Purchase 6+ bottles of this Pinot & save 10%

b.c.v. may be a new name, but this is a project with read deal pedigree behind it. The brainchild of Carson Benham and Henry Cilek, who, before setting out on independent wine careers in wine, were college roommates in L.A. Carson grew up amongst the vines and in the cellar of his family’s Martin Ray winery, already famous in the Russian River Valley for supremely polished Pinots. He and Cilek teamed up in 2018 to make a tiny amount of their own wine, meticulously choosing their favorite fruit from the Benham family vineyard.

Like many young California winemakers these days, Carson and Henry’s aim is to emphasize freshness over richness. Seemingly every step they take in the vineyard and the cellar happens with that goal in mind. The cuvée’s name, “Les Cents,” is French for “one hundred,” a reference to the 100% whole cluster fermentation, which provides aromatic lift and gentle extraction. They also pick earlier than any of their neighbors, when flavors are ripe but sugars are relatively low and the fruit’s vital acidity remains intact. Benham and Cilek are creating unpretentious, balanced new world wines that pay homage to the old world Burgundian techniques that inspired them.

Why You’ll Love it: 

• Intense aromas: crushed black cherry, raspberry liqueur, pomegranate and rose petal

• Seductive spice: sandalwood, cinnamon, and black pepper

• Juicy, tart, dense and sweet dark berry and plum 

How to Serve it:

• Serve in Burgundy stem at at 60 degree

• Decant for up to 30 minutes

• Enjoy with grilled salmon, mushroom Fricassée, or a perfectly seared duck breast with cherry reduction sauce