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Story time: When I was 18, luxury retailer Neiman Marcus foolishly hired me on the spot as a bartender at their very popular bar, Mermaid Bar, at the NorthPark Center in Dallas.
Having no bartending experience and as someone who couldn’t drink legally, I had never used a wine opener before.
Let’s just say that the company’s policy of letting shoppers enjoy themselves a glass of wine while spending money on Gucci handbags took a completely different turn that day.
Flash forward to today, as a 34 year old man. I would like to say that I have matured and developed a “certain set of skills,” one of which is simply how to properly pour a glass of wine.
Syrah and Malbec have become a weekly staple in my household, as I’m sure wine in general is for many of you too.
And if so, chances are you’ve already visited or are planning to visit America’s mecca of wine – Napa Valley, California – where you need to hop aboard the classic, age-old wine. Napa Valley Wine Train.
Napa: the wine capital of America
Is attending a wine tasting ever a bad idea? Negative.
Does spitting it out into a bucket after every sip ruin the fun? Definitely not my style, but to each their own!
No matter how you go about it, something about scenic vineyards will cheer you up. It’s what the kids call ‘adulting’, at least the fun side of it.
There may not be a more iconic wine destination than Napa for “grown-ups.” In fact, it’s one of the trendiest destinations in the country for 2024, receiving international buzz from the likes of Tripadvisor and Travel + Leisure.
Brimming with world-class wineries (obviously!), Napa is ground zero for the highest quality wine you can find and some of the most memorable (and unmemorable) outings, depending on whether you spit into a bucket after sipping.
In all seriousness, Napa is running out of room for awards, with notable locations such as Four Seasons Resort & Residencies, Trefethen Family Vineyards and Oakville Grocery & Wine Merchant highlighting recent Great Wine Capitals 2024 Best of Wine Tourism accolades.
Everyone aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train!
Everyone knows Napa, but not everyone knows the Napa Valley Wine Train, but it is a classic.
The Napa Valley Railroad made its debut in the 19th century, but the train as it stands today was redesigned in the 1980s and has remained strong ever since.
In a world where everyone likes to show off what’s shiny and new, vintage is a nice change.
The most exciting ride is what is described as a Tasting trip – A 6 or 7 hours drive to top wineries, such as Charles Krug and V. Sattui.
Passengers are given multiple options to enhance their experience with the Legacy experience or Grgich Hills Estate packages, essentially full-day excursions to top wineries, including lunch, tastings and grape stomping!
Napa is a place to sit back, relax and enjoy the finer things in life.
You don’t have to rush to make time for the train; it is an all day affair with departures during the day and ending with a picturesque view Vista Dome Dinner to look at the stars a panoramic glass dome.
Put down the wine from the box and treat yourself
Napa is not a budget destination. Although you can score great deals on hotels this summer.
The cozy yet comfortable Calistoga Inn Restaurant & Brewery is only $140 on KAYAK at the end of July, which happens to be the end point of the train trajectory from Napa.
If you’re like me, you may have saved enough on boxed wine and Winking Owl over the years to finally treat yourself to the ultimate luxury wine adventure.
Prices vary from $285 – $725 depending on the Napa Valley Wine Train package you are eligible for check availability here.
The cheapest is the Gourmet quick lunchwhile the heaviest price tag covers the entire day Legacy experience.
If that’s out of budget, you can always try my old trick as a kid of lining up for communion at church, hoping the preacher accidentally mixed up the wine and grape juice.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
