A Land of Vineyards
The Dawn Realm is considered one of the most stable cultures in all of Orr, due in no small part to the Iskar Astartes and the Knighthood. It's also one of the oldest civilizations, rivaled only by Dalair and the Magisterium. Iskandar was the first nation to explore beyond the eastern sea and send missionaries to the primal lands of Nausica where they discovered and brought back many gifts of the land, including coffee beans and grapes, leading to the advent of Wine and Espresso.
Viticulture became an explosive enterprise practically overnight in Iskandar. The first vineyards were raised in the fertile basin of the Dawn Realm surrounding the hills and rolling plains of the city of Sigil, an area that would eventually become the fiefdom of Bastelle once these vineyards began to produce their first wines. Its rumored that the first casks of these Iskadian wines were given as gifts to the houses of the Knighthood and that perhaps there is a cellar among the castle dours that still contains them.
While there are innumerable vineyards throughout Iskandar whose wines produce a spectrum of flavors and notes, there are exceptional vintages that are world renowned and collected for their spectacular rarity and taste. A bottle of these wines might very well be worth more than its weight in gold to the avid connoisseur, or to a merchant hoping to make a profitable exchange. The vintages in question are thus:
Domina des Iskarda-Conti (481-482)
A dark, Pinot Noir. Only one hundred casks of the Domina des Iskarda-Conti were ever made. It is the same wine that was presented to the Iskar Astartes. The last cask of this wine ever known to be opened was at the council of Kharj where an armistice was decided between the Seven Sultans of Infidia and the Knighthood of Iskandar that would eventually lead to the dissolution of Iskandar's crusade. Montressor Margaux (763-764)
This Bordeaux is famous not only for its vintage but for the strange circumstances surrounding its production and barrelling. In the year 762 on the day of the Wyrmwood (The Feast day of Sethex), the Knights of house Galmirridion were engaged in a dragon hunt. Driven from the mountains under a hail of arrow and chased across the plains surrounding northern Sigil, the Iskar Astartes finally drove the creature to the earth and with lances, swords and courage felled a mighty Blue Wyrm named Strathinar. The creature was killed in the fields of the Monstressor vineyard and the blood of the dragon soaked into the soil. The following year the grapes produced in those same fields bore a strange coloration and the notes of the wine made from them became legendary. It's said the taste of the Margaux is like a iron fist inside a velvet glove. Petrus Charon (817-818)
This rich Merlot is a famous vintage not for any famous exploit but simply for its outstanding quality. It has been served at the dining tables of numerous rulers in the world of Orr during hours of celebration and it is said that misfortune belongs to any who has spilled a glass, though this is perhaps only because it so expensive and sought after. Yensovanna del Farrin (948-949)
The Yensovanna del Farrin is a peculiar wine famous for its rarity as well as the story surrounding it. This sweet, white vintage was grown and barreled in the fens of Yensova, a region thought inhospitable for viticulture. The producer of the wine is unknown. It's said the casks were simply discovered amid a vineyard that had been overgrown with rot and fungus. It appeared as though a sudden plague had wiped or driven out the inhabitants of the vineyard and none have ever stepped forward with proof of deed to the winery. What is known is that the Yensovanna is highly sought after for its impeccable taste and is a favorite among the Elladrin of the Feywild who often request it at their dinner tables when meeting with mortal courts. Gouldex Pennidrag (1136-1137)
A golden champaign fit for the tongues of dragons, literally. Gouldex Pennidrag is unique in that this particular vintage was barreled by a Gold Dragon of the same name. It said that the drake arrived in the lands of Iskandar in the guise of human form, apparently obsessed with the viticulture it had heard tale of. Spending a vast amount of its hoard the dragon opened its winery and with magic and ageless cunning, set into legend their own highly sought after vintage. It was only after the final bottling that Gouldex revealed its true self and left with half of the barrels to pursue other interests.
A dark, Pinot Noir. Only one hundred casks of the Domina des Iskarda-Conti were ever made. It is the same wine that was presented to the Iskar Astartes. The last cask of this wine ever known to be opened was at the council of Kharj where an armistice was decided between the Seven Sultans of Infidia and the Knighthood of Iskandar that would eventually lead to the dissolution of Iskandar's crusade. Montressor Margaux (763-764)
This Bordeaux is famous not only for its vintage but for the strange circumstances surrounding its production and barrelling. In the year 762 on the day of the Wyrmwood (The Feast day of Sethex), the Knights of house Galmirridion were engaged in a dragon hunt. Driven from the mountains under a hail of arrow and chased across the plains surrounding northern Sigil, the Iskar Astartes finally drove the creature to the earth and with lances, swords and courage felled a mighty Blue Wyrm named Strathinar. The creature was killed in the fields of the Monstressor vineyard and the blood of the dragon soaked into the soil. The following year the grapes produced in those same fields bore a strange coloration and the notes of the wine made from them became legendary. It's said the taste of the Margaux is like a iron fist inside a velvet glove. Petrus Charon (817-818)
This rich Merlot is a famous vintage not for any famous exploit but simply for its outstanding quality. It has been served at the dining tables of numerous rulers in the world of Orr during hours of celebration and it is said that misfortune belongs to any who has spilled a glass, though this is perhaps only because it so expensive and sought after. Yensovanna del Farrin (948-949)
The Yensovanna del Farrin is a peculiar wine famous for its rarity as well as the story surrounding it. This sweet, white vintage was grown and barreled in the fens of Yensova, a region thought inhospitable for viticulture. The producer of the wine is unknown. It's said the casks were simply discovered amid a vineyard that had been overgrown with rot and fungus. It appeared as though a sudden plague had wiped or driven out the inhabitants of the vineyard and none have ever stepped forward with proof of deed to the winery. What is known is that the Yensovanna is highly sought after for its impeccable taste and is a favorite among the Elladrin of the Feywild who often request it at their dinner tables when meeting with mortal courts. Gouldex Pennidrag (1136-1137)
A golden champaign fit for the tongues of dragons, literally. Gouldex Pennidrag is unique in that this particular vintage was barreled by a Gold Dragon of the same name. It said that the drake arrived in the lands of Iskandar in the guise of human form, apparently obsessed with the viticulture it had heard tale of. Spending a vast amount of its hoard the dragon opened its winery and with magic and ageless cunning, set into legend their own highly sought after vintage. It was only after the final bottling that Gouldex revealed its true self and left with half of the barrels to pursue other interests.
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