During the demo for Resident Evil Village, which is simply known as "Maiden," it is hard to miss the vast amount of wine present throughout the brief gameplay experience. As players make their way through Resident Evil 8's creepy and mysterious manor, barrels, glasses, and bottles can be seen littering the many decadent rooms. As players continue, it soon becomes apparent as to just why there's so much wine in RE8.
The demo for Capcom’s upcoming instalment in the Resident Evil franchise launched as a surprise, following a showcase that revealed more about Resident Evil 8's gameplay features. Resident Evil 8 is set to be released this May, with its narrative continuing on from the events of 2017’s Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. Players will be reunited with protagonist Ethan Winters and his wife Mia (although for how long is unclear, as she appears to be shot by series regular Chris Redfield in one gameplay trailer) in a snowy European mountain village, which lies in the shadow of an ancient castle .
The demo for Resident Evil 8, however, forgoes focusing on these known characters and instead introduces fans to Castle Dimitrescu, home of Lady Alcina Dimitrescu and her daughters. Starting off in a locked cell, players must break their way out of confinement and into the main body of the castle to make a bid for freedom. As players wend their way through the various rooms and passageways, it is apparent that wine is a key component in the livelihood of the castle’s inhabitants. This alone is not as creepy an element as fans will have come to expect from a Resident Evil game. However, as more clues are revealed, it comes to light that the wine within this grand homestead is not, in fact, made from a typical Cabernet Sauvignon grape.
Resident Evil 8: What's In The Wine At Castle Dimitrescu
When progressing through the Maiden demo, players will come across several notes and items that give extra insight into the situation facing the unnamed player character. Included amongst these inscriptions and diary entries is the revelation of what makes the wine produced at Castle Dimitrescu so unique: Described as having a rich intensity and "thick bouquet" in a notebook found in a hidden room (behind the demo's terrifying face-door), the wine is revealed to be called "Sanguis Virginis," or "Maiden’s Blood."
While not spelled out verbatim, it is safe to assume this entry - along with the many cups, bowls and casks either full of or covered in the remnants of human bodily fluids - alludes to the fact that the unique ingredient used in the making of Resident Evil 8's wine is human blood. It appears the castle's residents are some sort of vampire-like creatures (although, in the Resident Evil 8 trailer also revealed during the showcase, Lady Dimitrescu's reflection shows up in her mirror, which is not typical of vampires in other popular culture). Suddenly, the wine's place in a Resident Evil demo makes a lot more sense.
"Cut them and they will bleed red wine" is an amusing expression that refers to someone who enjoys partaking in a good glass of vino. In Resident Evil 8, however, it would appear to be more of a recipe for the area’s local delicacy. While RE8's Maiden demo is short and not all that sweet, it certainly gives players an intriguing bit of insight into what can be expected at the release of Resident Evil Village this year.
Resident Evil Village will be released for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on May 7, 2021.