Quick Links

The Witcher 3 is full of twists, turns, and multiple outcomes. Even side quests are liable to offer up multiple endings based on Geralt's actions while executing them. The Wine Wars sub-questline in the Blood and Wine expansion is a prime example of the infinite storylines CD Projekt Red has contrived in the Witcher universe.

RELATED: The Witcher 3: Mistakes Everyone Makes When Using The Signs

It's really a matter of how involved you want to get. The Wine Wars questline can be straightforward, proving hardly more than an errand if Geralt remains unattached. But if the witcher finds himself becoming invested in the Belgaard feud, the questline becomes more convoluted.

Updated on February 25, 2023 by Quinton O'Connor: 'Wine Wars' is one of the most in-depth pieces of The Witcher 3's excellent Blood & Wine expansion. We have included some extra tips and tricks on how to blast past these deadly plants and get to the root cause of the problem. Do you get it? 'Root cause'? We're here all week.

Wine Wars: Belgaard (Part 1)

Via witcher-wiki.fandom.com

Geralt can pick up the Wine Wars: Belgaard quest by perusing the Toussaint notice boards. The notice board outside The Cockatrice Inn is the first place he should look. Alternatively, Geralt can head straight to Plegmunds Bridge in Toussaint's Sansretour Valley region.

Here he'll come across an arguing duo, and a cutscene will trigger upon approaching them. The questline starts simply enough by learning the two in question, Liam Coronata and Matilda Vermentino, are quarreling over who gets the title to the Belgaard Vineyard.

Liam will be the first to enlist Geralt's help charging him with a list of five tasks in order to liberate Liam's own family estate, which various threats have overrun. Similarly, Matilda will also flag down Geralt and ask that he help her instead, tasking the witcher with the same sort of extermination list to liberate her family's estate.

Geralt can choose to help one or both of the struggling vineyard owners, thus beginning the quest(s) Wine Wars: Coronata and or Wine Wars: Vermentino. Though these may seem like simple extermination contracts, Geralt shouldn't rush through them as one of five locations for each quest leads Geralt to guarded treasure and clues that will encourage him to investigate the rival quest if he hasn't already agreed to help both. Visiting both of these sites will start the Wine Wars: The Deus In The Machina quest.

Wine Wars: Vermentino

Via youtube.com

It's most proficient to begin tackling Vermentino's pest problem first as one of the locations is just across the Plegmund's Bridge from where the quests initially start.

First Location

Southwest of the Prophet Lebioda Statue, Geralt will encounter a few rotfiends, which can be dispatched easily by coating your blade in Necrophage oil and going in swinging. A corpse in the vicinity with a lootable journal will trigger the Treasure Hunt, Don't Take Candy From A Stranger.

Second Location

The Dantan Glade abandoned site northeast of the Fort Astre Ruins is the nearest Vermentino site from there, where Geralt will need to dispatch a couple of archespores. Here there's not one but an entire cart full of corpses, which Geralt can rifle through to find a letter of no real consequence.

This is far from the last Geralt will see of the overgrown flora, so you will want to develop efficient practices for dealing with Archespores. Naturally, Geralt can burn up the plants using Igni or temporarily confound them using the Aard sign. It's good to coat your blade in Cursed Oil as well, but these venomous plants are deadly in both close quarters and at a range.

Third Location

Next up, Geralt will embark on a rescue mission to save Vermentino's armorer at the Herbalist's Hut west of Fox Hollow. The armorer will invite Geralt back to the Vermentino estate, but the witcher can politely decline without causing any riffs.

Fourth Location

Next, it will be onto Pavone Slope, another abandoned site south of Lac Celavy where Geralt will face another archespore threat. It's worth mentioning here if weeding out these botanical threats is a thorn in your side, then Wine Wars is not the questline for you. This is far from the last encounter with the venomous plants. Once the area is liberated, Geralt can rummage another corpse cart, this time for a love letter.

Fifth Location

Finally, Geralt will head to the last location in need of clearing out. This is the guarded treasure northeast of the Sansretour Valley signpost, one of two locations that need investigating to trigger The Deus In The Machina quest. Here Geralt should hunt around until he finds a corpse from which he can loot a 'heavy brass key' and 'letter on elegant stationery.' The letter will reveal that someone is sabotaging the Vermentino vineyard.

RELATED: The Witcher 3: How To Keep Everyone Alive In Blood & Wine

Wine Wars: Coronata

Via witcher-wiki.fandom.com

First Location

The Coronata's monster nest task is also only a short ride from Plegmund's Bridge to the northeast. To no one's surprise, it is an archespore nest. Burn that overgrown purple patch and be done with it.

Second Location

The Coronata's guarded treasure site, south of the Trading Post, will be the closest in proximity from there. This is the other location Geralt will need to visit to trigger The Deus In The Machina quest. After yet again weeding out another infestation of archespore, Geralt will need to rummage some more corpses to find 'orders on elegant stationery.' These orders will suggest the Coronata vineyard is also subject to sabotage.

