I wanted to add another experience of doing this trip. We did it this summer while both my and my wife's parents were here. We did the Friday evening trip with the stop for the wine tasting at the end.

The train ride was great fun, the villages were charming, and the views fantastic. The little roads and paths that the train goes down were great - some of them I'd never even found when cycling or hiking in the region.

We enjoyed the wines we tasted, and bought a few bottles to take home. One of the wine manufacturers was at the "cave" where we stopped, and came to talk to us at length about his wines and was happy to answer all of my parent's questions (they are very into wine). It helped that we were almost the only people on the trip (it was early June).

Even if you are capable of cycling or hiking through the vineyards, then this is still a fun and different way to experience the area that I would recommend.