All Aboard! Riding the Napa Wine Train

All Aboard! Riding the Napa Wine Train

 

The Napa Wine Train chugs through the vineyards
The Napa Wine Train chugs through the vineyards

One of the iconic photographs from our daughter’s wedding is of the newly-weds standing near a railway track in the vineyards as an antique train slowly chugs by behind them. It is the Napa Wine Train, making its evening run from Napa to the quaint, little town of St. Helena. On board the 1915-1917 vintage cars diners enjoy a gourmet meal, moving slowly through the same vineyards where they might have been wine-tasting a few hours earlier.

San Francisco’s first millionaire, Samuel Brannan, first built the tracks in 1860. He wanted to transport his guests to his hot spring resort in Calistoga, bypassing the bandits who lay in wait for those traveling by horse and carriage.  Southern Pacific bought the railroad in 1885 and played a critical role in the economic and agricultural development of the valley. But when automobiles became more prevalent in the 1930s, the railroad fell into disuse and was destined for destruction.

The Napa Wine Train

A group of concerned citizens saved the railroad and, eventually, Vincent De Domenico, founder of Rice-a-Roni (remember the jingle — “Rice a Roni, the San Francisco Treat”?), bought it. His vision was for a gourmet restaurant on a train. The dream became a reality in 1989, and it is still a family business.

We arrive at the station in downtown Napa at 1730 to check-in for dinner. The waiting room is reminiscent of an old-fashioned train station with comfortable sofas, a small bar and two gift shops where you can purchase bottles of boutique Napa wine that you might not have seen elsewhere.

At 1800 the boarding starts, passing over a wooden pedestrian bridge festooned with lovers’ padlocks, etched with the names of riders. If you don’t have one, you can buy a lock in the gift shop and then borrow a tool to engrave your names on it while you wait to board the train.

We have booked late and can only find space in the Petit Gourmet dining car. The carriage is decorated with Honduran mahogany paneling, brass accents, and thick scalloped drapes. Nearby is the kitchen car where your meal is prepared while you watch through a glass partition. Chefs are busy at work flambéing steak, mixing salad or caramelizing sugar on creme brulee. Chef Kelly MacDonald uses only fresh, local produce and each meal is prepared on board after it has been ordered.

Before we can even settle in our chairs, the maitre d’ informs us that there has been a cancellation in the 1952 restored Vista Dome car and invites us to walk upstairs to the second level where the setting sun illuminates the crystal through large windows. As the train pulls out of Napa on its 36-mile round trip journey to St. Helena, we dine on pan-seared scallops topped with American Caviar; local quail on Serrano ham toast; and a green and red apple endive salad. An intermezzo of pineapple sorbet cleanses the palate for the main course, roasted beef tenderloin on zucchini white truffle grits or grilled salmon on bamboo rice.

Vista Dome Car, Napa Wine Train
Vista Dome Car, Napa Wine Train

Copious glasses of wine wash down the entire meal.

Outside our window rows and rows of grape vines march up the hillsides and across the valley floor as we pass through five towns in the Napa Valley — Napa, Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, and St. Helena. At the Grgich Winery, the train stops briefly to let on passengers who have opted to include a tour in their dining package. They will have their dinner as the train begins its return voyage.

In St. Helena the train stops at the old railroad station. The locomotive is uncoupled from the north end of the train and reverses on a neighboring track to be coupled at the south end for the journey back to Napa.  This is our opportunity to explore the train from end to end. There are nine rail cars and two engines. In addition to the dining cars, there are lounge cars (appropriately named Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Merlot, and Cabernet) where you can have dessert and coffee. There is also a bar car stocked with over 40 different boutique wines from the Napa Valley where guided by a wine expert, you can continue your wine tasting if you haven’t had enough during the day.

As the train sets off again, cheesecake made with goat’s cheese and a vanilla creme brulée with blueberries accompany our coffee and tea, while the sun tinges the hills and clouds with an orange glow, finally dropping behind the hills and plunging the valley into darkness. The final portion of the journey takes place in candlelight. Outside the window, there is nothing to see except the occasional twinkling light in the distance. It feels as if we are all alone! Very romantic! And a fitting end to our time in Napa!

Quail on toast, Napa Wine Train
Quail on toast, Napa Wine Train

IF YOU GO

The Napa Valley Wine Train is located at 1275 McKinstry Street, Napa, CA (tel 1800-417-4124; you can also reserve online at reservations@winetrain.com. In addition to daily lunch and dinner, special events take place on the train including Vintner Lunches where a famous winemaker is invited on board to discuss his work, moonlight escapes — nighttime rides on the rails– and murder mystery trips where you can dress the part or get involved with solving the murder together with world-famous detectives like Nancy Drew or one of the Hardy boys! Check the Wine Train website for details.

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