Napa Valley Wine Train

The food and service have aspirations that they don’t quite meet (the wine train was founded by the Rice-A-Roni king).

The wine train doesn’t stop at wineries—it’s a train ride in a slow moving compartment with expensive, average at best, food.

It is an enjoyable intelude if you want to do the tourist thing. Before you leave the station they have a little educational lecture and tasting. They also have a tasting car on the train.

The tables are bolted into place and extremely small . The result is a cramped meal.

The service is disorganized but thas more to do with the inherent problems of trying to work/serve on the moving train in small quarters, etc.

IF going, do it for lunch only so that there is something to look at.Scenery isn’t that great because you are stuck on the train running along HWY 29, but you do pass some wineries. Thie first mile is mostly the backs of body shops and equipment rental yards.

The train goes on one track one direction and back on the same track just going the way you came. it does not stop anywhere along the way.

During the dinner service, the sun goes down and the entire view is nothing but darkened vineyards.

The wine selection is OK for a beginner, but nothing particularly noteworthy. All the wines served on the train are for sale in the gift store, at the end of the trip.

Suggestions for going:

- go in the spring, when the mustard flowers are blooming. It is much prettier.

- go on a “Vintner's day”, where one vintner has paired up their wines personally with the menu.

- go at lunch. Costs less, you can see more, and the “sunset” train doesn’t always sync up with the actual sunset, which can leave you in darkness for a lot of the trip.

- If you’re early enough in the line to board, you can snag one of the two-person tables, otherwise tables are shared.with another couple.