For more than a quarter century, the Napa Valley Wine Train has passed back and forth through the center of the Napa Valley, treating its passengers to a feast for their eyes as well as their palate. The Napa Valley Wine Train is easily the region’s most distinctive restaurant, o ffering an authentic, memorable experience that echoes the glory days of train travel with fine dining service and multiple course gourmet meals.
From the moment guests climb aboard the exquisitely maintained train, they are immersed in its authenticity. The train itself has two engines, three on-board kitchens, and a collection of early 20th century Pullman railcars that have been faithfully restored to their original glory. The Honduran mahogany paneling, brass accents, etched glass partitions, and plush armchairs rekindle the spirit of luxury rail travel and provide a romantic Napa Valley lunch or dinner as they glide from Napa to St. Helena and back again.
Yes, it’s a classic beauty, but the Napa Valley Wine Train is evolving and additional engaging Dining Journeys have been added to its list of options. The Napa Valley Wine Train’s winery tours provide a complete Napa Valley experience with an exclusive tour and wine tasting at one or more Napa Valley wineries. Guests relax as they are transferred seamlessly from train to winery and back to the train again. The all new Quattro Vino Tours is a series of four fascinating wine tours along the 36-mile round-trip tracks. Guests may choose tastings at Napa Valley’s premier wineries as part of the Legacy Tour (Robert Mondavi Winery, Charles Krug, V. Sattui), Estate Tour (Domaine Chandon, Inglenook, Hall) and Collective Tour (St. Supery, Beringer Vineyards, and Raymond) paired with a four-course tasting of regionally cultivated epicurean delights along the way. There’s no better way to tour and taste along the historic railway of the Napa Valley Wine Train. The Meet the Maker Wine Dinner Series, offered on select Saturdays throughout the year, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rub elbows with the proprietors and makers of some of Napa Valley’s finest wineries and wines. The Gourmet Express Package, in elegant 1915–1917 Pullman cars, serves lunch and dinner year-round, and the riveting Vista Dome car offers lunch, dinner, and a one-of-a-kind valley view. The culinary operation is overseen by Chef Donald Young, who makes preparing the exquisite cuisine on a moving train seem effortless.
“There’s a challenge in executing service on a 100-plus-year-old piece of history in motion,” Chef Donald says. “We have to be able to improvise on the fly and menu items must be tailored to suit the practicality of flawless execution.”
The culinary team also operates on a strict time table. “We have about two-and-a-half hours to execute two services of a high-end three-course meal to about 300 guests,” Chef Donald explains. “We have thorough checklists that are strictly adhered to in order not to miss any items needed for daily service and, of course, practice makes perfect.”
But the results are well worth it. Guests savor a sumptuous freshly prepared meal as they watch the Napa Valley scenery pass by. “We try to utilize items that reflect the dining scene here in the Valley,” Chef Donald says. “Locally sourced produce, fish, poultry from a wide variety of quality driven purveyors highlight our menu.”
A Dining Journey aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train is truly a singular experience: a feast for the soul, the eyes, and the palate.