Who in the world would buy a wine called "Train Wreck"? That was my first thought as I stepped up to the tasting counter of Newsome-Harlow Wines in Murphys and scanned the sheet listing the winery's current pours.

When I saw "Train Wreck" on the list, an image of shattered Pullman cars and mangled iron crossed my mind, not the usual romantic and reassuring picture that vintners like to evoke in potential customers.

But I wasn't exactly shocked to find a wine called "Train Wreck" at Newsome-Harlow. I've come to expect a playful irreverence from Scott Klann, who with his wife, Melanie, and their business partners Steve and Gretchen Rael, owns Newsome-Harlow.

About two years ago, I wrote about a Newsome-Harlow wine called "Donner Party." And Klann also is the winemaker for neighboring Twisted Oak Winery where wines bear proprietary names such as "River of Skulls" and "Murgatroyd."

At any rate, by the time I'd tasted my way through the Newsome-Harlow lineup, I was convinced that "Train Wreck" was no accident, but a carefully contrived blend of cabernet sauvignon and syrah that adroitly balanced the suave juiciness of the former with the brazen muscularity of the latter.

As Klann tells the story, however, "Train Wreck" isn't so much the consequence of deliberation as whimsy. His first "Train Wreck" grew from the 2005 vintage. He'd fermented a batch of cabernet sauvignon and a batch of syrah from that harvest but wasn't particularly impressed by either, so he shoved them aside and went to other things.

"I kept kind of ignoring them. I dubbed them my 'train wrecks' because I really had no program for them," Klann said. "By summer 2007, it was getting to the point where I couldn't ignore them any longer. I was close to bulking them out when one of my cellar guys suggested I put them together. I scoffed at the idea, but when nobody was looking, I tried the blend and it was really a good wine, a wine I no longer could ignore," recalled Klann.

Two weeks after blending the wines, he poured a barrel sample at a tasting event. People responded favorably, and when they pressed him for the name of the wine he came up with "Train Wreck" on the spot.

"The wine was a hit, and the rest is history," he said. "For the record, my cellar guy has gotten plenty of 'attaboys' for that."

While I liked several wines at Newsome-Harlow, in particular the bright, rich and long 2008 Calaveras Zinfandel and the sprightly and complex 2007 Calaveras Meritage, I kept returning to "Train Wreck" for its intense yet accessible layering of floral, herbal, fruity and spicy smells and flavors. Klann credited the cabernet sauvignon for bringing olives, currants and "dried herbaceous notes" to the party, while he sees the syrah adding jammy fruit and a suggestion of anise.

"Each of these varietals is so strong and expressive on its own," Klann said. "The right blend of the two is like two huge wines not fighting each other but working in concert to become even more intense."

Few medium-bodied red blends at this price deliver as much lasting interest. If the name puts off some potential buyers, well, that leaves more for the rest of us.

Since we've been discussing names, the name Newsome-Harlow is a combination of the maiden names of the mother of Klann (Newsome) and the mother of a former partner (Harlow).

Newsome-Harlow Wines

2008 Calaveras County Train Wreck

By the numbers: 14.8 percent alcohol, 400 cases, $20

Context: Melanie Klann, who tends the "Melly's Kitchen" recipe section of the Newsome-Harlow website, recommends "Train Wreck" with grilled meats, even when they are seasoned with her root-beer barbecue sauce, the recipe for which is at "Melly's Kitchen."

"The slight sweetness of the sauce contrasts quite well with the dried-herb character of the wine. And the tannins can stand up to the meat," said Scott Klann.

The Klanns also just opened a bistro next to their Murphys tasting room, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. now, with dinner hours to be added later. The menu are in line with the Mediterranean/Californian/Asian dishes that Melanie Klann features at "Melly's Kitchen." The name is The Kitchen at Newsome-Harlow.

Availability: Klann is eager to stock his wines in Sacramento, but so far hasn't found any takers. They are widely available in Calaveras County, however, including at the winery tasting room, 403 Main St., Murphys, open noon-5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

Information: (209) 728-9817, www.nhvino.com

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Longtime wine critic and competition judge Mike Dunne continues his relationship with The Bee as a contributing columnist to the Food & Wine section and www.sacwineregion.com. His wine selections are based solely on open and blind tastings, judging at competitions, and visits to wine regions. Check out his blog at http:// ayearinwine.blogspot.com, and reach him at mikedunne@winegigs.com.

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