It’s fun, though not exactly a sophisticated simulation:
http://www.wineeducation.com/winesim.tpl
I enjoyed trying to create a cult wine by relentlessly upgrading the grape and winemaker while limiting volume.
I went bankrupt $400,000 in the hole. I better stick to my day job and enjoy the wine rather than try to make the wine:)
Yeah, I busted the first time too. Nailed it the second time, ending w $61m. But that was only worth 600 points, which ranks like 900th place on their hall of fame.
So someone managed to create a billion dollar winery somehow in that game.
I got 177m, still had a few vintages with $0
Sounds fun this should be a fun time killer!
This thing has just sucked a couple hours of my life away for a mere 200 mil…
You Win!
You ended with $267,354,350
You Started with $5,000,000
That gives you a final score of:
5,347
Setting up as high quality and touristy, upgrading the vineyard 4/5 years and the winery every 5th year, all-out marketing and picking the most expensive winemaking plus all new oak every year gave this result:
You ended with $385,666,346
You Started with $5,000,000
That gives you a final score of: 7,713
Who created the game, Ray Walker?
Crashed year 3 with bacteria problems
100002 points.
Start with a small budget, making good wine with 1/2 new oak from a hipster region using only guerrilla advertising. As soon as you reach the public eye, buy in mid-quality grapes (but keep upgrading winery and vineyard every other year), post in all the magazines and go for volume over quality.
A pretty accurate reflection of the current wine market if you ask me…
This is like the Oregon Trail of winery sims. I keep expecting to lose a wagon wheel or die of dysentery.
I’d like to sell at the end of year 3, please… Net Worth: $11,370,661.
I guess I have no buyer who’s crazy enough to jump in, so on I go.
Net Worth: $15,146,072 at end of Year 4: something bad has to happen soon.
Net Worth: $18,993,752 at end of year 5.
End year 6: $23,321,476.
Please, buy me out!
I knew it…end of year 7: $13,223,206.
I am watching out for a ball bustingly bad year 8…but no, end of year 8 = $18,846,744
Year 9 is Copper Casse. Down to $14,782,562.
End of year 10: $20,555,068. I am going to do the winery upgrade…ouch, a million bucks into the winery and Copper Casse again. Down to $12,696,541.
Year 12…did no upgrades…$17,891,023
Year 13, a million into the vineyard upgrade…$21,197,480
Year 14, no upgrades. I have only been buying mountain grapes with guerilla marketing the whole time. Always the finishing upgrades…“oak” and "quality."This was my first “Good Vintage!” I’d like another one of those, please! $28,637,083
Year 15, got optimistic and upgraded the vineyard again for a million bucks: “Terrible vintage!” Then, Mannitic fermentation! $12,933,495.
Year 16, approached with caution…poor vintage and a worker killed…$21,042,030. Hope I stay out of jail.
Year 16, a million into the winery, average vintage…value steady.
Year 17, average vintage…$32,291,921.
Year 18…poor vintage, but good result…$41,687,466
Year 19…my second ‘good vintage!’ $56,935,624
Year 20…will the winery burn down? How ill the game screw me? let’s see…no upgrades…average vintage…mannic fermentation again! $40,017,248 and I can retire!
Final score of 1,601.
Started as the retiree, only guerilla marketing, always upgraded quality and oak, scattered winery and vineyard upgrades, only mountain fruit.
That was tense.
Only two good vintages in 20 years, though.
1st run - crashed and burned in Year 3
2nd run -
You ended with $119,231,744
You Started with $2,500,000
That gives you a final score of:
4,769
I didn’t see the option to bribe critics with hookers and cocaine. Did I miss it?
That’s considered “marketing” and is part of the million dollar option.
Plonk.
Kept looking for the “Hard Core Sell Out” button. Left disappointed. If they add some minor graphics to the game it would add immensely to the fun factor. Thinking something along the lines of this:
You ended with $95,307,009
You Started with $5,000,000
That gives you a final score of:
1,906
final bottle px was $49.80
I stuck to quality pretty much the whole way and balanced vineyard/winery investments. Only one bad year. No drama.
I was doing well until I apparently killed a winery employee doing punchdowns…