores ===

Each bottle contains a row of '''8 Age Scores'''.

These represent the quality of the wine depending on when it is opened.

The position of a bottle in your cellar determines which Age Score it uses at the end of the game.

----

== How to Play ==

The game lasts '''8 rounds'''.

Each round consists of:

# Choose a Bid.
# Reveal Bids.
# Select Prize bottles.
# Add bottles to your cellar.
# Prepare the next auction.

----

== 1. Choose a Bid ==

Each player simultaneously chooses '''1 Wine Bottle card''' from their hand.

Place the chosen card facedown in front of you.

This card is your '''Bid''' for the round.

----

== 2. Reveal Bids ==

Once everyone has selected a card:

* Reveal all Bid cards simultaneously.

Compare their Bid Values.

The player with the highest Bid Value chooses first.

The player with the second-highest Bid Value chooses second.

Continue in descending Bid Value order until every player has chosen a Prize bottle.

----

== 3. Select Prize Bottles ==

When it is your turn to choose:

* Take 1 available Prize bottle from the center of the table.

Each player takes exactly 1 Prize bottle during the round.

----

== 4. Build Your Cellar ==

Take your Prize bottle and turn it sideways to represent storing the bottle in your Client's cellar.

=== First Bottle ===

Your first Prize bottle begins your cellar.

=== Later Bottles ===

Every later bottle must be added to either:

* The '''top''' of your existing cellar.

'''OR'''

* The '''bottom''' of your existing cellar.

You may '''never insert a bottle between bottles already in your cellar'''.

This is important because the final position of each bottle determines which of its Age Scores will be used.

----

== 5. Prepare the Next Auction ==

After every player has selected a Prize bottle:

* Move all Wine Bottle cards that were used as Bids into the center of the table.

These cards become the '''Prize bottles for the next round'''.

Begin the next round by choosing new Bid cards.

----

== Game End ==

Continue playing until:

* All Wine Bottle cards have been played.

'''AND'''

* Every player has exactly '''8 bottles''' in their cellar.

The game then ends and scoring begins.

----

= Scoring =

Your final score consists of:

'''Cellar Score + Client Bonuses'''

----

== Cellar Score ==

Each Wine Bottle has a row of 8 Age Scores.

The position of the bottle in your cellar determines which score it uses.

* Bottle 1 uses its '''1st Age Score'''.
* Bottle 2 uses its '''2nd Age Score'''.
* Bottle 3 uses its '''3rd Age Score'''.
* Bottle 4 uses its '''4th Age Score'''.
* Bottle 5 uses its '''5th Age Score'''.
* Bottle 6 uses its '''6th Age Score'''.
* Bottle 7 uses its '''7th Age Score'''.
* Bottle 8 uses its '''8th Age Score'''.

The '''top bottle''' in your cellar is Bottle 1 and is the first bottle opened.

Add the Age Scores of all 8 bottles.

This is your '''Cellar Score'''.

----

== Client Bonuses ==

Compare the bottles in your cellar with your Client card.

Clients award bonus points for:

* Preferred Wine Type 1
* Preferred Wine Type 2
* Preferred Countries of Origin

Score the listed bonus for '''each matching bottle'''.

A single Wine Bottle may qualify for multiple Client bonuses.

For example, a bottle could simultaneously:

* Match a preferred Wine Type.

'''AND'''

* Come from a preferred Country of Origin.

In that case, it receives both bonuses.

----

=== Countries of Origin ===

When scoring your Client's Country of Origin bonus:

* Only use the countries listed for the current number of players.

----

== Final Score ==

Add together:

'''Cellar Score + Wine Type Bonuses + Country Bonuses'''

The player with the highest total score wins.

=== Tie ===

If players tie for the highest score:

* The tied players share the victory.

Or play again!

----

== Scoring Example ==

Suppose a player's 8 bottles produce the following Age Scores:

'''6 + 2 + 5 + 7 + 7 + 3 + 4 + 8 = 42'''

Their Cellar Score is therefore:

'''42 points'''

If their Client awards:

* +6 for each matching Sparkling bottle
* +1 for each matching White bottle
* +3 for each matching Country of Origin bottle

and their cellar contains:

* 1 matching Sparkling bottle = 6 points
* 3 matching White bottles = 3 points
* 1 matching Country bottle = 3 points

their final score is:

'''42 + 6 + 3 + 3 = 54 points'''

----

= Advanced 3-Game Variant =

For a longer competition, play '''3 connected games'''.

Your Wine Bottles carry forward from one game to the next, while your Client changes.

----

== Advanced Setup ==

Prepare the normal number of Wine Bottle cards for your player count.

{| class="wikitable"
! Players
! Wine Bottle Cards
|-
| 1–2
| 1–18
|-
| 3
| 1–27
|-
| 4
| 1–36
|-
| 5
| 1–45
|-
| 6
| 1–54
|-
| 7
| 1–63
|-
| 8
| All cards
|}

Return unused cards to the box.

----

=== Divide the Wine Bottles ===

Divide the Wine Bottle cards into 2 piles:

* The lower-numbered half.
* The higher-numbered half.

If there is an odd number of cards:

* Put the extra card in the lower-numbered pile.

'''Example:'''

A 4-player game uses cards 1–36.

Divide them into:

* Cards 1–18.
* Cards 19–36.

----

=== Deal Starting Hands ===

Shuffle the 2 piles separately.

