Dom Pierre (Board Game)

At the end of the 17th century, a French Benedictine monk in charge of thecellar at Hautvillers Abbey made an important contribution to differentiatewines from that region. As a result, it became possible to produce wines ofsuperior quality, particularly in white wines made from black grape varieties.While Dom Pierre Pérignon initially felt the sparkling of the wine was anegative feature, the consequent increase in both quality and quantity createdthe path that lead to the appreciation and recognition of champagne.

Throughout the 18th century, several “champagne houses” — or ChampagneMaisons — were founded, and a new business dynamic grew in the region. Thesehouses replaced small farm and monastery production in leading the evolutionaryprocess of champagne, and by planting more vineyards or buying grapes from otherproducers or both, they mastered the specialization. To promote their product,the houses hired sales agents to take samples of their champagne wines to theRoyal Courts of Europe, a crucial factor in generating the glamorous fashion ofdrinking champagne.

Despite production growth, improved quality, and increasing popularity, tradedid not reach spectacular rates during the 19th century — which is why thegame Dom Pierre is much more about winning prestige than earning money. In thegame, you are responsible for one of the oldest Champagne Maisons, producing andselling wine all over Europe, not to mention the other side of the Atlantic. Thelocal economy will be boosted, employment increased, and your brand will becomeuniversally recognized.

To make all this happen will require a chain of actions that starts in yourvineyard. You will need to look for continuous improvement, constantly react toyour opponents, and optimize your choices to build the most prestigiousChampagne Maison. In game terms, on a turn you move up a disc on the winery gameboard and perform an action, with the actions become more powerful as the gameprogresses. You will plant in the vineyards, harvest crops, buy grapes fromneighbors, make wines in your cellar (some more valuable than others), allocatesalespeople on four market routes and workers in the vineyard and cellar, andacquire the necessary accessories to improve production.

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