Walkthrough for the Side Quest Wine Wars: The Deus in the Machina in The Witcher 3 Blood and Wine, including information about how this quest relates to the other Wine Wars quests, and how to unlock the achievement/trophy The Grapes of Wrath Stomped.

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(1 of 2) Find an isolated house along the southeastern end of Toussaint,

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Find an isolated house along the southeastern end of Toussaint, (left), and once there, seek out the entrance to a cellar. (right)

A rather obscure quest, you can only begin this quest if, after starting Wine Wars: Belgaard you agree to help both Liam de Coronata and Matilda Vermentino, starting two more Wine Wars quests, Wine Wars: Coronata and Wine Wars: Vermentino, respectively. Advance both these quests by resolving their problems without turning the quest in to the respective vineyard owner. Each vineyard has five problems, which require you to deal with a variety of map markers, including Abandoned Site, Person(s) in Distress, Guarded Treasure, Hidden Treasure and Vineyard Infestation events. Resolve all ten problems and Wine Wars: The Deus in the Machina will begin.

Unlike the previous Wine Wars quests, there aren’t quite so many objectives for this quest, you need merely find the place mentioned in the letters you found. Fast-travel to Francollarts (southeast of Beauclair), and from there head southeast through the wilderness to find an isolated hut in the countryside. Loot various objects around the exterior of the building, then head northeast from said building to find a cellar dug into the hillside below it.

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(1 of 3) Kill the Archespore,

Descend into the cellar and loot your way southwest until you reach a depressed section of the cellar with a dirt floor, where an Archespore (level forty-two) awaits. This beast is stronger than others of its kind you’ve fought, but it has all the same attacks. If it’s giving you trouble, remember you can chug a Superior Golden Oriole potion to heal from its poison attacks, making the fight much easier.

Weed the Archespore from this devilish little garden, then search a container in the western corner of the cellar to find the Stocktaking Report, which details the nefarious scheme to sabotage both the Coronata Vineyard and the Vermentino Vineyard, as well as exposing the culprit, one Count Vladimir Crespi. Breeding Archespores and letting them loose upon the land is… well, basically the exact opposite of what a Witcher does, and naturally Geralt isn’t a fan of this behavior. Before you leave, examine the dormant Archespore bulbs along the northwestern wall, then follow Geralt’s advice and hit each cluster with Igni.

With that, you’re finally ready to report back to Liam and Matilda and tell them what you’ve discovered. Doing so will complete both Wine Wars: Coronata and Wine Wars: Vermentino and earn you whatever reward you haggled for and will restart Wine Wars: Belgaard, which now has five problems of its own you need to resolve in a similar manner to the other two vineyards.