Napa Wine Train sold to hotel group

The Napa Wine Train, founded by Rice-a-Roni mogul Vincent DeDomenico in 1989, has been sold to a Seattle-based hotel company.

The Napa Wine Train

The family of DeDomenico, who died in 2007 at the age of 92, has sold the 25-year-old institution to Noble House Hotels & Resorts, Ltd – a luxury hotel and resort chain.

Its sale is said to have been in the works for several months, but was only confirmed in a press release this week.

Noble House Hotels & Resorts has confirmed that it has entered into a partnership with real estate firm Brook Street to buy the train, which has been ferrying wine tourists on a 36-mile round-trip from Napa to St. Helena since 1989. The line that the train runs on can trace its existence back to 1864.

“The Wine Train is an iconic and treasured attraction in the Napa Valley,” said Tony Giaccio, who will remain CEO of the Wine Train, in a statement released on Tuesday.

“We are confident that the Noble House family, with its proven hospitality expertise, will not only preserve this wonderful institution, but ensure its continued growth and enhancement.”

Jake Donoghue, CEO of Noble House Hotels & Resorts, said the private company looks forward “to embracing this treasured icon with the goal of giving our guests a memorably wonderful on-board experience.”

Last month the Wine Train became engulfed in controversy after it was accused of racial discrimination for kicking a group of African American women off the train for laughing and talking too loudly, an incident they described as “humiliating”.  

The Wine Train has since admitted fault issuing an unreserved apology to the group.

Financial details of the sale were not disclosed.