Exclusive Collaboration Offers Rare Access to Iconic Napa Valley Wines Through a Curated Train and Tasting Experience
The Napa Valley Wine Train, a hallmark of luxury rail travel through the heart of California wine country, is proud to announce the Launch of its newest offering: the Grgich Hills Library Tasting Experience. In partnership with the iconic Grgich Hills Estate, this elevated experience offers guests a rare opportunity to taste limited-production library vintages and embark on an immersive journey through the scenic landscapes of Napa Valley, reawakening the senses and paying homage to the 1976 Judgment of Paris Blind Wine Tasting.
This blind tasting competition, held by 11 judges, pitted the best of CA against France. California proved victorious in both the Chardonnay and Cabernet categories, turning the world of wine upside down. Mike Grgich, the storied winemaker of the winning Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, was launched to fame, and Grgich Hills Estate began producing world-class wines in 1977.
Welcome Aboard the Official Napa Valley Wine Train | Napa Valley Wine Train
In the heart of Napa Valley, a classic locomotive steam whistle sounds, signaling the start of a journey inspired by the golden age of luxury train travel.
Available on Mondays and Fridays from November 2025 through August 2026, the Grgich Hills Library Tasting Experience builds on the Wine Train’s popular Grgich Hills Estate offering with an exclusive seated tasting of five exceptional wines. This selection includes select library wines paired to their current vintage release curated from Grgich Hills’ private cellar. The experience runs from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and includes a three-course gourmet meal, a two-hour train ride, and a one hour seated Library Tasting at Grgich Hills Estate, offering wine lovers a deeper connection to Napa’s heritage and winemaking craft.
Grgich Hills Estate Tasting | Napa Valley Wine Train
Experience the GRGICH HILLS Estate Tasting with the Wine Train. Indulge in premium wines, scenic views, and a memorable journey through Napa Valley.
“Napa is a very different and exciting place 50 years later after the 1976 Paris Tasting. This tasting experience was designed for food and wine lovers who want more than just a tasting – they want history, context, craftsmanship, and connection. This tasting experience shows, by pairing wines of differing vintages, how they mature and get better with age. Something we all aspire to on a personal level, like our deep relationship that has endured with our Grgich Hills Estate friends and colleagues,” said Nathan Davis, General Manager of the Napa Valley Wine Train. “We’re honored to partner with Grgich Hills Estate to bring these rare library selections to life in a setting that celebrates the artistry and heritage behind every bottle.”
The experience begins in the Wine Train’s elegant dining car, where guests are welcomed with a glass of sparkling wine and a gourmet lunch prepared onboard. Midway through the journey, guests disembark at Grgich Hills Estate, where a dedicated host welcomes them into the winery’s private Library Room for a guided tasting of five wines, including three aged Library selections paired with two current-release counterparts. This tasting aims to highlight how time transforms a wine’s structure and flavor, revealing the nuance and complexity only found in well-cellared vintages.
Following the tasting, guests will reboard the train to enjoy a house-made dessert with coffee or tea while soaking in the return views of Napa Valley. As the train winds its way back through the vineyards, the relaxed pace and scenic beauty offer the perfect conclusion to an experience that promotes a deeper appreciation for Napa Valley’s winemaking legacy.
The Grgich Hills Estate Library Tasting Experience is available to guests 21 and over and can be booked as an elevated version of the current Grgich Hills Estate Experience. “Come taste history in a glass and feel the deep connection to our sense of place and responsibility to our craft in honoring my dad’s vision where he wants every Grgich guest to feel like they are the most important,” said Violet Grgich, proprietress of Grgich Hills Estate and the deceased Mike Grgich’s daughter.
For more information or to reserve a seat on this elevated tasting journey, visit winetrain.com.
About the Napa Valley Wine Train
One of the few active historic passenger railroads in the United States, the Napa Valley Wine Train offers an engaging and memorable experience that echoes the glory days of train travel, with fine dining service, multi-course meals cooked to order, Napa Valley scenery and ultimate relaxation aboard exquisitely restored antique rail cars. The Napa Valley Wine Train features vintage Pullman rail cars faithfully restored with Honduran mahogany paneling, brass accents, etched glass partitions and luxurious armchairs that evoke the spirit of luxury rail travel at the beginning of the 20th century.
The Napa Valley Wine Train holds a level 1 Green Key Meetings rating. It has been identified as a destination that has taken first steps to reduce environmental impacts by analyzing its meetings and conference operations and identifying opportunities for improvement. An action plan focusing on resource conservation and waste minimization has been established, and is supported by a firm commitment to continual improvement.
In 2015, Noble House Hotels & Resorts, Ltd. – a collection of luxury hotels and resorts purchased the historic and iconic Napa Valley Wine Train expanding its portfolio to include attractions in the destinations its hotels call home.
About Noble House Hotels & Resorts
The Noble House Hotels & Resorts portfolio comprises 29 luxury and upscale hotels, resorts, and experiences across North America—all designed for discerning travelers seeking to escape their daily routine. Noble House can be trusted to unlock the most authentic experiences in the most compelling destinations. This promise is delivered through their carefully curated collection, which pairs boutique local charm with consistently high service and comfort standards. All concepts within their collection offer immersive, active adventure experiences that bring out the best of their destinations. Headquartered in Seattle, their family-owned business philosophy creates value for each concept’s community, environment, ownership, staff, and guests. The portfolio includes: over 75 restaurants, bars, and lounges; the Napa Valley Wine Train; a collection of spas, marinas, and private residences throughout the U.S., and Mexico; a range of beachfront resorts from California to Florida; luxury retreats in Jackson Hole, Wyo. and award-winning urban hotels in Seattle and San Francisco.
Experience-Driven Hospitality | Noble House Hotels & Resorts
Designed to inspire exploration, Noble House is a curated collection of award-winning boutique hotels, luxury resorts, and unforgettable adventures.
For more information, visit www.noblehousehotels.com or call 877.NOBLE.TRIP.
About Grgich Hills Estate
Croatian-born founder and winemaker emeritus, and Vintners Hall of Fame inductee, Miljenko “Mike” Grgich is the man behind Grgich Hills Estate. He was celebrated for his instrumental role in the 1976 Paris Tasting, a blind tasting of the finest white Burgundies and red Bordeaux from France and a sampling of New World Chardonnays and Cabernets. French judges were shocked that they had selected Mike Grgich’s 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay as the highest-scoring wine of the tasting and the best Chardonnay in the world, making him a legend. Today, Grgich Hills Estate is known for its warm and welcoming hospitality, world-class, award-winning wines, and its leadership in organic and regenerative viticulture.
Mike taught us that every day is an opportunity to “make a new friend.” We look forward to welcoming you to the winery.
