California - Napa Wine Train

I have searched this forum but didn't find very much on this topic. We will be in Napa Valley for 5 days and were trying to decide about taking the train. Can anyone help me with recommendations? If you think it is worth doing, should we go for lunch or dinner. I think we would take the dome car if we go. Thanks for your help. We will be there in a few week and need to make a decision so we could get a reservation. ..
Are there other places to go and eat that would be a better value for our money. We plan on visiting some of the vineyards also and do some wine tasting.

Barbara

Skip it. The best things about Napa are to visit the wineries, and dine in the great restaurants. Neither of which can be done while riding on the Napa Wine Train

DJG,
What are your recommendation on resturants and wineries? There are so many when you start looking online. We will be staying at the Marriott in Napa, but don't mind driving to Sonoma also. Thanks for your help.

Barbara

Skip it. The best things about Napa are to visit the wineries, and dine in the great restaurants. Neither of which can be done while riding on the Napa Wine Train

Agreed.

DJG,
What are your recommendation on resturants and wineries? There are so many when you start looking online. We will be staying at the Marriott in Napa, but don't mind driving to Sonoma also. Thanks for your help.

Barbara

In general, I'm an advocate of tasting more in Sonoma than in Napa, unless you are specifically looking for info on Cabernet Sauvignon - the best of which come from the Napa Valley. I just posted a lengthy list of worthwhile Sonoma wineries in a thread in the San Francisco section on tasting between Napa and Sonoma. But assuming you will spend significant time in Napa, my best recommendation is to mainly avoid the wineries along Route 29, and concentrate on the Silverado Trail and the cross streets between 29 and Silverado Trail. A few wineries along 29 are worth seeing, though: Among the larger wineries, I think Beringer and BV are the most worthwhile, and a smaller winery worth visiting along 29 is Grgich Hills. Amongst my favorite wineries to visit along the Silverado Trail are Robert Sinskey and Joseph Phelps. Another place worth seeing, not so much for the wines as for a prime example of an egotistical ediface complex is Clos Pegase. Another example of this would be Darioush.

Many of the finest wineries in Napa are either not open for tasting, or they will surely not pour the stuff upon which they built their reputations - their vineyard designated Cabernets. And frankly, but for these wines, I really don't care to taste in Napa.

One thing Napa has tons of is great restaurants. Some of my favorites are Mustards, Brix, and All Seasons Cafe. Of course, the Thomas Keller Restaurants Bouchon and French Laundry are widely praised, but French Laundry is a place that only really serious foodies should bother with, given the expense and the time and effort involved in dining there, and IMHO, Bouchon is not as good as Mustards or Brix.

A great place for lunch is the Oakville Grocery.

Thank you so much for the recommendations. We will definately get up to Sonoma also. I will go to the San Fran. site and read your thread.

Also, will check out some of the resturants.

I love all the information I have received from everyone. Thanks so much!

Barb

Clos Pegase is a nice winery too, and I second Mustards. I also like to start the tasting day off at the Mumm with their champagne taster. All easily accessible via the Silverado trail which is virtually traffic free compared to the main drag through Napa.

I was at Sinsky and Duckhorn among others this weekend and those were great. If you're looking for a smaller one with a view and outdoor space, try St. Clement.

Farmstead is always a good dinner choice.

i took the wine train a few years back and wished i hadn't...there are so many better things to do in napa

The Wine Train is a nice restaurant experience all by itself. I would recommend the dome car dining experience, where you sit under observation glass in the same car coming and going, versus changing from lounge to dining room.

We have had some very good meals at Redd in Yountville, a little expensive but not unreasonable. A little more casual but where we have also enjoyed dinner several times is Angele in downtown Napa.

Edited to add -

Just had another excellent meal at Redd. It's become our favorite restaurant in the Napa area.