Eileen Crane is the winemaker and managing director of Domaine Carneros, Taittinger Champagne's Californian outpost at the foot of the Napa and Sanoma valleys.

The spot was chosen specially by the family because it is ideal for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, the ultimate choice for premium sparkling wines.

However, from time-to-time Eileen found that she had some excess Pinot Noir grapes that she sold to her neighbours at Saintsbury, who arguably produce some of California's finest Pinot Noir. As one of America's leading wine makers Eileen thought that she should try her hand at making her own Pinot Noir, which didn't please Saintsbury; it had come to depend upon her excellent fruit for its own wines.

She had to do it in secret, hidden away from prying eyes, because at that time the Taittinger family was absolutely dedicated to only making sparkling wines.

A chance visit to Carneros by a member of the family and the bottles were discovered. A couple were taken up to the dining room and served with steaks.

Eyebrows were raised, not in anger but appreciation, and so Avant-Garde was eventually added to the Californian wine company's repertoire.

It takes its name from the early harvested grapes from which it is exclusively made, most of which come from the estate or its Pompadour vineyard near Sanoma town.

The red wine is made in the traditional Burgundian way - four days macerating before eight to 10 days fermenting in open tanks; the cap being regularly punched down to extract colour and flavour.

The new wine then spends 10 months maturing in oak barrels made from wood from the forests of Burgundy. The result is a feisty, complex wine with powerful aromas and persistent ripe red fruit flavours combined with exotic notes of orange zest, dark chocolate and black tea. At around £15 a bottle it is a great deal less than comparable Burgundies with which it certainly stands serious comparison.

Like all the really good things in life Avante-Garde is not that easy to find, but Churchill Vintners in Birmingham has a small allocation. Call them on 0121 356 8888.

WINNER

The winner of Philippe Boucheron's April competition is Andrew Bale of Russet Close, Henwick Park, Worcester, who correctly named the Gironde as the river the Dordogne flows into before meeting the Atlantic beyond Bordeaux. He wins a bottle of Chteau Laulerie 2003 Montravel.