Learn the wine game

By: Bill Daley

Here's a novel way to increase your wine knowledge, a board game called "Bouquet." A Swedish sommelier named Britt-Marie Backe created the game, which features some 900 questions, while preparing for the challenging sommelier certification exam. The questions are wide-ranging and tough. Players travel around the game board on a path through the "world of wine." The winner is the player who correctly answers questions from all six categories (area, chateau/producer, fortified wine, grape, spirits and vocabulary). Corks serve as game pieces, natch, otherwise the graphics are elegant, especially the collage of wine labels on the box and back of the game board.

Know your grapes? Advance 2 Spaces

By: Francis Fabricant

Bouquet, The Wine Game comes to America

By: Chris Sawyer

Looking for a special gift idea for a friend or family member that is a wine novice, connoisseur or wine professional? Then check out Bouquet, a fun, hip, and very educational wine game that has recently become a hot commodity at wineries and wine shops during the holidays.

“Bouquet” is a new refreshing wine trivia game appearing in tasting rooms everywhere.

By: Bradley Gray

Bouquet was created by Swedish sommelier Britt Bäcke, and it’s one of the hottest items in tasting rooms today. Back in February, I went to a trade show in Rohnert Park where venders were showcasing tchotchkes for tasting rooms.
You know the stuff…

Bottle stoppers with golf player figurines, neckties with wine bottles, winery label coasters and even those silly wine glass hammocks that people hang around their necks at wine festivals. Cheese plates with cartoonish knives, wine glass jewelry, Zen fountains with wine bottles pouring water onto cascading layers of small pools…

You have gotten this stuff in your Christmas sock, or from friends on your birthday. It usually resurfaces at the Church Mouse or the Salvation Army after sufficient guilt has worn off and additional cupboard space is necessary.
I did see something interesting at the trade show, however.
There is a new wine-related board game called Bouquet. It is a combination of Clue, Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit.
Bouquet was created by Swedish sommelier Britt Bäcke, and it’s one of the hottest items in tasting rooms today.

Last Monday, Ms. Bäcke was at Carneros Restaurant to host a tournament of local wine industry types. I went to check it out, and to play. Oh, and I got smoked. Badly.

Again, this is a really fun and interesting game. Especially if you have a larger-than-usual dose of wine geekdom somewhere inside of you.
Now, all we need is a rainy day and a good bottle of wine.

June 5, 2009 | Game Theory

If you like Trivial Pursuit and wine, separately or together, then we’ve got the game for you!

Bouquet - The Wine Game is a tribute to all things wine. Everything, from the board to the trivia questions, is, well, winetastic. The Monopoly-like board is a collage of grapes, bottles, maps, and even a “French Lesson” that teaches such memorable sayings as, “Poisson sans boisson est poison,” which translates to “Fish without wine is poison.” Even the game-pieces are of wine themes: the thimble, car, and little dog have been replaced with corks with colored tips (representing all six wine producing continents).

Game play is simple. Move your cork around the board on wine labels to capture cards from each of six wine-themed trivia categories. But watch out if you land on a “Chance” space: Prohibition could be declared, sending some or all of your hard-earned wine (cards) back to the pile. Have no fear if you’re a new wine enthusiast: questions are broken down into three types of answers so enthusiasts of all levels can enjoy the game. With over 600 questions, the game takes minutes to learn but a lifetime to master. Whether you’re a new wine enthusiast or a connoisseur, Bouquet - The Wine Game is a perfect way to spend an evening toasting and roasting, laughing and learning about fine wine.