We received tickets for the Napa Valley Wine Train from last year’s Pink Sonoma festival (coming up again this Sunday, May 4th!) put on by Out in the Vineyard. If you’re heading there, keep your eyes on the auction table — you just might score something fabulous like we did!
The station is super easy to get to, located right in downtown Napa. While waiting for departure, there were plenty of fun photo ops and spots to pick up souvenirs. We were booked on the Legacy Experience, which is the Wine Train’s all-day adventure. And we mean all day — bubbles and breakfast, multiple wine tastings, lunch, cheese, dessert, and six hours of indulgent luxury. If you’re not up for the full day, don’t worry — they offer shorter options too.
The food was absolutely delicious throughout. The breakfast course was a smoked salmon eggs benedict. (Kyle’s not a salmon fan, so Matt scored double salmon. Win!) Kicking things off with sparkling wine really set the tone for a luxurious day.
For lunch, Matt had the risotto while Kyle went for the pork tenderloin with fingerling potatoes — and both dishes hit the spot. This was also the first point you could purchase wine to pair with your meal, and let’s be honest: it felt illegal not to order a glass. We happily obliged.
Next up was the cheese course with local honey, olives, and ciabatta. We love cheese so much that we ended up buying more at the last wine stop and bringing it back on board. If you know us, you know cheese-on-cheese is a way of life.
Dessert offered several tempting options, but Kyle went straight for the chocolate cake (no regrets), while Matt chose the crème brûlée and loved every bite.
The first wine tasting happened on the train itself, right next to the iconic Napa Valley sign off Hwy 29. We enjoyed a casual tasting in the open-air car at the back of the train while getting a brief intro on how to taste wine. It was definitely geared more toward tourists, but still fun — and we got to represent Sonoma County when they asked where everyone was from.
The second tasting took place after lunch at Charles Krug Winery. We got a great tour and some interesting historical background (we’re much more familiar with Sonoma wines, so this was new to us). The tasting room upstairs served three wines, but being the curious wine nerds we are, we asked about the Sauvignon Blanc listed on the menu that wasn’t included. Our host happily directed us downstairs to the main bar to try it — and of course, we bought a bottle.
Our final stop was V. Sattui Winery, where the tasting took place in a super cool barrel room. Another round of three wines, a bit of Italian and Prohibition-era history, and more cheese from the deli for the road. Matt’s favorite red is old vine Zinfandel, so we asked to try one outside the tasting menu — and they were happy to pour it. Our guide at this stop was full of energy and had the best stories.
After dessert back on the train, we rolled into the station and headed home — very full, very happy, and slightly more expert in Napa wines.
If you’re visiting the area and want a scenic, wine-soaked adventure, the Napa Valley Wine Train is absolutely worth the ride. We might even go back and try one of their shorter excursions with friends!
Embrace diversity, explore with pride!