Third Location

It's then onto the Forest Herbarium abandoned site where, as the name suggests, it's more gardening for Geralt. Do we even need to say archespores at this point? After liberating the area, Geralt can inspect yet another cart full of corpses, this time finding a note from Liam.

Fourth Location

For a reprieve from the archespore overgrowth, Geralt should head to the Pittapatte River Crossing, not far from the Dun Tynne Crossroads. Instead of acidic plants, Geralt will face hostile rock trolls. After clearing the area, Geralt can inspect another casualty and find a note setting him on the Coin Doesn't Stink treasure hunt.

Fifth Location

Finally, Geralt will undergo another rescue mission in a cave northeast of the Trading Post. This time he needs to save Coronata's herbalist, who is being held captive by three bandits. Afterward, the herbalist will also ask that you accompany her back to the Coronata estate, and Geralt can again decline in favor of staying to loot the area without any issues.

RELATED: RPGs Where Your Choices Really Matter

Wine Wars: The Deus In The Machina

Via mmo4ever.com

After inspecting the Vermentino and Coronata guarded treasure sites, Geralt can undergo an investigation into the dual sabotage. The orders found at the Coronata guarded treasure site will point to a separate location, east of the Tesham Mutna Ruins.

Ideally, Geralt will investigate this new location, a cellar, prior to turning in either Wine Wars: Vermentino or Coronata. If he did turn one in, he can still investigate but will not find sufficient evidence to oust the vineyards' saboteur.

Upon entering the cellar, Geralt will be confronted with more archespore and some seedlings, which he should exterminate before they have a chance to hatch. Then check around for a crate. Before turning in the other quests, this crate will contain a 'stocktaking report' pointing towards the culprit of the vineyards' sabotage.

Geralt can then return to Liam and Matilda and mention his findings, which will cause the two rivals to conjoin their efforts. If the witcher has not yet finished clearing out the Vermentino and Coronata vineyards, the two quests will merge into the single Wine Wars: Consorting quest.

RELATED: The Witcher 3: How To Make The Most Of Post-Game

Wine Wars: Belgaard (Part 2)

Via guides.gamepressure.com

Whether or not Geralt chooses to investigate the dual sabotage in The Deus In The Machina, he will be asked to provide additional help to the Belgaard Vineyard upon turning in either Liam's and Matilda's quests. Agreeing to lend further aid will beset Geralt with another five tasks.

First and Second Location

First up is clearing out the endrega nest in the nearby fields. This is easily manageable by rubbing down your blade with a bit of Insectoid Oil. Then head west to the Gelenser Farm to exterminate a couple of giant centipedes. After dealing with that infestation, be sure to examine the body lying nearby to loot a 'letter to Gregory Pyxide.'

Third Location

Then it's onto another rescue mission. This time Geralt will be saving Belgaard's blacksmith. Again the thankful victim will wish to show his gratitude and ask the witcher to follow him back to Belgaard. Once again, Geralt may politely decline.

Fourth Location

Then it's back towards the Tesham Mutna Ruins, to the northeast this time, where Geralt will need to clear out a Scolopendromorph nest. Anticipating where they will emerge next and casting Yrden to trap them when they surface is the best way to handle these giant centipedes. Once Geralt has culled the threats, he should inspect the area to find another unfortunate casualty lying nearby with a 'List bearing Belgaard's seal.'

Fifth Location

Bringing Geralt's long list of liberation tasks to a close is one last abandoned site southeast of Hortense Vineyard known as Tilly Field. Here Geralt will face a single Slyzard that can be dispatched fairly easily using Draconid oil and Aard. Geralt will then rummage through one last cart of bodies to find a 'letter bearing Castel Ravello's seal.'

If you successfully ended the Coronata and Vermentino feud by investigating The Deus In The Machina prior to completing the other tasks, Liam and Matilda will decide to run Belgaard together. Moreover, they will discover romantic feelings for one another and be so overjoyed that they ask Geralt to return to Belgaard in three days' time for a special surprise.

That surprise is a new wine they created to be named in Geralt's honor. You can then select from three names: Geralt of Rivia, White Wolf, or Butcher of Blaviken. While Geralt isn't overly fond of the latter nickname, naming the wine Butcher of Blaviken grants the consumer five extra seconds of regeneration.

Between all that experience from weeding and pest control, some bonus treasure hunts, and a special wine brewed just for Geralt, it's not a bad payout considering the witcher is monetarily compensated for his efforts as well. There's no question this questline is a long and tedious one, but the coin is also most generous for a side-quest.

Clearing out the Coronata and Vermentino estates will earn Geralt 525 crowns each from their respective quests. Then the primary Wine Wars: Belgaard rewards another 1,020 crowns upon completion. If Geralt decided to investigate the sabotage in Wine Wars: The Deus In The Machina, he won't earn any additional coin, but he'll gain 250 experience.

NEXT: The Witcher 3: Complete Guide And Walkthrough