Napa Valley Wine Train Announces “Midnight in Paris: A Legacy NYE Celebration” to Ring in 2026
New Year experience celebrates the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
The Napa Valley Wine Train is excited to welcome the return of the New Year’s Eve experience, “Midnight in Paris: A Legacy NYE Celebration,” an immersive, six-hour journey that honors Napa Valley’s past while ushering in the excitement of the year ahead. Guests are invited to ring in 2026 aboard the Legacy Train with a celebration inspired by one of the most pivotal moments in Napa’s history: the 1976 Judgement of Paris, when a Napa Chardonnay, crafted by Mike Grgich, stunned the world and forever transformed the region’s place on the global wine stage.
“We wanted to create a celebration that reflects Napa’s remarkable heritage while also honoring the history still to be written,” said Nathan Davis, General Manager of the Napa Valley Wine Train. “This experience brings together the valley’s iconic winemaking legacy and the timeless romance of rail travel, culminating in a Paris-style midnight toast. We’re delighted to offer a New Year’s Eve journey that honors where Napa has been and looks forward to where it’s headed.”
The celebration begins the moment guests arrive, welcomed with sparkling wine and a digital boarding photo before stepping onto the beautifully restored 1915 Pullman rail cars. As the train departs, passengers are treated to a three-course gourmet breakfast and lunch, served as sweeping views of sprawling vineyards roll by outside the windows.
Along the way, guests enjoy wine tastings aboard the open-air car and a memorable photo stop at the iconic Napa Valley welcome sign in Oakville, setting the scene for an afternoon immersed in Napa’s storied wine culture.
To further elevate the journey, guests can purchase the Judgement of Paris 1976 Wine Flight, featuring 2oz pours of Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, Stag’s Leap SLV Cabernet Sauvignon, and a bonus pour of Grgich Cabernet Sauvignon when purchased in advance – offering a rare opportunity to taste the legendary wines that put Napa Valley on the world stage.
The celebration reaches its peak at Grgich Hills Estate, founded by Miljenko “Mike” Grgich, whose 1973 Chardonnay famously triumphed at the 1976 Judgement of Paris. The Napa Valley Wine Train has proudly partnered with Grgich Hills Estate since 1993, making this stop a meaningful tribute to more than three decades of shared history.
Guests disembark for a lively two-hour excursion featuring wine tastings, appetizers, music, and a Paris-time “midnight” countdown. At 3:00 p.m. Napa time, the clock strikes midnight in Paris, and guests raise a glass of Paris Commemorative Chardonnay in a jubilant toast to 2026, honoring both Napa’s legacy and the new year ahead.
As guests reboard the train, the party continues with dessert, festive New Year’s touches, and a celebratory ride back to the station, marking an unforgettable finale to a day steeped in heritage and the magic of Wine Country.
