Viticulture is finally leaving Italy! Stonemaier Games has officially announced Viticulture: Bordeaux Expansion , a new expansion that brings the popular worker placement game to the prestigious French wine region.

This expansion, billed as an "alternative board expansion," not only adds cards, but also replaces the main game board with a completely new (and double-sided) version set in Bordeaux . It is scheduled for release on the official Stonemaier store on January 21, 2026, with a retail release to follow in late February.

A New Board and an Accelerated Start

The heart of the expansion is the new game board. Unlike the base game, Bordeaux is designed to offer a much quicker start to the game. Players begin with a significant boost: a 6-value field, 3 coins, a grape token, a wine token, and level 1 on the income track already unlocked. This allows them to get into the thick of the strategic action from the first turns, reducing initial downtime.

Unprecedented Mechanics: Expert Actions and Market

Bordeaux introduces several new mechanics that promise to refresh the gaming experience:

* Expert Actions: Players will have “expert” cubes at their disposal that allow them to permanently upgrade an action, adding a level of depth and customization to their strategy.

* Four Complete Seasons: Similar to what we saw in Tuscany, the board is structured on four complete seasons of worker placement.

* Enhanced Awakening Table: Each space on the awakening table now offers tangible benefits, making turn order even more crucial.

* Trade Market and Visible Cards: To mitigate the uncertainty of drawing, there are face-up wine and vine order cards, as well as a new trade market.

Solitaire Mode and Compatibility

For solo players, the expansion includes a new Automa mode developed by Morten Monrad Pedersen (Automa Factory). Additionally, Stonemaier Games has confirmed that Bordeaux is compatible with most modules from previous expansions, such as the special structures and workers from Tuscany, Moor Visitors, and Rhine Valley.

Designer Jamey Stegmaier's goal with this expansion is clear: to offer more control to players, reduce the overall length (90-120 minutes even with 5-6 players), and reward winemaking more than other strategies.

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