Deal each player:

* 4 cards from the lower-numbered pile.
* 4 cards from the higher-numbered pile.

Each player therefore begins with 8 Wine Bottle cards.

The remaining Wine Bottle cards become the Prize bottles for the first round as normal.

----

=== Prepare Clients ===

For '''2 or 3 players''':

* Client cards are divided into A and B sets.
* Choose either the A set or B set.
* Use only Clients from the chosen set.
* Return the other set to the box.

For '''4 or more players''':

* Use all Client cards.

Shuffle the appropriate Client cards.

Deal 2 to each player.

Each player:

# Chooses 1 Client.
# Places it faceup.
# Discards the other.

----

== Playing the Advanced Variant ==

Play the first game according to the normal rules.

At game end:

# Score the game normally.
# Record everyone's score.
# Do '''not''' declare the overall winner yet.

----

== Preparing the Next Game ==

Discard the current Client cards.

Deal each player 2 new Client cards.

Each player:

# Chooses 1.
# Places it faceup.
# Discards the other.

Next, take all '''8 Wine Bottle cards from your previous cellar'''.

Those 8 cards become your starting hand for the next game.

The cards used for the '''final Bid''' of the previous game become the Prize bottles for the first round of the next game.

Then play another complete game.

----

== Advanced Variant Game End ==

After completing '''3 games''':

* Add together each player's scores from all 3 games.

The player with the highest combined score wins.

----

= Solo Game: Playing Against Eno =

Wine Cellar can also be played solo against an automated opponent named '''Eno'''.

----

== Solo Setup ==

Use Wine Bottle cards numbered '''1–18'''.

Shuffle them and deal:

* 8 cards facedown as your hand.
* 8 cards facedown as Eno's hand.

Place the remaining '''2 Wine Bottle cards''' faceup as the Prize bottles for the first round.

Shuffle the Client cards and draw 2.

* Choose 1 as your Client.
* The other becomes Eno's Client.

Eno's Client determines which Prize bottle Eno prefers.

----

== Solo Round ==

At the beginning of each round:

# Choose 1 Wine Bottle from your hand.
# Place it faceup as your Bid.

Eno then reveals Bid cards.

=== First Round ===

Reveal '''2 cards''' from Eno's deck.

=== Later Rounds ===

One of Eno's Bid cards remains faceup from the previous round.

Reveal '''1 new card''' from Eno's deck so that Eno again has 2 revealed Bid cards.

Compare your Bid Value against the '''higher of Eno's 2 Bid Values'''.

----

== If You Win the Bid ==

If your Bid Value is higher than Eno's highest Bid Value:

# You choose first from the 2 Prize bottles.
# Add your chosen bottle to your cellar according to the normal placement rules.
# Eno would receive the remaining Prize bottle, but Eno does not build a cellar.
# Return Eno's Prize bottle to the box.

Then prepare the next round:

* Your Bid card becomes a Prize bottle.
* Eno's '''lower-value Bid card''' becomes the other Prize bottle.
* Eno's higher-value Bid card remains faceup for the next round.

----

== If Eno Wins the Bid ==

If your Bid Value is lower than Eno's highest Bid Value:

* Eno chooses first.

Eno chooses the Prize bottle that best matches Eno's Client according to this priority:

# First Wine Type bonus.
# Second Wine Type bonus.
# First Country of Origin bonus.
# Highest Bid Value.

If neither Prize matches Eno's Client, or both Prize bottles are equally good matches:

* Eno chooses the Prize bottle with the higher Bid Value.

Return Eno's chosen Prize bottle to the box.

You take the other Prize bottle and add it to your cellar according to the normal placement rules.

Then prepare the next round:

* Your Bid card becomes a Prize bottle.
* Eno's '''higher-value Bid card''' becomes the other Prize bottle.
* Eno's lower-value Bid card remains faceup for the next round.

----

== Solo Game End ==

Continue until you have collected and arranged '''8 Wine Bottles''' in your cellar.

Score your cellar according to the normal rules.

Your final score determines your solo ranking.

{| class="wikitable"
! Score
! Ranking
|-
| 73+
| Master Sommelier
|-
| 67–72
| Capable Sommelier
|-
| 60–67
| Wine Geek
|-
| 0–60
| Still Fermenting
|}

----

= Quick Reference =

== Each Multiplayer Round ==

# Choose 1 Wine Bottle from your hand as your Bid.
# Reveal all Bids.
# Highest Bid chooses a Prize bottle first.
# Continue in descending Bid order.
# Add your Prize bottle to the top or bottom of your cellar.
# Move all Bid cards to the center as next round's Prize bottles.

----

== Building Your Cellar ==

* Your cellar contains 8 bottles.
* New bottles may only be added to the top or bottom.
* Bottles cannot later be rearranged.
* Bottle position determines which Age Score it uses.

----

== Final Scoring ==

'''Final Score = Cellar Score + Client Bonuses'''

Score:

* Each bottle's Age Score based on its position.
* Each matching preferred Wine Type.
* Each matching Country of Origin for the current player count.

Highest score wins.

----

== Credits ==

* Design: Andrew Stiles
* Art: Vincent Dutrait
* Graphic Design: Matt Paquette & Co.
* Development & Production: Chad Elkins
* UX/UI Consulting: Kate Finch, Joel Finch
* Rulebook Editing: Ric White, Joel Finch, Jon Healey

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