~Valle Viola~

Located outside of Ponyville proper, Valle Viola is an expansive vineyard covering twenty acres of land, with 15 of those being dedicated solely to the grapes themselves.  A wide variety of wine grapes are grown, but interspersed between the grape vines are the violet Lisianthus flowers for which the valley is known, and great care is taken to ensure they grow beautiful and healthy as much as the grapes.  The rest of the land contains a large building for the crafting, bottling, and storage of wines to be shipped, as well as storage of equipment and tools, with a cellar entrance to get to the storage of the casks themselves.  Another, smaller building nearby is dedicated solely as an office and reception area for tours and visitors.  A third building, not quite as large as the first, for parties and wine tastings is available, with a fourth building, two stories tall, sitting on the edge of the property nearest the road to and from the vineyard, where Berry Punch and Ruby Pinch reside together.

The home is old, but well taken care of, and blends in with the rest of the vineyard's design with a rustic charm.

Terroir of Valle Viola
Soil Type: Terra Rossa
Microclimate: Temperate, with heavily regulated sunlight, rainfall, and irrigation (has a dedicated weather pegasus on staff at all times)
Topography: Valley

<< From Residential District

Beamer dragged himself into the reception area, plopped himself and a sack of bits in front of the counter, and announced rather audibly, "I require wine! And I will keep requiring it until I'm either unconscious or my mane is another color. Which ever occurs first."

Berry Punch had been taking a rather lovely nap behind the desk, as she had not expected anypony to come in today and, to be honest, it was a lovely napping spot with just the right amount of sun and shade.  The sudden arrival of the boisterous Beamer caused her to bolt up and nearly smack her head on the desk as she scrambled to attend to the reception area.

The request she received, however, made her sigh.  "I am sorry, sir, but our wines are not for getting drunk, nor is the behavior encouraged.  However, it is a lovely day, and there are many relaxing locations nearby to enjoy a glass of wine or other fine drink to calm your nerves and help you simply enjoy life at a gentle pace," she said with a motherly smile, "If you wish for a drink to make your mane to change colors, however, I would recommend seeing Zecora, although that does mean traveling through the Everfree Forest - which I do not recommend.  How she lives in there I will never know."

Beamer pouted. "Can't get to the Everfree Forest. Been placed under 'town arrest.' Royal decree."

He tipped the sack over causing the coins inside to spill out a bit onto the counter. "Look, I've had a rough day. Just let me buy a cask or twelve and I'll go get drunk someplace else."

Folding her hooves on the desk, Berry Punch shook her head.  "You do not understand.  I do not care where you get drunk, I will not sell our wines to someone who is going to use them for that purpose.  We work too hard and pour far too much love into our craft to waste our wines on drinking to get drunk," she said, "Also, it never solves anything."

The lids of her eyes lowered into a coy expression as she added with a charming smile, "If you have had such a bad day as you say, I would be more than willing to hear you out."

"What's wrong with getting drunk?" the inventor protested. "I'm not doing it to solve anything. I just need to pour some smiles on my brain for a while."

He then made the mistake of looking Berry Punch in the eye. "You're not backing down on this are you?" Beamer sighed having completely missed the hostess's offer to hear his tales of woe.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:48, Tue 12 Nov 2013.

Grinning widely, Berry Punch maintained the eye contact and replied, "No, I am not backing down on this.  If you want to get drunk, use something cheap and mass produced.  It is simple as that.  As for wanting to pour smiles onto your brain, there are much better solutions."

With a proud, silly smile, she continued, "Just think about an innocent, adorable child, like my darling Pinchy~♥"

From flirtatious to embarrassing parent in under ten seconds.

Beamer's eyes glazed over slightly as he recalled his last interaction with children.


The master of the mechanical stuff sprinted down the street as an angry mob of polka-dot and plaid ponies chased after him.

"Note to self: the chromatic adjuster is not for use by children. Especially when their parents are around."

End Flashback

Beamer shuddered as the memory faded again. "Yeah, I don't exactly have good memories of children." At this point he should have stopped talking, but his mouth kept ignoring his brain's input. "Now that I think about it. Isn't your wine cheap and massed produced?"

Berry Punch was a very friendly, amicable pony.  She was difficult to offend and easy to get along with.  There were very few things that she was truly serious about to the point of vehement arguing, and her being angry about just about anything was incredibly rare.

But nopony, absolutely nopony, ever said that about her wines.

Slamming her front hooves on the desk as she climbed up and stood to her full height, the usually cheerful mare stared at Beamer with serious, determined, and clearly insulted eyes.  In an even, steady, and deliberate voice, she said, "Every single drop of wine we make comes from our hard work, diligent attention, and love of our craft.  Do not associate inexpensive and affordable with cheap.  I could easily charge five to ten times the bits I currently do for my wines and still sell them all, but I do not pour so much of myself into our wines so that only the affluent can enjoy them.  We make enough profit for my team and my daughter to live comfortably while retaining enough to maintain the vineyard and its facilities as well as having some left over for improvements and donations to the school, small as they may be.  Just because we do not charge exorbitant prices does not mean we do not sell only the highest quality wines, sir."

Having gotten her rant off her chest, she meekly climbed back down from the desk and gave him a sheepish smile.  "Ah, my apologies, sir.  I know you meant no offense.  I am just very passionate about my work.  Please, take back your bits and, if I have not offended you terribly, please follow me."  With that said, she walked out from behind the desk and started walking out of the building and towards a slightly larger one, her hips swaying as she walked.  She looked over her shoulder at him with the same flirtatious gaze she'd given him earlier and said, "I think we could both use a glass of wine right about now.  Won't you have a glass with me?"

Beamer involuntarily leaned back as Berry laid into him with her rant.

"But. I- er- what I-," The self proclaimed Master of the Mechanical attempted and failed spectacularly to get a word in edgewise finally letting out a heavy sigh and hanging his head in defeat.



Beamer perked up a bit at the apology. "Saright. I should have been more clear. I was only observing that your wine doesn't cost much and you make a lot of it, not commenting on its quality."



"Yeeeesss," the inventor whole-heartily sighed as he fell into step behind his hostess. "And if it's not too much trouble can I get mine in a coffee mug?"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:48, Wed 27 Nov 2013.

She could not believe how oblivious her new guest was behaving.  Everypony reacted in some way when she flirted with them, even if the reaction was incredibly well controlled or subtle.  But this one.  This one had absolutely no reaction.  While it didn't upset Berry Punch, it certainly made things less fun.  With a sigh, she gave him a resigned smile and said, "The only mugs we have are for hot drinks.  Besides, wine tastes better when it gets enough air."  Her hips lost their sway and she walked more normally, completely unaware of her next visitor for the day.

Also, while the other building was nearby, on the vineyard, 'nearby' was relative, and it was a few minutes walk.

"It doesn't get enough air in a coffee mug?" Beamer inquired. The idea didn't make a whole lot of sense to him. Although he wasn't a wine expert like his host.