Napa, California
Wine On Wheels (W-o-W)!
You are on a vintage luxury train with luscious wine and gourmet spreads, passing by beautiful vineyards and picturesque countryside views, with your sweetheart by your side.
Dreamy (or kinda W-o-W) … isn’t it? Well… That’s precisely what the Napa Valley Wine Train has to offer!
The Wine Country (Napa Valley) is just about 65 miles north of San Francisco and is one of the most well-known wine regions of the world. With more than 400 wineries and thousands of acres of vineyards within the county, it is home to some of the most expensive viticultural land in the world.
We had booked the Valentine’s special Legacy Tour in February 2022, an exquisite romantic rail journey to experience love and luxury, through the breathtaking views of the Valley.
The luxury rail car experience has a number of different offers on display. You can choose from a variety of full day, daytime or evening tours.
We went with the full Day Legacy Tour experience as we wanted to get the full experience! It was a 6-hour journey with a delicious 4-course meal, a visit to 2 amazing wineries and 3 wine tastings, one of which was even on the train’s open-air car!
They have a cute train station, where we checked-in at about 10:00 am. It is preferable to reach early so you have plenty of time to check-in and board. They also have a photographer just before boarding the train, right in front of it- you don’t want to rush it!
The train is just perfect – for a couple as well as a family. They have small booths on both sides with big windows beside each table. The architecture and design aims to make you travel back to the 20th century.
We boarded the train just in time and departed at 10:15 am. Soon after, we were introduced to our friendly and cheerful server- who presented to us, our 4-course menu for the journey.
Thereafter, we were served delicious breakfast with sparkling wine. Loved the Bacon – it was crispy with the right amount of salt :D! The crepe was very satisfying – especially with the sparkling wine for breakfast! One thing to note. In breakfast the most “vegetarian” option they serve is an omelette and a bowl of fruits. So, the breakfast as a meal won’t be completely vegan/vegetarian. PS: We got cute rings with hearts around the stems of our wine glasses since we were celebrating Valentine’s Day.
The views and experience were amazing as we passed by fun murals and the valley, while enjoying the breakfast! In about 45 minutes, we halted for our first premium wine tasting of the tour.
They took us outside from the back door of the rail car, and to our surprise, they had a lovely open-air deck on the train itself. It was set up neatly with glasses and fine wine bottles for all passengers to commence the tasting session. The tour has knowledgeable sommeliers who educated us through the flavors, aromas, and history of each wine. They also provided us deep insights about the history of the Valley and how it became the “Wine Capital of the Country”.
The train then halted at the famous Napa Valley photo spot at the Oakville landmark, and all the passengers stepped out to get themselves clicked in front of the vineyards and the Napa Valley Sign board. The train crew helped us at the spot to click photos on our phones as well!
The second course of the meal was an appetizing lunch which had a vegetarian option as well! They usually give you 2-3 choices of your main course meal, including glazed salmon, tenderloin of beef/ pork and risotto. The pork was tender, and it came with a side of potatoes, beans and a few veggies. The vegetarian dish was also pleasantly tasty! They served us a pasta covered with marinara sauce and veggies on the side. A few passengers also carried their wine glasses from the previous tasting session onto their booths sipping it through lunch.
We then reached Napa Valley’s oldest iconic – Charles Krug Winery. There was a beautiful outdoor seating area where we got a short glass of wine for tasting. We got acquainted with the history of the legacy of Charles Krug and the Mondavi Family. They have a wonderful estate including a carriage house, huge cellar, barrel room and a beautiful lawn. We had wine tasting sessions at the lawn as well as the barrel room. It was a mesmerizing experience touring the estate, learning about the history- how it all began, getting lost in the world of wine and cellars and constantly sipping wine through the tour!
Back aboard the train, we were treated with our third course. A savory dish with ciabatta crisp, brie, honey, fennel and olives on the side -just what we needed after all the wine tasting and walking! Enjoyed the tasty snack while passing by green stunning views of the Valley on the train. What a satisfying experience!
Onto our final wine tasting stop- V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena! Founded in 1885, it is also a popular spot for events, weddings and picnics, given its great location and a beautiful garden and picnic tables. We learnt about the history of Vittorio Sattui, the founder who emigrated from Italy and was forced to shut down until 1976 after the Prohibition, and how his grand-son later resurrected the family business in Napa.
We then went into an underground cellar where we had a seated wine tasting session. There was a ‘spread of wines’ laid out for each passenger at the tables, and we were briefed about each wine as we were tasting them. One of them which we remember particularly was ‘Madera’ which has the highest amount of alcohol and is naturally pretty strong! PS. Here you can also let the sommeliers know about any special occasions you are celebrating and everyone will sing for you 😀
There is a small marketplace at the winery, where we can shop for wine, décor or eatables on our way out. You will also have plenty of time to click pictures on the way!
Back on the train, we were served our last course of the journey.
Any meal is incomplete without the pastry chef’s specialty- dessert!
By this time, we were so enthralled by our tours and tastings, and the dessert was a cherry on top!
We were amazed by the chef’s delicacy and presentation of Crème Brûlée and the Mousse Cake.
There was light music in the background and of course it’s time to dance on the train! The isle has enough space for couples to have a fun romantic time dancing away after the wine tours!
P.S: One thing to note though – For Wine enthusiasts, it is suggested to not drive to the Valley and, in-fact, arrange for a night’s stay as you could experience a happy high.
Overall, it was a wonderful experience on board the Napa Valley Wine Train and a must-visit for anyone visiting northern California. The Wine on Wheels definitely brings about a W-o-W factor for celebrating special occasions. While we loved celebrating Valentine’s Day aboard it, we would love to hear more from you on how you plan to do it 😀
So, what’s your idea of celebrating love? 😉
PS:
The beautiful dress and footwear are from Amazon*:
For pictures and videos that couldn’t make it to the blog, checkout https://www.instagram.com/hangryhoppers/ !
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